Body Only.
CONTAX 137 MD Quartz 35mm Film SLR Camera Body From JAPAN #E0139
Specifications
Brand: CONTAX
Manufacturer: Yashica / Kyocera
Model: CONTAX 137 MD Quartz
Camera Type: 35mm Film SLR Camera
Film Format: 35mm Film (135)
Lens Mount: Contax/Yashica (C/Y) Mount
Focus: Manual Focus
Exposure Modes: Aperture Priority AE / Manual Exposure
Metering System: TTL Center-Weighted Metering
Metering Range: Approx. EV 0-18
Film Speed Range: ISO 12-3200
Shutter Type: Electronically Controlled Vertical-Travel Focal-Plane Shutter
Shutter Speeds: Approx. 11 sec. to 1/1000 sec. in Auto Mode
Manual Shutter Speeds: 1 sec. to 1/1000 sec. plus B
Flash Sync Speed: 1/60 sec.
Viewfinder: Fixed Eye-Level Pentaprism
Focusing Screen: Split-Image Rangefinder with Microprism Collar
Film Advance: Built-In Motor Drive
Continuous Shooting: Approx. 2 Frames per Second
Film Rewind: Manual
Frame Counter: Automatic Additive Type
Self-Timer: Electronic
Exposure Compensation: Available
Multiple Exposure: Supported
Flash Connection: Hot Shoe / Sync Contact
Power Source: 4 × AA Batteries
Lens Compatibility: Contax/Yashica Mount Carl Zeiss and Compatible C/Y Lenses
Body Construction: Compact Motorized SLR Design
Introduced: 1980
Made in Japan
Camera Shop Comment
The CONTAX 137 MD Quartz is a fascinating and historically important 35mm SLR that combines the premium photographic philosophy of the CONTAX system with advanced electronic technology from the beginning of the 1980s. It is particularly attractive for photographers who want to experience classic Carl Zeiss C/Y-mount lenses while enjoying a more automated shooting experience than many traditional mechanical SLR cameras.
One of the most important features of the 137 MD Quartz is its built-in motor drive. At a time when many 35mm SLR cameras required a separate external motor drive or winder, CONTAX incorporated powered film advance directly into the camera body. This gives the camera a distinctive shooting experience and makes it significantly different from conventional manually advanced SLRs of the same period.
The built-in motorized film transport can advance the film at approximately two frames per second. For photographers accustomed to manually operating a film advance lever after every exposure, the automatic advance of the 137 MD Quartz provides a surprisingly modern and enjoyable experience.
The "Quartz" name is also significant. The camera uses quartz-controlled electronic timing to provide precise shutter operation. This reflects the period when advanced electronics were rapidly transforming professional and enthusiast 35mm cameras, and CONTAX incorporated these technologies into a compact body designed around the highly regarded Contax/Yashica lens mount.
Exposure operation is centered around aperture-priority automatic exposure, one of the most intuitive exposure systems for everyday photography. The photographer selects the desired aperture on the lens, and the camera electronically determines the appropriate shutter speed according to the measured light.
This approach allows the photographer to concentrate on two of the most important creative decisions in photography: aperture and focus. A wide aperture can be selected when shallow depth of field is desired, while a smaller aperture can be chosen for landscapes, architecture, and scenes requiring greater depth of field. The camera then handles the corresponding shutter speed.
Manual exposure is also available for photographers who want greater control. This makes the 137 MD Quartz suitable not only for casual film photography but also for photographers who enjoy deliberately controlling exposure and experimenting with different photographic techniques.
The TTL metering system measures light through the taking lens, providing convenient exposure measurement with compatible C/Y-mount lenses. Center-weighted metering is particularly intuitive for traditional photography and allows experienced photographers to predict how the camera will respond to different lighting conditions.
However, perhaps the greatest reason to choose the CONTAX 137 MD Quartz is not simply the camera body itself, but the lens system that surrounds it.
The Contax/Yashica C/Y mount provides access to the famous Carl Zeiss lenses produced for the CONTAX SLR system. These include legendary optical designs carrying names such as Distagon, Planar, Tessar, Sonnar, and Vario-Sonnar. For many photographers and collectors, these lenses are the primary attraction of the classic CONTAX system.
Carl Zeiss C/Y lenses have developed an enduring reputation for excellent resolution, contrast, color reproduction, and distinctive rendering. The 137 MD Quartz provides a relatively compact and straightforward platform for enjoying these classic manual-focus optics on 35mm film.
This makes the camera particularly interesting for photographers who already own C/Y-mount lenses. Rather than adapting these lenses to a modern digital camera, the 137 MD Quartz allows them to be experienced on the type of 35mm film system for which they were originally designed.
The manual focusing experience is another important part of the camera's appeal. The viewfinder incorporates focusing aids designed to make precise focusing easier, allowing photographers to take full advantage of fast manual-focus lenses such as the classic Carl Zeiss Planar designs.
Unlike modern autofocus cameras, the CONTAX encourages a more deliberate photographic process. The photographer chooses the aperture, manually focuses on the subject, considers the composition, and then releases the shutter. Immediately afterward, the built-in motor advances the film automatically for the next photograph.
This combination of traditional manual focusing and automatic film transport gives the 137 MD Quartz a particularly distinctive character. It retains the tactile involvement of classic photography while incorporating electronic conveniences that were advanced for its era.
The compact body design is another important advantage. External motor drives fitted to professional film SLRs can make a camera considerably larger and heavier. By integrating the motorized film advance into the body, CONTAX created a relatively streamlined system that remains practical for everyday photography.
This makes the 137 MD Quartz particularly enjoyable for street photography and travel. Paired with a compact C/Y-mount prime lens, it provides a capable 35mm system without requiring a large professional camera body or separate motor-drive attachment.
The camera is also an interesting choice for photographers who want to enter the classic CONTAX system without immediately moving to one of the larger or more expensive professional bodies. The 137 MD Quartz offers the essential attraction of the system—the ability to use excellent C/Y-mount optics—in a distinctive motorized body.
From a camera shop perspective, we consider the 137 MD Quartz especially appealing because it represents an important transitional period in camera design. It combines the traditional manual-focus SLR concept with electronic shutter control, aperture-priority automation, quartz timing, and integrated motorized film advance.
This mixture of mechanical photography and early electronic automation gives the camera considerably more personality than a simple specification sheet might suggest. It represents a period when manufacturers were experimenting with how electronics could improve the photographic experience without completely removing direct control from the photographer.
The camera is also attractive to collectors of Japanese photographic equipment. Although the CONTAX name originated in Germany, the C/Y-mount CONTAX SLR system was developed through the collaboration between Carl Zeiss and Yashica, bringing together German optical design and Japanese camera manufacturing expertise.
That relationship produced one of the most interesting 35mm SLR systems of its generation. The 137 MD Quartz is an excellent example of this philosophy, combining sophisticated Japanese electronic camera engineering with access to prestigious Carl Zeiss optics.
For film photographers, another advantage is that the camera uses standard 35mm film. This makes it straightforward to enjoy different color negative, black-and-white, and transparency films while experiencing the rendering characteristics of classic C/Y lenses.
The built-in motor drive also changes the rhythm of shooting compared with a conventional manual-advance film camera. Because the camera automatically prepares the next frame, photographers can concentrate on the subject and composition rather than operating a winding lever between exposures.
This can be especially enjoyable for street photography, portraits, family photography, events, and situations where the photographer wants to capture several moments in quick succession.
We particularly recommend the CONTAX 137 MD Quartz to photographers who want an authentic platform for classic Carl Zeiss C/Y lenses, collectors interested in early electronically controlled SLR cameras, and film photographers who appreciate the combination of manual focusing and automatic film advance.
It is also an excellent choice for someone who finds fully mechanical vintage cameras interesting but prefers the convenience of aperture-priority exposure and motorized film transport.
The CONTAX 137 MD Quartz should therefore not be viewed simply as another vintage 35mm SLR. It represents a distinctive chapter in CONTAX history and demonstrates how advanced electronics were beginning to reshape serious photography at the beginning of the 1980s.
Its combination of the Contax/Yashica mount, access to legendary Carl Zeiss lenses, aperture-priority automatic exposure, manual exposure control, quartz-controlled electronic shutter, TTL metering, and integrated motor drive makes it a particularly interesting classic camera.
For photographers who appreciate vintage Japanese camera engineering and the unique character of the CONTAX/Carl Zeiss system, the CONTAX 137 MD Quartz remains a highly enjoyable and collectible 35mm SLR.
Everything shown in the photos is included in the package.
