Contax rangefinder lenses

The Zeiss Ikon Contax I introduced a new lens mount in 1932, today known as Contax rangefinder mount. The Contax II and III used the same mount, as well as the postwar Contax IIa and IIIa models.

This mount was also used by the Kiev followers of the Contax, from the first models to the Kiev 5.

Nikon copied the mount for their own rangefinder cameras just after the war but, being this a voluntary difference or a simple mistake, their lens mount is slightly different and only the wide angle lenses are interchangeable, the standard and tele lenses having a wrong focus coupling. See Nikon rangefinder lenses.

This mount is in fact the combination of two bayonets. There is a focusing helical built in the body and the standard lenses mount directly in that focusing ramp via an internal bayonet. So the standard lenses have no focusing ring of their own. The other lenses mount on an external bayonet and have their own focusing ring, only the rangefinder coupling is done via the body's focusing ramp.

Quite surprisingly, the new Voigtländer company, owned by Cosina, also launched a new rangefinder body in 2002 using the Contax RF mount, called the Bessa R2C, together with a range of lenses in Nikon RF mount. The wide angle lenses are marked SC (for Nikon S and Contax), and can be mounted on a Contax body.

This mount should not be confused with the lens mount of the Contax G, see Contax G lenses.

Carl Zeiss Jena lenses

Black and nickel lenses, at the time of the Contax I:

• Tessar 2.8cm f:8 (uncoupled to the rangefinder)
• Biotar 4cm f:2
• Sonnar 5cm f:1.5 (rigid)
• Sonnar 5cm f:2 (rigid)
• Tessar 5cm f:2.8 (collapsible)
• Tessar 5cm f:3.5 (collapsible)
• Sonnar 8.5cm f:2
• Triotar 8.5cm f:4
• Sonnar 13.5cm f:4
• Tele-Tessar 18cm f:6.3

Chrome models, at the time of the Contax II and III:

• Tessar 2.8cm f:8 (uncoupled to the rangefinder)
• Biogon 3.5cm f:2.8 (large rear element, does not mount on Contax IIa or IIIa)
• Biotar 4cm f:2
• Sonnar 5cm f:1.5 (rigid)
• Sonnar 5cm f:2 (collapsible or rigid)
• Tessar 5cm f:2.8 (collapsible)
• Tessar 5cm f:3.5 (collapsible)
• Sonnar 8.5cm f:2
• Triotar 8.5cm f:4
• Sonnar 13.5cm f:4
• Tele-Tessar 18cm f:6.3

After the war, the Eastern part of Carl Zeiss continued to produce lenses for the Contax, in alloy versions:

Carl Zeiss Oberkochen lenses

All are chrome models, produced after the war by the Western part of Carl Zeiss:

Nikon lenses

Nikon also made some of their rangefinder lenses in Contax mount. They are marked with a C on the barrel, that has nothing to see with the red C on the front ring of the coated lenses.