Difference between revisions of "Contax RTS"

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(Moving lens info to "Yashica / Contax lenses")
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In the 1970's, [[Contax]] cameras had ceased production but the desire to build a high-quality system using [[Zeiss]] lenses remained. Contax joined in a license agreement with Kyocera (Kyoto Ceramics) of Japan, who already manufactured the [[Yashica]] line of camera equipment. The result was a new line of 35mm [[SLR]] cameras using a lens mount shared by both Contax and Yashica camera bodies (known as "C/Y mount"). The body, manafactured in Japan, would accept lenses made and labelled by either Yashica or Zeiss, either in Germany or in Japan under Zeiss license. In theory, Zeiss lenses are for use on Contax bodies, while Yashica lenses are for Yashica bodies. In practice, both lenses can be freely intermixed.  
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In the early 1970's, the [[Zeiss Ikon]] cameras had ceased production but the desire to build a high-quality system using [[Zeiss]] lenses remained. The name [[Contax]] was licensed to the Japanese [[Yashica]], at the time an independent camera maker. The result was the parallel launching of two new lines of 35mm [[SLR]] cameras: a top range bearing the Contax brand, and a middle range keeping the name Yashica. Both shared the same new type of lens mount, and could take [[Yashica / Contax lenses]]. The body, manufactured in Japan, would accept lenses made and labelled by either Yashica or Zeiss, either in Germany or in Japan under Zeiss license. In theory, Zeiss lenses are for use on Contax bodies, while Yashica lenses are for Yashica bodies. In practice, both lenses can be freely intermixed.
  
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The first camera of this line was the Contax RTS. The success of this line led to other later cameras, including the [[Contax 645 AF]] and the rangefinder [[Contax G1-G2]].
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The first camera of this line was the '''Contax RTS'''. The success of the line led to other cameras (see [[Contax]]). In that range, the most professional and most expensive body would always have a name beginning with RTS.
  
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Lenses for the RTS are manual-focus and come in two flavors: AE and MM. The later "MM" lenses permit the camera to automatically set the [[aperture]], and are distinguished visually by the color of the [[f-stop]] markers -- the last, highest f-stop on such "MM" lenses will be marked in green. Earlier "AE" lenses ("automatic aperture" refers here to keeping the lens at wide aperture until the moment of exposure, not automated exposure) will be marked in white. Both lens series may be used on either new or old cameras.
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In 1982 the original RTS was replaced by the '''Contax RTS II'''.
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While every brand has its adherents, optical testing has generally shown that the lenses made by Zeiss and Kyocera for the RTS series were generally the sharpest ever made for a production 35mm SLR. Adapters to use C/Y Zeiss lenses on other cameras, most notably [[Canon EOS]], have proved popular.
 
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The unique [[Contax AX]] camera allows autofocus using these lenses, by actually moving the film plane (rather than the lens) back and forth. The AX can actually be used with other lens mounts via adapters.
 
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Later Contax SLR lenses for the auto-focus [[Contax N]] series use a different mount, aptly called "N mount."
 
  
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In 1990 the RTS II was replaced by the '''Contax RTS III'''.
  
 
==  Photobloggers Using the Contax RTS ==
 
==  Photobloggers Using the Contax RTS ==
  
 
* [http://www.protorant.com/ PhotoRant] [http://www.photoblogs.org/profile/botzilla.com/ (profile)]
 
* [http://www.protorant.com/ PhotoRant] [http://www.photoblogs.org/profile/botzilla.com/ (profile)]

Revision as of 13:03, 27 September 2005

In the early 1970's, the Zeiss Ikon cameras had ceased production but the desire to build a high-quality system using Zeiss lenses remained. The name Contax was licensed to the Japanese Yashica, at the time an independent camera maker. The result was the parallel launching of two new lines of 35mm SLR cameras: a top range bearing the Contax brand, and a middle range keeping the name Yashica. Both shared the same new type of lens mount, and could take Yashica / Contax lenses. The body, manufactured in Japan, would accept lenses made and labelled by either Yashica or Zeiss, either in Germany or in Japan under Zeiss license. In theory, Zeiss lenses are for use on Contax bodies, while Yashica lenses are for Yashica bodies. In practice, both lenses can be freely intermixed.

The first camera of this line was the Contax RTS. The success of the line led to other cameras (see Contax). In that range, the most professional and most expensive body would always have a name beginning with RTS.

In 1982 the original RTS was replaced by the Contax RTS II.

In 1990 the RTS II was replaced by the Contax RTS III.

Photobloggers Using the Contax RTS

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