This is a copy of a site no longer listed. I have no more
information on this site.
I claim no rights to this information... just many of the web sites that
disappeared over the years.
History of Yashica/Contax/Kyocera cameras
(Taken from a document with that title supplied to me by Yashica/Kyocera
marketing, dated 1993)
This is a raw document provided to me by Yashica/Kyocera marketing. It was supplied as a photocopied table which had survived a FAX transfer in 1993 and I converted it into an HTML table. Anything I added is in square brackets [].
I don't understand all the abbreviations, or the use of ° or ** for what
appear to be footnotes. I didn't get the legend that explains them,
so don't ask. :-)
| Single Lens Reflex cameras | ||
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| Pentamatic I | March, 1960 | |
| Pentamatic II | September, 1960 | |
| Pentamatic-S | June, 1961 | |
| Penta-J | September, 1961 | |
| J-3 | December, 1962 | |
| J-5 | April, 1964 | |
| J-P | April, 1964 | |
| TL-Super f/1.4 | April, 1966 | |
| TL-Super f/1.7 | December, 1966 | |
| J-7 | March, 1968 | |
| Electro-X | September, 1968 | |
| TL | November, 1968 | |
| TL Electro-X | September, 1968 | |
| TL-E | August, 1969 | |
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| TL Electro-X ITS | October, 1970 - ?, 1975 | |
| TL Electro | March, 1972 | |
| Electro-AX | September, 1972 - ?, 1975 | |
| FX-1 | June 1975 - February, 1978 | |
| Contax - RTS | November, 1975 - March, 1982 | |
| FX-2 | June, 1976 - February, 1981 | |
| FR | February, 1977 - November, 1980 | |
| FR-I | April, 1978 - December, 1981 | |
| FR-II | April, 1978 - January, 1982 | |
| Contax 139 Quartz | April, 1979 - September, 1987 | |
| FX-3 (Black) | October, 1979 - October, 1984 | |
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| Contax 137MD Quartz (f/1.4) | ¥130,000 | May, 1980 - December, 1982 |
| FX-D | September, 1980 - March, 1987 | |
| °Contax RTS-II | July, 1982 - October, 1987 | |
| °Contax 137MA Quartz | September, 1982 - October, 1987 | |
| FX-70 | August, 1983 - January, 1986 | |
| Merged with Kyocera in October, 1983 | ||
| FX-3 Super (Black) | August, 1984 - January, 1987 | |
| FX-7 Super (Chrome) | July, 1985 - June, 1986 | |
| °FX-103 (Chrome) | April, 1985 - October, 1987 | |
| FX-103 (Black) | May, 1985 - November, 1987 | |
| °Contax 159MM [lens?] | March, 1985 - November, 1987 | |
| °FX-3 Super 2000 | ¥11,452 | September, 1986 - [?] |
| Contax 167MT | ¥108,000 | February, 1987 - [?] |
| °230-AF | ¥35,112 | February, 1987 - March, 1990 |
| °200-AF | ¥26,630 | October, 1987 - March, 1990 |
| °Samurai X3.0 | ¥20,000 | February, 1988 - May, 1991 |
| Samurai X4.0 | ¥30,950 | December, 1988 - February, 1991 |
| 107MP (HKG) | US$ 126.00 | March, 1988 - [?] |
| Samurai Z/ZL | ¥26,320 | September, 1989 - September, 1991 |
| 108MP (HKG) | US$ 120.00 | October, 1989 - [?] |
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| Contax RTS III | ¥180,000 | October, 1990 |
| 270 Auto Focus w/AF28-70 & case |
¥38,929 | November, 1991 |
| Contax ST Body | YUS ¥75,800 | October, 1992 |
| Contax S2 Body | YUS ¥60,000 | October, 1992 |
| 300-AF Body III | (YUS) ¥17,250 (US$150) |
April, 1993 |
| 35mm cameras [mixed, non-SLR] | ||
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| Yashica 35 f/1.9 | ¥18,000 | April, 1958 - March, 1960 |
| Yashica 35 f/2.8 | ¥11,500 | April, 1958 - March, 1960 |
| Yashica 35 YL (f/1.8 & 2.8) | May, 1959 - January, 1960 | |
| YK 45/2.8 | ¥9,800 | August, 1959 - March, 1960 |
| YE 50/2.8 | ¥23,800 | December, 1959 - [?] |
| YE 50/1.8 | ¥28,200 | December, 1959 - [?] |
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| Minister f/2.8 | ¥13,300 | February, 1960 - March, 1960 |
| Minister f/1.9 | ¥18,500 | June, 1960 - March, 1963 |
| Lynx-1000 45/1.8 | ¥21,000 | June, 1960 - January, 1965 |
| 35J** | March, 1961 - ? | |
| Flash-O-Set** | May, 1961 - ? | |
| Campus | ¥11,700 | April, 1962 - ? |
| Minister-II f/2.8 | ¥15,500 | May, 1962 - ? |
| Flash-O-Set II | ¥12,400 | June, 1962 - ? |
| 35EE f/2.8** | September, 1962 - ? | |
| 35EE f/1.9 | ¥18,800 | September, 1962 - ? |
| Minimatic-S | ¥15,800 | February, 1963 - ? |
| Minimatic-C** | March, 1963 - ? | |
| Minister-D f/2.8 | ¥15,000 | December, 1963 - ? |
| Lynx-5000 | ¥20,000 | March, 1964 - ? |
| Minister-D f/1.8 | ¥17,500 | August, 1964 - ? |
| Minister-700 | ¥18,000 | October, 1964 - ? |
| Minister-II f/1.9** | November, 1964 - ? | |
| Lynx-14 | ¥24,000 | April, 1965 - ? |
| Electro 35 | ¥21,400 | February, 1966 - April, 1968 |
| Minister-III | ¥11,000 | March, 1966 - ? |
| Electro M5** | March, 1966 ? | |
| Minimatic EL** | November, 1967 - ? | |
| Lynx-14E** | February, 1968 - ? | |
| Lynx-5000E | ¥21,000 | May, 1968 - ? |
| Electro 35 Professional | ¥22,000 | June, 1968 - March, 1969 |
| Electro 35 Gold Mechanica | ¥23,200 | December, 1968 - ? |
| Electro 35 GT Gold Mecanica | ¥24,500 | March, 1969 - ? |
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| Electro 35 GS Gold Mecanica | ¥27,000 | June, 1970 - ? |
| Electro 35 GT | ¥28,450 | September, 1970 - April, 1973? |
| Electro 35CC | ¥27,800 | December, 1970 - ? |
| 35ME/MES** | March, 1972 - October, 1979 | |
| Electro 35MC | ¥22,800 | July, 1972 - ? |
| Electro 35MC (Black) | April, 1973 - ? | |
| °Electro 35GTN/GSN | ¥29,500 | April, 1973 - January, 1987 (HKG) |
| Electro 35GL | ¥32,000 | July, 1973 - ? |
| Electro 35CCN | ¥30,500 | July, 1973 - ? |
| Electro 35FC | ¥23,000 | October, 1973 - ? |
| Electro 35GX (Black) | ¥35,000 | July, 1975 - September, 1980 |
| Electro 35GX (Chrome) | October, 1975 - June, 1980 | |
| Electro 35 MG-1** | December, 1975 - ? | |
| 35MF | ¥29,000 | August, 1976 - ? |
| 35MFS | ¥30,800 | February, 1977 - October, 1979 |
| °ME-1** | April, 1979 - October, 1982 (HKG) | |
| Yashica Snap | ¥18,300 | September, 1973 - ? |
| Diary | ¥34,800 | July, 1972 - ? |
| Auto Focus | ¥41,000 | October, 1978 - June, 1981 |
| Auto Focus-S** | February, 1979 - ? | |
| MF-1** | ¥22,800 | April, 1979 - October, 1982 (HKG) |
| Yashica Flasher | April, 1978 - ? | |
| MF-2** | ¥22,800 | July, 1972 - ? |
| Electro 35MC | ¥22,800 | July, 1972 - ? |
| MG-1 Black | October, 1980 - December, 1986 | |
| MG-1 Chrome | October, 1980 - December, 1986 | |
| °Auto Focus Motor | October, 1981 - September, 1984 | |
| °Auto Focus Motor-D | September, 1982 - July, 1985 | |
| °Partner AF/AF-D | February, 1984 - June, 1986 | |
| °Auto Focus Motor-II (HK) | February, 1985 - May, 1990 | |
| Auto Focus Motor-IID (HK) | February, 1985 - April, 1990 | |
| °L AF(HK) | February, 1986 - July, 1988 | |
| L AF-D(HK) | February, 1986 - April, 1989 | |
| °T2/T2-D | June, 1986 - October, 1988 | |
| °MF-2 SUPER (HK) | August, 1986 - [?] | |
| °AF-J (HK) | June, 1987 - March, 1990 | |
| °AF-JD (HK) | December, 1987 - February, 1989 | |
| °Motor-J/J-D(HK) | $39.50/$51.50 | August, 1987 - [?] |
| DF-10/10S | ¥8,500/¥9,000 | December, 1987 - March, 1989 |
| °T3/T3-D | ¥15,445/¥18,070 | April, 1988 - October, 1991 |
| E35 AF Mini/-D(HK) | $57.00/$69.00 | September, 1989 |
| °Zoomtec 80 | ¥18,000/¥19,670 | September, 1989 - [?] |
| Model | F.O.B. (AG) | Year of Introduction |
| AF-J2/NJ-2 | $63.00 | January, 1990 - [?] |
| AF-J2D/NJ-2D | $74.00 | January, 1990 - [?] |
| J-Mini/Mini-D(HK) | $39.60/50.60 | May, 1990 - [?] |
| Zoomtec 60/60D | ¥13,800/¥15,300 | August, 1990 - [?] |
| T3-Super/-D | $92.51/$105.82(OB) | August, 1990 - [?] |
| Zoomtec-90D(HK) | $154.00 | October, 1990 - [?] |
| Zoomtec-90 | $143.00 | November, 1990 - [?] |
| AW Mini(HK) | $68.20 | November, 1990 - [?] |
| AW Mini-D(HK) | December, 1990 - [?] | |
| Contax-T2 | ¥55,000 | December, 1990 - [?] |
| Twintec/D | $78.00/$88.00 | February, 1991 |
| MG-2 | $32.00 | April, 1991 - [?] |
| Zoomtec Image 90 | $116.00 | May, 1991 - [?] |
| Zoomtec Image 70 | $88.00 | October, 1991 - [?] |
| Zoomtec 105 | ¥24,196 | October, 1991 - [?] |
| Zoomtec 105ID | ¥25,772 | October, 1991 - [?] |
| Contax T2 Blk/Gold | ¥61,000 | October, 1991 - [?] |
| T3 Super/-D | ¥13,150/(D)¥16,744 | November, 1991 - [?] |
| Contax T2 60th Edition | US$830.00 | February, 1992 - [?] |
| T4/T4D | US$93.54/$106.54 | April, 1992 - [?] |
| AF J3/J3D | US$62.00/$72.00 | April, 1992 |
| Micro Elite AF/AF-D | $46.50/$55.60 | July/August, 1992 |
| Micro Finesse-D | US$75.00 | September, 1992 - [?] |
| Micro Finesse | US$66.00 | October, 1992 - [?] |
| Zoomtec 90 Super/D | US$121.20/$130.20 | October, 1992 - [?] |
| Microtec Zoom/D1 | US$113.90/122.90 | October, 1992 |
| Minitec P AF-D | $63.00 | November, 1992 - [?] |