I'm just curious, does anyone have a production timeline of Contax cameras? E.g. when certain camera was introduced to the market, when it was discontinued, how many units were produced and so forth? It would be quite interesting to see.
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Contax cameras timeline
- Thread starter mohican
- Start date
V
vdipiet
I only have the dates of introduction:
RTS November 1975
139Q April 1979
137MD May 1980
RTS II April 1982
137 Auto Focus Prototype Oct. 1982
137MA Oct. 1982
159 MM Feb.1985
167MT Feb.1987
RTSIII Sept.1990
S2 Sept.1992
ST Oct.1992
S2B Oct 1993
RX April 1994
AX April 1996
Aria May 1998
RXII Nov. 2002
I hope this helps some what.
RTS November 1975
139Q April 1979
137MD May 1980
RTS II April 1982
137 Auto Focus Prototype Oct. 1982
137MA Oct. 1982
159 MM Feb.1985
167MT Feb.1987
RTSIII Sept.1990
S2 Sept.1992
ST Oct.1992
S2B Oct 1993
RX April 1994
AX April 1996
Aria May 1998
RXII Nov. 2002
I hope this helps some what.
- Joined
- May 15, 2002
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- 3,263
Hi Mike,
we made this timeline document 2-3 years ago in the Contax forum in the general section. but I think it is not updated yet. I did that in October last year for our German Contax Forum. I copy this here and will update the general section in this forum once I have more time
----
1975 - RTS I. RTS = Real Time System. Extremely fast light meter and shutter. Design from F.A. Porsche. Electromagnetic release, 1/2000 s., Av, focal plane shutter mirror lock, 92% viewfinder.
1979 - Contax 139 Quartz. One of the bestsellers. Quartz controlled electronic for higher precision. 1/100 flash sync.
1980 - Contax 137 MD with internal winder. TTL flash metering
1982 - Contax 137 MA. (improved MD)
1982 - Contax RTS II. electronically operated horizontal-travel titanium shutter, TTL-flash metering, 1/2000 to 16 sec., mechanical shutter time of 1/50, HP (97%).
1984 - Contax 159 MM. MM = Multi Mode. First Contax camera with Av and program-mode. Because of the program mode-capability, all Zeiss lenses now produced with MM contacts (smallest aperture in green colour).
1984 - Contax T. Compact camera/point and shoot with 2.8/38 Carl Zeiss lens, Av, front panel, external flash.
1986 - Contax 167 MT. 1/4000 s., automatic bracketing (ABC-Bracketing), internal Motor, spot metering and centre weighted average metering, DX. Exposure counter etc. on the top in the viewfinder.
1990 - Contax RTS III. Current top of the line model for professionals. With RTV (real time vacuum mechanism), 1/8000 s., 1/250 flash sync., pre-flash-metering, second curtain, 5p/s., 100% HP, mirror lock, bracketing, self timer 2s. and 10s., etc.
1990 - Contax T2. Compact camera with 2.8/38 Carl Zeiss lens
1992 - Contax ST. Between 167 MT and RTS III. 1/6000 to 16 s., 1/200 s. flash sync.
1992 - Contax S2 (60years). purely mechanical, either with spot or cw-metering, mirror lock up with self timer.
1993 - Contax TVS I. Compact camera with Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 28-56 Zoom. Filters can be attached.
1994 - Contax RX. Similar to the ST, better handling, very quiet.
1995 - Contax G1. First Rangefinder with zooming viewfinder, auto focus, internal winder, bracketing etc., new Zeiss lenses for the G-line.
1996 - Contax AX. First Contax SLR with auto focus (automatic back focusing system) . 100% compatibility to all MF-MM lenses.
1997 - Contax Tix. APS camera with Zeiss lens.
1998 - Contax G2. Improved G1, faster winder etc.
1998 - Contax Aria, bestseller. small as a Leica M6, 480g, internal winder matrix, spot and cw-metering, bracketing etc.
1999 - Contax TVS II. Almost the same like TVS I (same lens), just a better (lighter) viewfinder, on/off switch different.
2000 - Contax 645 AF. Medium Format with auto focus. New Zeiss lenses for this system, which can also be used with the N-system via an adapter.
2000 - Contax N1. First Contax with “normal†auto focus (USM). New (bigger) N-mount for future full-size chips, new lens line just for the N-system (no compatibility with C/Y system), mirror lock up over selftimer, great matrix metering, great lenses. N-Lenses optimized with the newest know-how of the movie industry especially for reducing lens-flare and optimizing colour reproduction.
2000 - Contax TVS III. Compact Camera. Newly designed zoom 30mm-60mm.
2001 - Contax T3. Compact Camera. Newly designed 2,8/35 Zeiss lens.
2001 - Contax NX. Entry-level model for the N-system, smaller & lighter and less functions then the N1.
2002 – Contax N Digital. First full-size chip in 35mm, 6 million pixel, N- mount. Excellent handling, high battery consumption, Raw files with new Adobe Photoshop CS now easy to use.
2003 - Contax TVS Digital. 5MP P&S
2003 - Contax RX II (not in all countries available). Modified RX. No focus assist, 20% brighter viewfinder, different shutter (of the Aria?), therefore louder than the RX.
2004 - Contax SL 300R. 3.2 MP P&S. Zeiss zoom 5.8-17.4 (38.115mm in 35mm). Rtune Processor. Highest continuos fps in the digital P&S market.
2004 - Contax U4r. 4 MP P&S, Zeiss Zoom 5.8-17.4 (38.115mm in 35mm). Rtune Processor of the second generation. Highest continuous fps in the digital P&S market
2004 - Contax i4R 4MP P&S, with fixed Zeiss lens 6.5/2.8 (39mm in 35mm)
(last update: Oct. 2004)
we made this timeline document 2-3 years ago in the Contax forum in the general section. but I think it is not updated yet. I did that in October last year for our German Contax Forum. I copy this here and will update the general section in this forum once I have more time
----
1975 - RTS I. RTS = Real Time System. Extremely fast light meter and shutter. Design from F.A. Porsche. Electromagnetic release, 1/2000 s., Av, focal plane shutter mirror lock, 92% viewfinder.
1979 - Contax 139 Quartz. One of the bestsellers. Quartz controlled electronic for higher precision. 1/100 flash sync.
1980 - Contax 137 MD with internal winder. TTL flash metering
1982 - Contax 137 MA. (improved MD)
1982 - Contax RTS II. electronically operated horizontal-travel titanium shutter, TTL-flash metering, 1/2000 to 16 sec., mechanical shutter time of 1/50, HP (97%).
1984 - Contax 159 MM. MM = Multi Mode. First Contax camera with Av and program-mode. Because of the program mode-capability, all Zeiss lenses now produced with MM contacts (smallest aperture in green colour).
1984 - Contax T. Compact camera/point and shoot with 2.8/38 Carl Zeiss lens, Av, front panel, external flash.
1986 - Contax 167 MT. 1/4000 s., automatic bracketing (ABC-Bracketing), internal Motor, spot metering and centre weighted average metering, DX. Exposure counter etc. on the top in the viewfinder.
1990 - Contax RTS III. Current top of the line model for professionals. With RTV (real time vacuum mechanism), 1/8000 s., 1/250 flash sync., pre-flash-metering, second curtain, 5p/s., 100% HP, mirror lock, bracketing, self timer 2s. and 10s., etc.
1990 - Contax T2. Compact camera with 2.8/38 Carl Zeiss lens
1992 - Contax ST. Between 167 MT and RTS III. 1/6000 to 16 s., 1/200 s. flash sync.
1992 - Contax S2 (60years). purely mechanical, either with spot or cw-metering, mirror lock up with self timer.
1993 - Contax TVS I. Compact camera with Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 28-56 Zoom. Filters can be attached.
1994 - Contax RX. Similar to the ST, better handling, very quiet.
1995 - Contax G1. First Rangefinder with zooming viewfinder, auto focus, internal winder, bracketing etc., new Zeiss lenses for the G-line.
1996 - Contax AX. First Contax SLR with auto focus (automatic back focusing system) . 100% compatibility to all MF-MM lenses.
1997 - Contax Tix. APS camera with Zeiss lens.
1998 - Contax G2. Improved G1, faster winder etc.
1998 - Contax Aria, bestseller. small as a Leica M6, 480g, internal winder matrix, spot and cw-metering, bracketing etc.
1999 - Contax TVS II. Almost the same like TVS I (same lens), just a better (lighter) viewfinder, on/off switch different.
2000 - Contax 645 AF. Medium Format with auto focus. New Zeiss lenses for this system, which can also be used with the N-system via an adapter.
2000 - Contax N1. First Contax with “normal†auto focus (USM). New (bigger) N-mount for future full-size chips, new lens line just for the N-system (no compatibility with C/Y system), mirror lock up over selftimer, great matrix metering, great lenses. N-Lenses optimized with the newest know-how of the movie industry especially for reducing lens-flare and optimizing colour reproduction.
2000 - Contax TVS III. Compact Camera. Newly designed zoom 30mm-60mm.
2001 - Contax T3. Compact Camera. Newly designed 2,8/35 Zeiss lens.
2001 - Contax NX. Entry-level model for the N-system, smaller & lighter and less functions then the N1.
2002 – Contax N Digital. First full-size chip in 35mm, 6 million pixel, N- mount. Excellent handling, high battery consumption, Raw files with new Adobe Photoshop CS now easy to use.
2003 - Contax TVS Digital. 5MP P&S
2003 - Contax RX II (not in all countries available). Modified RX. No focus assist, 20% brighter viewfinder, different shutter (of the Aria?), therefore louder than the RX.
2004 - Contax SL 300R. 3.2 MP P&S. Zeiss zoom 5.8-17.4 (38.115mm in 35mm). Rtune Processor. Highest continuos fps in the digital P&S market.
2004 - Contax U4r. 4 MP P&S, Zeiss Zoom 5.8-17.4 (38.115mm in 35mm). Rtune Processor of the second generation. Highest continuous fps in the digital P&S market
2004 - Contax i4R 4MP P&S, with fixed Zeiss lens 6.5/2.8 (39mm in 35mm)
(last update: Oct. 2004)
Dirk,
This is great. Very detailed. Few corrections though (just a formatting really):
1. In few places you indicate "HP" where you mean viewfinder field/frame coverage. E.g. here:
"1982 - Contax RTS II. electronically operated horizontal-travel titanium shutter, TTL-flash metering, 1/2000 to 16 sec., mechanical shutter time of 1/50, HP (97%)."
(by the way, I actually didn't know Contax had a camera with horizontally traveling shutter, I always thought it was purely Leica territory)
2. "1999 - Contax TVS II. Almost the same like TVS I (same lens), just a better (lighter) viewfinder, on/off switch different." - I believe you meant to say that the viewfinder was brighter, not lighter.
3. ST and RX had important difference. RX had top shutter speed of 1/4000sec and was flash syncing at 1/125 sec and slower. ST had top shutter speed of 1/6000sec and flash sync at 1/200sec and slower.
Also, proper spelling of word "broShure" (in manuals section) is with "C" - broChure.
Thanks!
P.S. By the way, a totally unrelated question. If I want to get access to Leica forums, do I have to subscribe/pay/register again? Or access to contaxinfo should allow me to get to leicainfo?
This is great. Very detailed. Few corrections though (just a formatting really):
1. In few places you indicate "HP" where you mean viewfinder field/frame coverage. E.g. here:
"1982 - Contax RTS II. electronically operated horizontal-travel titanium shutter, TTL-flash metering, 1/2000 to 16 sec., mechanical shutter time of 1/50, HP (97%)."
(by the way, I actually didn't know Contax had a camera with horizontally traveling shutter, I always thought it was purely Leica territory)
2. "1999 - Contax TVS II. Almost the same like TVS I (same lens), just a better (lighter) viewfinder, on/off switch different." - I believe you meant to say that the viewfinder was brighter, not lighter.
3. ST and RX had important difference. RX had top shutter speed of 1/4000sec and was flash syncing at 1/125 sec and slower. ST had top shutter speed of 1/6000sec and flash sync at 1/200sec and slower.
Also, proper spelling of word "broShure" (in manuals section) is with "C" - broChure.
Thanks!
P.S. By the way, a totally unrelated question. If I want to get access to Leica forums, do I have to subscribe/pay/register again? Or access to contaxinfo should allow me to get to leicainfo?
- Joined
- May 15, 2002
- Messages
- 3,263
Hi Mike,
thanks for the corrections, I will change that.
Regarding the access to the Leica Forum: Each forum is a totally separated community. Therefore the registration, the photo gallery etc. are also independent from each other. But it might make sense for your to use the same username/password like at Contaxinfo.com own convenience.
thanks for the corrections, I will change that.
Regarding the access to the Leica Forum: Each forum is a totally separated community. Therefore the registration, the photo gallery etc. are also independent from each other. But it might make sense for your to use the same username/password like at Contaxinfo.com own convenience.