Contax S2 / S2b

The Contax S2 was originally introduced to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Contax cameras. The first model, the S2, was produced by Cosina to Contax specification. It is a fully mechanical, manually operated 35mm SLR camera, using batteries only to power the light meter. The camera features titanium top and bottom plates. The S2 was unusual among modern 35mm cameras in that the light meter was designed as a spot meter, without center-weighted or matrix metering options. The use of only a spot meter required some knowledge on the part of the photographer for accurate exposures. A simple camera with a mechanical shutter, the S2 featured shutter speeds up to 1/4000 second and a 1/250 second flash synchronization.

In response to customer demands for an S2 with a more versatile light meter, Contax introduced the S2b, which was sold concurrently with the S2. The S2b is virtually identical to the S2 with the exception of a different external finish, and a light meter that is center-weighted to provide accurate exposure under an average range of lighting conditions. Both the S2 and S2b were discontinued by Contax in 2000.