Contax 139 Quartz (1979–1985)
A die-cast 35mm SLR with a crystal-locked shutter and only one exposure mode. It favors precision over flexibility.
Overview
The Contax 139 Quartz is a compact, electronically controlled 35mm single-lens reflex camera. Yashica produced it for the Contax brand between 1979 and 1985. It measures 139 mm wide, 85 mm tall, and 50 mm deep, and weighs roughly 590 grams body-only without a battery. That's a dense little block of die-cast metal chassis and precision-machined components, and it feels professional-grade the moment you pick it up. Contax positioned it as a compact and technologically refined alternative to the larger Contax RTS series, aimed at advanced amateurs and professionals who wanted a lightweight, accurate, reliable system camera without the bulk of its contemporaries.
The headline engineering was the quartz-regulated electronic shutter. The 139 Quartz was designed so that shutter speeds were maintained with extreme precision, minimizing timing drift even as battery voltage fluctuated. That was a common issue in electronic cameras of the era. Contax described the camera as the first in the world to apply quartz precision to the shutter and all operating sequences, and the feature was uncommon at the time outside of high-end models. In practice the 1 sec to 1/1000 sec range, plus B, holds its timing as the cells sag. A studio or low-light shooter burning through a roll on one set of batteries would care about that.
What the camera does not offer is flexibility of exposure. It runs aperture-priority autoexposure only - no program mode, no full manual. The photographer picks the aperture, the camera picks the shutter speed, and that's the whole conversation. Metering is TTL center-weighted via a silicon photodiode. The finder is a fixed pentaprism with 95% coverage and 0.85x magnification, with a split-image/microprism collar focus aid. The lens mount is the Contax/Yashica (C/Y) bayonet, which supports the full range of Zeiss and Yashica lenses with automatic diaphragm and metering. That is arguably the single best reason to own one of these bodies today.
Key Features
Quartz-Locked Shutter Timing
Contax's own documentation for the 139 Quartz frames it as the camera that brought quartz precision to the shutter and to every operating sequence in the body. The shutter speeds and the camera's internal timing are all locked to a crystal rather than to a free-running RC circuit. The practical payoff is that speeds stay put as the battery drains. Cameras of this generation that relied on plain electronic timing could drift noticeably as voltage fell, and the 139 Quartz was engineered specifically to hold its numbers. With no manual mode to fall back on, you're trusting the meter and the shutter completely.
Aperture-Priority Autoexposure Only
One mode, done properly. Aperture-priority autoexposure lets the shooter control depth of field directly while the body handles shutter speed, and Contax's framing is that this allows precise depth-of-field control while maintaining accurate exposure. That's a legitimate working method, since plenty of serious photographers shot aperture-priority exclusively, but it's also the camera's defining limitation. There is no manual override, and the 139 Quartz remained a niche product in part because of it. If the meter dies, the camera dies with it. Buyers who want a fallback should look at the successor, the Contax 137 MD, which added manual exposure mode and multi-mode metering.
Contax/Yashica (C/Y) Lens Mount
The C/Y bayonet is the 139 Quartz's long-term asset. It supports the full range of Zeiss and Yashica lenses with automatic diaphragm and metering, which makes the body a relatively inexpensive entry point into a serious optical system. A clean 139 Quartz with a couple of Zeiss primes is a more capable kit than the price of the body alone would suggest.
Viewfinder and Metering
The fixed pentaprism gives 95% coverage at 0.85x magnification, bright and clear, with focus confirmation via the split-image rangefinder and microprism collar. Metering is TTL center-weighted through a silicon photodiode (SPD). The SPD is the durable part of this setup, and these sensors generally remain functional decades on. The needle display can go sluggish or inaccurate and may need recalibration.
Fully Electronic Power Dependence
The camera relies entirely on electronics for shutter control and cannot operate without power. That's worth stating plainly because it separates the 139 Quartz from the mechanical SLRs of the same era: a dead battery doesn't just kill the meter, it kills the camera. It runs on a single 1.35V mercury PX625 cell, or a modern equivalent such as a Wein Cell MRB625 or an alkaline PX625 with voltage regulation. The original mercury battery is long obsolete, and the substitute matters — incorrect voltage can lead to inaccurate metering or shutter timing, which on a camera with no manual mode leaves you with nothing to compensate against.
Historical Context
The 139 Quartz arrived in 1979, during a period of rapid technological transition in the SLR market, when electronic automation and precision timing were becoming key differentiators among mid-to-high-end 35mm cameras. It filled a niche between the flagship Contax RTS (Real Time System) and the more basic models in the lineup, offering a smaller, lighter body without giving up build quality.
The Minolta X-700, Pentax ME Super, and Canon AE-1 Program dominated the mid-range market with programmable exposure modes and user-friendly interfaces. The 139 Quartz stood apart by emphasizing engineering precision over automation breadth: a quartz-locked shutter instead of a program dial. It was well-received in technical circles for its build quality and shutter accuracy, but it did not achieve the commercial success of more flexible models. The production run of six years reflects moderate but steady demand, particularly in Europe and Japan, where the Contax brand retained strong prestige.
The record has one wrinkle. Available documentation states production ran between 1979 and 1985, and separately states the camera was succeeded in 1984 by the Contax 137 MD. Both claims appear in the same source, and no external documentation resolves the overlap. Treat the end of production as somewhere in the 1984-1985 window.
Collectibility & Value
The 139 Quartz is regarded as a cult classic among vintage SLR enthusiasts, particularly those interested in precision engineering and compact system cameras. It holds a loyal following for its quartz timing system and understated design, though it is not as widely collected as the Contax RTS or the later AX. Recent listings for working bodies have run from roughly $61.50 to $140, with the higher figures attached to near-mint or re-skinned examples. The general range cited for units in excellent working condition is $150-$300 USD, depending on shutter functionality, light seals, and included accessories.
The failure modes are well documented. Aging capacitors and electronic components can lead to erratic timing or complete failure, and capacitor degradation in the timing circuit specifically can cause the shutter to fire incorrectly or not at all. Other common complaints include stiff shutter release buttons, degraded light seals, and oxidation on battery contacts. The shutter mechanism itself is sturdy but may require cleaning and lubrication after decades of inactivity. Because the camera depends entirely on electronics, a non-functional battery renders it unusable. Unlike mechanical cameras of the era, there is no graceful degradation.
Buying advice: verify shutter operation across all speeds before committing, since erratic timing is the classic symptom of tired capacitors. Repair should go to technicians experienced with Contax/Yashica electronics. Parts are not readily available, but many internal components are shared with other Yashica-built Contax models, which gives a good tech some cross-compatibility to work with. The owner's manual is archived at archive.org, and aftermarket leatherette cover skins, including for the Winder Grip variant, still turn up on eBay for cosmetic restoration. Regular light seal replacement and periodic battery checks are the cheap insurance.
eBay Listings
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