C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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slr-35mm
The Contax RTS (1975) is the first body in the Contax/Yashica (C/Y) lens-mount system. **Designed by F.A. Porsche** (yes, that Porsche — Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, who designed the 911), built by Yashica/Kyocera, with **Zeiss-branded lenses** made in Japan and Germany. Aperture-priority autoexposure, electronic vertical-metal shutter to 1/2000s, TTL center-weighted SPD metering. The "RTS" stood for "Real Time System" — fast response electronics for press use.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The first Contax-Yashica SLR. Porsche-designed (yes, F.A. Porsche), Zeiss optics, made by Kyocera. The "Real Time System" body that revived Contax in 1975.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Contax/Yashica (C/Y) |
| Years | 1975–2002 (across RTS / RTS II / RTS III) |
| Shutter | 4s – 1/2000s, electronic vertical metal |
| Flash sync | 1/60s (1/250s on RTS III) |
| Meter | TTL center-weighted SPD |
| Modes | Aperture priority, manual |
| Weight | 720 g |
| Battery | 4× SR44 |
Contax was a Zeiss brand revived by Yashica/Kyocera in 1974 (with Zeiss licensing). The RTS (1975) was the first body. Variants:
Production ended 2002 when Kyocera began winding down Contax. The C/Y mount lens system — Zeiss Planar 50/1.4, Distagon 28/2.8, Sonnar 85/2.8, Sonnar 135/2.8 — is among the most-praised lens systems in 35mm photography.
For 2026 buyers, used RTS bodies at $200–600 are the cheapest entry into the Contax C/Y Zeiss lens ecosystem. The Zeiss optics are exceptional — the Planar 85/1.4 is widely considered one of the best portrait lenses ever made, the Distagon 35/1.4 is praised for its rendering, and the entire system has held value better than most discontinued lens lines.
The body itself is competent rather than legendary. The RTS III is the most-prized body for Contax C/Y enthusiasts; the original RTS and RTS II are accessible used.
Contax/Yashica mount: Zeiss Planar 50/1.4, 50/1.7, Distagon 28/2.8, Distagon 35/1.4, Sonnar 85/2.8, 85/1.4, 135/2.8, Tele-Tessar 200/3.5. Yashica ML lenses (cheaper) also fit but are mechanically lower-tier than Zeiss. RTS Winder W-3, Motor Drive D-3.
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Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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