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 - [?] |