C41
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Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile35mm SLR
Contax 137 MD Quartz1980
- Format
- 35mm
- Mount
- Contax/Yashica
- Years
- 1980–
- Shutter
- 4s – 1/1000s
- Meter
- center-weighted-silicon
The Contax 137 MD Quartz, introduced in 1980, was one of the first 35mm SLRs to incorporate a motor drive as a permanent, non-removable part of the body rather than as a detachable accessory. Produced by Yashica under the Contax brand following the 1975 joint venture with Carl Zeiss, the 137 MD Quartz offered aperture-priority automatic exposure controlled by a quartz-oscillator timing circuit - an innovation that lent precision to longer exposures and consistent frame timing. It accepts the full Contax/Yashica (C/Y) lens mount, giving access to Carl Zeiss T* optics. The built-in motor advances film at approximately two frames per second and handles auto-rewind.
Reference
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Develop 35mm film
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Before you buy used
- **Price range**: $80-$200 USD body-only; generally undervalued relative to later Contax bodies.
- **Motor**: the integrated drive is the most likely failure point - advance and rewind should be smooth and consistent. Hesitation or grinding requires service.
- **Electronics**: no mechanical fallback; a dead battery means a non-functional camera. Confirm all shutter speeds respond correctly.
- **Quartz circuit**: rarely fails, but if long exposures are off by a significant margin the oscillator may need attention.
- **Battery drain**: the motor and electronics together draw significant current; fresh AA alkaline or NiMH recommended.
- **Light seals**: foam degrades with age; budget for seal replacement on any body over 30 years old.
- **Flash sync at 1/100s**: notably slow even by 1980 standards; relevant if you plan to use fill flash.
- Service is available from independent technicians in Germany, Japan, and the US; factory Kyocera/Contax support no longer exists.
About this camera
Contax's 1980 integrated motor-drive SLR - aperture-priority automation with quartz-controlled film advance.
Key Specs
Frequently asked questions
- What film does the Contax 137 MD Quartz use?
- The Contax 137 MD Quartz shoots 35mm film.
- What battery does the Contax 137 MD Quartz take?
- The Contax 137 MD Quartz uses a 4x AA battery.
- What lens mount does the Contax 137 MD Quartz have?
- The Contax 137 MD Quartz uses the Contax/Yashica mount.
- What shutter speeds does the Contax 137 MD Quartz offer?
- The Contax 137 MD Quartz's shutter speeds range from 4s to 1/1000s.
- What light meter does the Contax 137 MD Quartz use?
- The Contax 137 MD Quartz meters with center-weighted-silicon.