Zeiss

Explore 15 Zeiss vintage camera models — specs, production history, reviews, and market values in the VTA archive.

When you talk about the soul of a camera, you're really talking about the lens. That's where Zeiss carved its name into history. While other companies made the bodies, Zeiss, for over 175 years, perfected the eye. Their optical science, rooted in Jena and later Oberkochen, wasn't just engineering; it was a philosophical pursuit of perfection. For collectors, a Zeiss lens badge on a vintage Contax, a Hasselblad, or even a humble folding camera is an immediate sign that you're holding something special—a piece of optical heritage that defined sharpness, contrast, and that unique, clinical yet characterful "Zeiss look."

Their key products are legends. The post-war Contax rangefinders, with their silky-smooth Zeiss optics, are 35mm royalty. The collaboration with Hasselblad for the V-system created the medium-format standard for decades, with Planar and Sonnar lenses becoming household names among pros. Don't overlook the older gems, either: the pre-war Tessar design was so good it was nicknamed "the eagle's eye," and its formula was copied by everyone. These designs weren't just products; they became the blueprints that the entire industry chased.

For a collector, know this: Zeiss is a saga of two Germanies. You have the classic West German Carl Zeiss and the state-owned VEB Carl Zeiss Jena from the East. Both produced magnificent optics, but with different character and history etched into their brass and glass. Also, understand the distinction between Zeiss-designed, Zeiss-made, and Zeiss-licensed optics, as the name appears on many Japanese cameras. True vintage Zeiss has a heft and a rendering quality that is immediately palpable. It's the difference between taking a picture and crafting an image.

Camera

• Contax T2 — Zeiss Contax T2 35mm compact with Carl Zeiss Sonnar 2.8/38 lens. Black and silver finishes, plus a 60 Years Gold Edition. Asking prices around €1,120.

Cameras

• Contaflex Alpha (1957-1959) — Meet the Contaflex Alpha: Zeiss Ikon’s no-frills gateway into 35mm SLR photography. Released in 1957, this compact, fixed-lens reflex wasn’t built to
• Contaflex Beta (1957-1959) — Meet the Contaflex Beta: Zeiss Ikon’s bold play to bring SLR precision to everyday photographers. Includes the complete spec table and when it was made.
• Contaflex I (1953-1958) — The Zeiss Ikon Contaflex I is the inaugural model in the Contaflex series of 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras. Includes full specifications.
• Contaflex II (1954-1958) — This upgrade marked a significant step forward in usability and exposure accuracy for amateur and professional photog. Full specifications and review.
• Contaflex III (1956–1959) — Distinguished by its fast Carl Zeiss Sonnar f/2 lens, the Contaflex III was engineered for photographers seeking supe. Full specifications and review.
• Contaflex IV (1956-1959) — The Zeiss Ikon Contaflex IV is a high-end 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera produced between 1956 and 1959, distinguished by its fast f/2 Sonnar lens.
• Contaflex Rapid (1958–1965) — Distinguished by its rapid lever wind mechanism and removable magazine back. Full specifications and review.
• Contaflex Super (1959-1963) — It features a newly designed vertical-travel focal-plane shutter and a built-in. Full specifications and review.
• Contaflex Super B (1963-1967) — It was the first model in the series to feature automatic exposure (AE) via a built-in selenium-cell meter and shutte. Full specifications and review.
• Contarex I (1958-1962) — The Zeiss Ikon Contarex I is a professional-grade 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) camera introduced in 1958. Find the complete spec table here.
• Contarex II (1966-1968) — Designed for professional photographers and serious enthusiasts. Full specifications and review.
• Contarex Special (1960-1963) — Designed for photographers requiring mechanical reliability and optical excellence without the complexity of built-in. Full specifications and review.
• Contax — The Contax RTS (1975–1982) is a professional 35mm SLR with a three-claw bayonet mount, LED viewfinder display, and Porsche-designed body.
• Contax D (1952–1956) — Functionally identical to the earlier Contax S, the Contax D was a rebranded version introduced primarily for export. Full specifications and review.
• Contax S (1949–1952) — It holds the distinction of being the first 35mm SLR camera with a fixed pentaprism eye-level viewfinder. Full specifications and review.
• Ikonta — Zeiss Ikonta B (1929–1955) — 6x6 folding camera with 80mm f/2.8 Tessar, Compur-Rapid shutter, and rangefinder. A flagship vintage medium format film camera.

Folding

• Ikon Icarette — Zeiss Ikon Icarette 500/15 folding camera, c.1930. Takes 116 film, 6.5x11cm negatives, Tessar 12cm f/4.5 lens, Compur shutter.

Folding Camera

• Ikon Ikonette (504/12) (1929) — Zeiss Ikon Ikonette (504/12), a 1929-1931 folding camera for 127 film with a Goerz Frontar 80mm f/9 meniscus lens and guillotine shutter.
• Ikon Ikonta D (1929-) — Documentation on the Ikonta D is thin, and the naming itself is part of the confusion. The camera appears in period listings as both the “Ikonta D” and

Glass Plate Camera

• Universal Juwel — Zeiss Universal Juwel — a large-format ICA/Zeiss Ikon field camera from the interwar period, in 9x12 and 13x18 formats. Used on the Alishar Hüyük dig and by Ansel Adams in 1947.

Rangefinder

• Contax II — Zeiss Contax II (1936-1942): the first 35mm rangefinder with a combined viewfinder/rangefinder in one window, with a ~90mm base and speeds to 1/1250s.

Other Models

• Ikon Kolibri — Zeiss Ikon Kolibri (1930-1935): Zeiss's first miniature camera, 3x4cm on 127 film with Tessar f/3.5. A rare, unsuccessful pre-Contax compact.