The best news for fans, users, and potential collectors of the Contax 645 and its system of lenses and accessories, is that a pristine Contax 645 outfit, complete with 80mm f/2 Zeiss Planar lens AE prism, and 120/220 film back is currently available at Adorama’s used department for around $1,500, or roughly one-third of its original selling price!Īdditionally, Contax and third parties such as PhaseOne, Mega-Vision, Leaf, and even Kodak have come out with high-resolution digital backs that can be attached to the Contax 645, bringing this user collectible right up to date. Perhaps the greatest complement you can pay to this remarkable machine is that it’s a camera that Zeiss-Ikon, originators of the venerable Contax marque, would have been proud of. When it debuted back in ’99, the Contax 645 was hailed as the first modular, medium-format, autofocus SLR, as a masterpiece of mechanical and electronic integration, and praised for its handsome design, excellent balance, superb full-information viewfinder, and ergonomic controls. Its outstanding picture-taking performance is still unsurpassed by any medium-format camera in current production. Is this exquisite, ingenious, and (alas) recently discontinued 6×4.5cm SLR a user collectible or a classic collectible? Answer: Without the shadow of a doubt, it is both.
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