Film loading is simple if you can load up a Pentax 645 or Mamiya 645 you can run with the Contax 645. The mode switch understated, which is my only complaint about the interface. Even with most of the body is taking up by the mirror box the controls for the shutter speed and EV compensation were big and easy to operate, but leaving those alone as I operated the camera in Aperture priority mode. The grips are smooth, moulded almost reminded me of the Maxxum 9. And despite having never operated the camera before I almost instantly felt familiar with the machine. However, it is smaller than I expected it. However, the camera proved expensive and not known for being reliable and by 2005 manufacturing ceased. The camera has both automatic, semi-automatic, and manual exposure settings and with the use of an AE, prism allows the photographer to make use of all four modes. But the cool part is that when it came to 220 film, they had a speciality film insert one that used vacuum suction to create the flattest film plane on the market, a maximum of 4.8μm from the film surface to the backplate. The body fully modular with a film back that could accept both 120 and 220 inserts a Type-100 Polaroid Back, AE prism and waist level finder.
These lenses were both autofocus and manual focus, to switch modes all the user had to twist the focus ring, no switches. Leveraging their position to manufacture Zeiss lenses they created a lineup of nine lenses, from a 35mm f/3.5 Distagon to a 350mm f/4 Tele-Apotessar and a 45-90mm f/4.5 Vario-Sonnar. But Kyocera didn’t just want to make another 645 SLR. First released on the 20th of February 1999 the Contax 645 AF answered that question. Both Mamiya and Pentax had released autofocus versions of their 645 format SLRs, and now Kyocera wanted to join those ranks. But their customer base wanted something else they wanted a medium format system. Good optics through licensed Carl Zeiss optics that stood up to their German cousins.
And the photographers who used them loved them. Kyocera was making good use of the Yashica and Contax brands and produced a lot of amazing cameras through the 1990s, but these were all 35mm cameras. Special thanks to Alan Gaunt for loaning this beautiful camera out for review! Alan’s Contax 645 AF with AE prisim, motordrive, and 45mm Distagon lens. The Contax 645 is a fantastic camera, but sadly it suffered the fate of being far too late in the game and would have done far better if Kyocera had released a digital back for the camera and got into the MF digital format first. I had never even known a person who also owned one, so when I was offered to use one for review, I jumped at the chance. Among film photography circles there are several cameras that rate as a cult camera, others as rare and a select few that rate as both Rare and Cult, the Contax 645 AF is in that category.
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