Contax NX2002

History

Kyocera launched the Contax N system in 2000 with the N1 as a clean-sheet AF platform to replace the aging C/Y manual-focus system. The N mount was designed specifically for autofocus and is not compatible with C/Y lenses without adapters. The NX followed in 2002 as a lower-priced companion body to expand the market for N-mount glass. The N system also produced the ND -- the only Contax digital SLR -- in 2002. By 2005 Kyocera had withdrawn from the camera business entirely, making the entire Contax N range very short-lived. The NX's production run was thus among the briefest of any major Japanese AF SLR system.

Why It Matters

The NX is a minor historical footnote in the AF SLR era but carries significance for Zeiss lens collectors. The Contax N-mount Zeiss lenses -- notably the Vario-Sonnar 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, the Planar 50mm f/1.4 N, and the Sonnar 85mm f/1.4 N -- are optically excellent but relatively rare. The NX is the least expensive way to use N-mount glass on film. The body itself offers nothing exceptional over contemporary Canon EOS or Nikon AF bodies; the attraction is purely the glass. N-mount lenses can also be adapted to Sony A-mount and Canon EF with varying degrees of AF functionality.

Lenses & Accessories

Contax N mount. Native N-mount Zeiss lenses:

• Distagon T* 17mm f/3.5 N
• Vario-Sonnar T* 17-35mm f/2.8 N
• Vario-Sonnar T* 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 N
• Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 N
• Sonnar T* 85mm f/1.4 N
• Vario-Sonnar T* 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 N

C/Y lenses are NOT directly compatible with the N mount. Flash: Contax TLA series and compatible third-party units with N system TTL coupling.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• Used by Contax system photographers transitioning from C/Y manual-focus who wanted AF capability while retaining Zeiss glass.
• The N system was adopted by some wedding and portrait studios in Japan during its brief production window.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Contax NX