Camera Review · Contax 139 Quartz
Contax 139 Quartz: The One I Keep Coming Back To
Contax is a legendary German camera brand that isn’t entirely German. Its history began in Germany, and is responsible for many innovations adopted by other camera brands over the years, such as the Contax S introduced the eye-level pentaprism in 1949; a design feature that became the blueprint for generations of SLRs and, later, DSLRs. The original West German Contax manufacturer faded away in the 1960s, but the name was revived in 1973 through a partnership between Japanese camera maker Yashica and German optics mega superstar Carl Zeiss.
My Contax 139 Quartz cameras, of which I have two, were introduced in 1979 and produced up to 1987. They were aimed at the enthusiast or amateur market and cost around £250 when new. They weren’t my first cameras, though. I bought both in the early 2000s after my Yashica FR, the camera my father gave me, finally gave up the ghost.
I’ve always loved the 139 Quartz. Despite the heritage, Contax remains a relatively niche brand, known for quality, which makes me feel slightly superior to other photographers, not as superior as Leica owners, of course! Better still, the 139 Quartz remains affordable, unlike some Contax compacts and rangefinders, which now sell for ridiculous money. Thanks, Kylie Jenner!
What I love most is its Y/C lens mount, which opens the door to Carl Zeiss glass: essentially lens pornography. As a student, owning a set of Zeiss lenses was a distant fantasy. I used the 139 Quartz throughout uni with more modest Yashica, Sigma and even Vivitar lenses. But, one day, perhaps, I thought, maybe, I might be able to afford a Zeiss lens or two.
After university, everything went digital and my trusted Contaxes were relegated to a silver equipment case. They moved with me from the North West to the South East, through several flats and eventually into my current house. Every time I moved, I would be asked why I was moving this case I never opened.
About the camera
Camera
Contax 139 Quartz
Lens used
35mm f2.8 Carl Zeiss Distagon
Production period
1979 - 1987
The camera
Using it
Twenty-odd years later, I’ve returned to film photography, and it has been refreshing. Out came the silver equipment case and my two 139 Quartz bodies. The exterior leather had deteriorated and the light seals had perished, but both are straightforward fixes. Etsy and eBay are full of reasonably priced, laser-cut replacement kits. I chose traditional black faux leather for one body and red for the other.
A couple of fresh batteries later, both cameras worked as well as they ever had.
They are great-looking cameras: sleek, understated and free from too many sticky-out bits. I mainly use them for street photography, where their compact size is a real advantage. The lenses are modest in size too, especially compared with some modern digital-camera lenses. The build quality is beautiful: sturdy, tactile and reassuringly light on plastic. With aperture priority, the 139 Quartz is a very capable street-photography tool.
And now, twenty-odd years after buying the cameras, I can finally afford those beautiful, gorgeous, sexy Carl Zeiss lenses (made in Japan)!
I love the simplicity of the 139 Quartz. It makes me slow down and think more carefully about what I am photographing. But are those virtues also its greatest weaknesses? Without a motor drive, you cannot fire off three or four frames in the hope of catching the perfect moment. Without autofocus, you need to anticipate where your subject will be. Its maximum shutter speed is 1/1000th of a second, which can be limiting on a bright day when shooting ISO 400 film; the higher-end Contax RTS of the same era reached 1/2000th at least.
Would I swap it for an autofocus, motor-driven 35mm camera? No. If my priority were autofocus and speed, I would use a digital camera. For me, the appeal of the 139 Quartz is its simplicity and its analogue feel. It has access to beautiful lenses and carries a name with genuine heritage, yet it never feels brash. There is no showy red dot on the body for example, just the understated red T* on the lens to show its pedigree.
Conclusion
I am biased, of course. My photographic journey began with this system, even if it was through its cheaper, bulkier Yashica sister. And while I could upgrade to the more professional Contax RTS, I do not think I would. The 139 Quartz is simple, beautiful and compact for an SLR, with access to some of the finest lenses ever made. I look forward to continuing my journey and seeing what the next roll of film brings.
Photographs made with the camera © Bertram Greenhough. Copyright remains with the photographer. Camera photograph © Picture This Film Lab.
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