Contax Yashica 35mm film SLR camera system

see also:
- lenses for Contax Yashica C/Y mount
- Yashica TLRs
- Olympus OM
- CameraLeather.com sells leather kits to re-cover your camera body.
- http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/contax/contaxrts/index.htm

History:

1973:
- ‘Top Secret Project 130’, a collaboration with Carl Zeiss to produce a new, professional 35mm SLR with an electronically-controlled shutter, bearing the Contax brand name. A new prestige line of Yashica / Contax lenses designed by Carl Zeiss were introduced for the camera, with a common C/Y bayonet mount allowing lens interchange between all 35mm Contax and Yashica SLR models - an innovation that was to prove very popular with camera buyers.
1974:
- Contax RTS (“Real Time System”) 35mm SLR - high end expensive version while the subsequent Yashica models over the next decade, although based on the Contax, targeted a more affordable range for the serious amateur.
1975:
- Yashica FX-1 35mm SLR with C/Y mount;
1976:
- Yashica FX-2 35mm SLR with C/Y mount;
- Yashica FR 35mm SLR with C/Y mount:
  - based in part on the Contax RTS design, was a more affordable manual-exposure, electronically-controlled camera.
1977:
- Yashica FR-I 35mm SLR - manual and auto exposure
- Yashica FR-II 35mm SLR - auto exposure only
1979:
- Yashica FX-3 35mm SLR - entry level manual exposure only; developed by Yashica but made by Cosina
- Contax 139 Quartz:
  - mid-range series with less features than the pro series (the RTS models).
  - quartz timed shutter speeds for improved accuracy
  - TTL flash with x-sync at 1/100th sec; CW aperture priority and manual exposure;
  - optional winder and data back;
1980:
- Yashica FX-D Quartz -
- Contax 137MD Quartz - 2fps motor drive; 4xAA batteries; X-sync 1/60th;
1982:
- Contax 137MA Quartz - 3fps motor drive; manual shutter speed adjustment added to the 137MD;
- Contax RTS II Quartz - flash TTL; electronic self-timer;
1983:
- Yashica FX-70 -
- Yashica merges with Kyocera which also made the newer Contax cameras from that date.
1984:
- Yashica FX-3 Super - meter activated by half-press of shutter
1985:
- Yashica FX-7 Super - meter activated by half-press of shutter
- Contax 159MM - new MM mount for new MM lenses to allow shutter priority and program exposure modes
- Yashica FX-103 Program 35mm SLR - 1st Yashica SLR with TTL flash and full programmed exposure capabilities;
1987:
- Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 - Basic model; metal focal-plane shutter; top speed of 1/2000 sec;
- Yashica FX-D
- Contax 167MT Quartz - New auto-bracketing mode; Spot/center weighted metering switch;
1988:
- Yashica 107MP - sold as the Yashica TR7000 in Europe; MP stands for Multi-Program;
1989:
- Yashica 108MP
- Yashica 109MP - motorised film rewind
1990:
- Contax RTS III
  - RTV “Real Time Vacuum” back maintains film flatness; 100% viewfinder image; data recording between frames;
  - pre-flash TTL spot meter with non-dedicated flash by adjusting aperture; 5fps motor drive; 1/8000th sec; x-sync 1/250th sec; usual TTL flash metering mode; auto-bracketing mode; vertical travel metal shutter;
1992:
- Contax ST -
- Contax S2 - The back-to-basics completely manual SLR
1993:
- Contax RX - Built-in focusing aid “Digital Focus Indicator”; low vibration mirror;
- Contax RXII - Same all-metal body but DFI feature removed;
1996:
- Contax AX - Auto-focus by moving the film plane but body bigger;
1998:
- Contax Aria - a smaller SLR designed especially for women; uses an infrared sensor to count the sprocket holes, so you cannot use infrared film in it.; spot meter; flash synch at 1/125;
- Contax S2b - an S2 with titanium body and black paint
Kyocera created a new Contax N series 35mm SLR with new autofocus N mount which was not backwardly compatible with C/Y lenses which thus failed as most wanting AF moved to Canon or Nikon cameras.
2005:
- Kyocera discontinues production of all Yashica, Contax and Kyocera branded film and digital cameras.