Contax Recommendations

Justyjust · Nov 15, 2020

Hi people

I'm looking to purchase a 35mm camera I've been looking at the contax 167 , ST , Aria , RTS.
I'm just wondering what you would all recommend, I've gone looking into all the models but now I'm confused which ones most suitable.

Thanks Justin

Deleted member 88956 · Nov 15, 2020

Do you have lenses already as it seems a bit odd to dump all other choices of no lesser brands?

Justyjust · Nov 15, 2020

No but I heard that contax lenses are good, I used to have an Olympus OM2 back in the day.
I could look at another brand but lost touch of what was good, I remember Nikon used to be good in the day.
Would you say contax isn't a good brand compared to Nikon and canon?

blockend · Nov 15, 2020

The S2 and S2b are the Contax SLRs to go for if you have the cash. Contax lenses are excellent with price tags to match, and have increased since digital adapters breathed new life into them. The RTS is something of a relic, if you buy one make sure you get a warranty. In fact that's true of most Contax SLRs.

ph · Nov 15, 2020

Kyocera ceased making them and, hence zero new spares & fatory repairs. the mechanical ones can be fixed by a skilled repairer, but if specialized electronics conk out rapair is futile. However, some of the feature filled ones still work. I have been pleased with my ST, On the other and if it is the lenses you wanr, simple adapters will make them work on old canon EOS film cameras, provided that you can get a screen that can be used for manual focussing and that they do not block the mirror. They also work well on digitals, but as mentioned above, they are not cheap.

p.

narsuitus · Nov 15, 2020

Justyjust said:
I'm looking to purchase a 35mm camera I've been looking at the contax 167 , ST , Aria , RTS.

Justyjust said:
... I heard that contax lenses are good, I used to have an Olympus OM2 back in the day.
I could look at another brand but lost touch of what was good, I remember Nikon used to be good in the day.
Would you say contax isn't a good brand compared to Nikon and canon?

I have used Nikon, Canon, and Olympus cameras and lenses and can vouch for them as being a "good" brand.

I am not familiar with the Contax models you listed. However, I have used the Contax G1 35mm camera with 21, 28, 45, and 90mm Zeiss lenses and can vouch for them as being "good."

Contax 35mm by Narsuitus, on Flickr

Paul Howell · Nov 15, 2020

Not sure how common in the UK, but the Yashica FR and FR II use the same mount, has a pretty good motor drive if you need it. For the price of a Contax you can get a couple of bodies in case you need a spear. Even cheaper is the FX3. With the saving you can buy more Zeiss glass, and if in a pinch Yashica is very undervalued they made some really good glass.

NortheastPhotographic · Nov 15, 2020

If you want a Contax I'd either recommend the S2 (expensive) or Yashica FX3. The lenses are pretty cheap for the most part so it's a good value for Zeiss glass.

If you want a recommendation of a solid 35mm kit I'd recommend the Pentax LX and FA Limited lenses. I think the Pentax is probably a bit more reliable than Contax bodies, and good Pentax glass is just as good as good Zeiss glass. In fact one design was shared, the 28mm 2.0. You can get it in Zeiss or Pentax branding.

naaldvoerder · Nov 15, 2020

Contax camera's are very capable and refined machines. The Zeiss lenses are mostly fine pieces of glass. They tend to be heavier and bigger than their Minolta or Olympus counterparts. I own the RTS III, the RTS II, 159MM, 139Q and 2 Aria bodies, and I have owned RX and ST, along with a set of primes. If you want to hear some specifics a particular body, just drop me a line.

On the bodies you mentioned.
I owned the ST and RX, but sold them when I got the RTS III. I bought the RTS III because it has a 100% viewfinder. But it is heavy, unfit for travel. For that I have the pair of Aria's. Small and light little machines with all the features I need, albeit with a 95% viewfinder. Out of the ST and RX, I liked the RX the best. It has the most well damped shutter. I would have kept it, if I had to chose only 1 body.
I have handled the 167MT, but I do not like the lay-out and the weird buttons it uses. In that respect it is a bit of an outlyer in the Contax range.
If you consider the RTS, I would strongly recommend the RTS II instead. It has the same exterior but has some improvements, among others viewfinder coverage of 97% instead of 92%.
The S2 and S2b are "snob" camera's in my view, overpriced for what they offer, unless electronical assistance in photography is a pest to you.
Depending on your use (travel etc) I would consider, the Aria if you want automated film advance, and the 159MM if you can do without. They both share an AEL button, rubberized grip, the grippy bumb on the right hand side, and a 1/4000 top shutter speed, all features I find necessary. I you want something bit more hefty I would recommend the RX(II). It has a silky smooth shutter.

http://cdegroot.com/photo-contax/

Good luck.

Craig75 · Nov 15, 2020

All the big names could make you a high quality camera and lens line up.

But personally i think nikon has the best overall system to shoot with today. Shared mount with digital, you can buy new high end manual focus lenses today for the mount, high quality manual cameras, high quality af hitech cameras, load of cheap consumer bodies 2nd hand, huge lens line up with some exotic lenses that dont exist on other mounts (apart from canon) or are very rare collectors glass etc etc. I just saw a brand new 15mm shift lens in nikon mount... pretty awesome you can get such crazy lenses new and shoot them on nearly any nikon from.last 50 years.

naaldvoerder · Nov 15, 2020

Craig75 said:
All the big names could make you a high quality camera and lens line up.

But personally i think nikon has the best overall system to shoot with today. Shared mount with digital, you can buy new high end manual focus lenses today for the mount, high quality manual cameras, high quality af hitech cameras, load of cheap consumer bodies 2nd hand, huge lens line up with some exotic lenses that dont exist on other mounts (apart from canon) or are very rare collectors glass etc etc. I just saw a brand new 15mm shift lens in nikon mount... pretty awesome you can get such crazy lenses new and shoot them on nearly any nikon from.last 50 years.

I concur. Nikon is probably the most sensible choice for starting a camera system, although Minolta, Pentax, Canon, Olympus all have gems in their line-ups through the ages. Isn't the Pentax mount also shared by the digital bodies?

There is something about the Contaxes though. And Zeiss doesn't have its reputation for nothing. Both brands clearly strove for quality. Both bodies and lenses are on the heavier side. A sort of "if you want quality, you carry it" philosophy. Even the Contax lens shades exude that trade. Big, all metal, with metal shade caps. I never use P-filters on my lenses. The shades provide more than ample protection. I think I could hammer in nails with them risking only cosmetic damage. In the end, the best camera is the one that makes you want to pick it up, and makes you want to take pictures, because of the sheer satisfaction having it in your hands. For me, the RTS III, mounted with 85/1.4 and its ridiculously oversized lens shade does exactly that. And so, to a large extent, do its smaller siblings. But, to be honest, I never took a shot with it, that I couldn't have taken with my X700.

Huss · Nov 15, 2020

Justyjust said:
No but I heard that contax lenses are good, I used to have an Olympus OM2 back in the day.
I could look at another brand but lost touch of what was good, I remember Nikon used to be good in the day.
Would you say contax isn't a good brand compared to Nikon and canon?

I had the RTS and RTSII. Both failed - electronics died - and were unrepairable.
The newest ones now (I think) are the S2 and S2B, which are Yashicas FX series cameras under the skin, including the plastic pieces that were appropriate for that price level at the time.

Contax cameras are very pretty, but.... if you are starting fresh and want to build up a system then Nikon really is the way to go. Or Pentax. Or Leica. I use all three (and Minolta) as my film SLR cameras.

ic-racer · Nov 15, 2020

I have both the classic Zeiss lens lineup and modern Nikkors. Nikon developed good zoom lenses in the late 1990s and early 2000s that match primes and they even made 35mm cameras up until recently. The Contax 35mm SLR cameras and lenses have not been made for decades. I think the Zeiss lenses have been surpassed in design, though, you have to have some of the modern Nikon lenses in plastic bodies. Modern Nikkors are also more expensive than the classic Zeiss lenses.

flatulent1 · Nov 15, 2020

I have the 159MM, RTSIII, RX, AX, and ST. They're all good. My favorites are the RTSIII, RX, and AX. The RTSIII is too heavy for casual shooting, and the AX is a big meaty handful. The RX is a wonderful size, not too small, not too large. The RTSIII uses AA batteries. The ST with battery grip use AA batteries; without, it inexplicably uses AAA. The RX and AX use 2CR5, which are no longer commonly available, at least in my area.

The 167MT frustrated me with its toggle switch for changing shutter speeds. I had the same issue with the Maxxum 7000's idiotic up/down buttons for changing settings.

I'm a Canon guy, and I love my Contax gear. My recommendation, however, would be a Nikon FE, FM3a, or F4.

Craig75 · Nov 15, 2020

Huss said:
I had the RTS and RTSII. Both failed - electronics died - and were unrepairable.
The newest ones now (I think) are the S2 and S2B, which are Yashicas FX series cameras under the skin, including the plastic pieces that were appropriate for that price level at the time.

Contax cameras are very pretty, but.... if you are starting fresh and want to build up a system then Nikon really is the way to go. Or Pentax. Or Leica. I use all three (and Minolta) as my film SLR cameras.

Yes the number of times ive thought... hmmm would really like manual camera with a spot meter and eye is drawn to the S2 but then you read up on it and it sounds very emperor's new clothes under the titanium skin.

As @naaldvoerder says tho contax are very nice to hold but imho there is always a sting in the tale with them in some way or another and its just easier to build a system / less of a money pit to use a different brand.

naaldvoerder · Nov 15, 2020

Craig75 said:
Yes the number of times ive thought... hmmm would really like manual camera with a spot meter and eye is drawn to the S2 but then you read up on it and it sounds very emperor's new clothes under the titanium skin.

As @naaldvoerder says tho contax are very nice to hold but imho there is always a sting in the tale with them in some way or another and its just easier to build a system / less of a money pit to use a different brand.

The RTSIII, Aria, RX and ST all provide both spot metering and centre weighted average metering. I never had any of the cameras I own fail me, except for user induced damage (putting a film leader through the titanium shutter blades). The 139Q and the 159MM I got non-working, free or nearly free. Both suffered from dirty shutter release magnets, an easy fix I did myself. A common occurrence with camera's with electronic shutters that have not been used for a long time. Another common problem in Contaxes, except for the Aria, is mirror slip. Very easily fixable too. That said I do not value reliability and battery independance over handling and feature set. If any of them break down, beyond my repair abilities, I will just replace it. If I visit places I will not likely return to, I bring 2 bodies and spare batteries. But I would do that too, if I was shooting with Nikons or Canons.

Huss · Nov 15, 2020

Also the Contax S2's meter only reads down to EV4. Which is 1/4 sec at f2. Seriously weak for such an expensive camera. Nikon FM2 reads down to EV1. Same for the Pentax MX. Same for the Leica R6 which also offers spot and avg weighted metering in the same body. To get that with Contax you need to buy an S2 AND an S2b!

naaldvoerder · Nov 15, 2020

Huss said:
Also the Contax S2's meter only reads down to EV4. Which is 1/4 sec at f2. Seriously weak for such an expensive camera. Nikon FM2 reads down to EV1. Same for the Pentax MX. Same for the Leica R6 which also offers spot and avg weighted metering in the same body. To get that with Contax you need to buy an S2 AND an S2b!

Or with a Contax Aria. (Center-Weighted EV0 ~ EV20 Spot Metering EV2~ EV20 Evaluative Metering EV2~EV20)
In addition you get automatic film advance, automatic bracketing, automatic film loading, custom settings, automatic rewinding of finished film, Zeiss lenses, and not the laggy R6 shutter.

Huss · Nov 15, 2020

naaldvoerder said:
Or with a Contax Aria. (Center-Weighted EV0 ~ EV20 Spot Metering EV2~ EV20 Evaluative Metering EV2~EV20)
In addition you get automatic film advance, automatic bracketing, automatic film loading, custom settings, automatic rewinding of finished film, Zeiss lenses, and not the laggy R6 shutter.

The Aria is very nice indeed. But not a manual/mechanical camera that the OP wants (?).

naaldvoerder · Nov 15, 2020

Huss said:
The Aria is very nice indeed. But not a manual/mechanical camera that the OP wants (?).

Non of the ones the OP mentions are mechanical camera's. All have electronic shutters. Three of them have automatic film advance.

dynachrome · Nov 15, 2020

This subject has come up before. I don't have any of thr Contax SLR cameras. I have Yashica models. Most of my Y/C mount lenses are Yashica MLS but I do have one Zeiss lens and a number of independently made lenses. From my own experience and from what I have read, I could not recommend any of the Yashica FR models. My favorite Yashica Y/C mount camera us the FX-3. It has a nice finder and can be overhauled by any competent repair person. Parts are not a problem. If you must have a shutter speed higher than 1/1000 there is the FX-3 Super 2000. That model has more plastic parts so be gentle with it. The FX-3 is a pretty rudimentary camera. You have match-LED metering and must push in the meter button with your thumb to meter. Batteries last a long time. The camera will let you try out the Zeiss lenses you are interested in. If you need TTL flash metering, higher shutter speeds, user interchangeable focusing screens, automatic exposure and a motor, the FX-3 us not for you.

dynachrome · Nov 15, 2020

is not

Deleted member 88956 · Nov 16, 2020

flatulent1 said:
...The RX and AX use 2CR5, which are no longer commonly available, at least in my area.

How more commonly do you need than to order some? They are still made and with claimed 10 year shelf life one can stock up if that is a power needed to run a beloved camera.

Justyjust · Nov 16, 2020

Thanks everyone for your help, I'll have to weight it all up but I do have my doubts about reliability as I have seen a few posts about it.
Saying that it's not something I'm going to use a great deal, but I do want to be able to pick it up when I do!! it works.
Cheers

TheFlyingCamera · Nov 16, 2020

When I was shooting 35mm, I had exclusively Contax cameras. I started out with a 167MT, then upgraded to an RX, and eventually moved to a G1/G2 combo. I currently own but do not use with any frequency an RTS III. I bought it because I had lusted after it back in the day when I couldn't afford one, and it is still today and extremely capable machine - 1/8000 top shutter speed, 5FPS motor drive, spot metering, vacuum film plane, and that weird-but-cool TTL flash metering for studio flash units - something you don't get until you buy a Sinar with the film plane meter probe. And should I ever need to defend myself, it does double-duty as a sledgehammer.

If you are still considering the Contax line, I would avoid an RTS, and be leery of an RTS II, because of their age. An RTS II would make an acceptable backup camera for an RTS III or an RX, but I wouldn't keep it as my primary. I loved my RX for the in-viewfinder focus/depth-of-field assist - it made doing hyperfocal focusing really easy. They took that feature away in the RX (II), so for that I personally wouldn't be interested in an RX (II), but the II is a newer model with I think faster top shutter speed and/or motor drive, maybe faster flash sync?. In any case, not a quantum upgrade, like the difference between an RTS II and RTS III.

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