Contax is Kaput!

After pissing off the owners of Contax camera systems by releasing cameras that are no longer compatible with their earlier lenses, Contax has gone the way of the Dodo. They further alienated their client base buy releasing a new digital system a year late after a series of cliches delay manufacture. The critics lambasted the N1 digital and Contax released it at a ridiculous price and didn't have lenses available nor were the manual lenses of yesteryear compatible as they are in the comparable Nikon system.

Screw you Skyrocket is all I have to say. I wish I would have bought a Leica, or even a Nikon.

Rather than bucking up and releasing a camera worth buying, the schmuck-o President announced they were simply pulling the plug.

It made sense to me how they could preserve their client base, yet their research and developement team and their board of directors were clueless. They put greed in the way of keeping their client base intact. Even Leica is backward compatible. They could of used a coupler for the MM mounts, but Noooooooooo.

So here's is what the clowns had to say for themselves:

"Kyoto, Japan - April 12 2005
Kyocera Corporation (President: Yasuo Nishiguchi, hereafter called "Kyocera") has decided to terminate CONTAX - branded camera business.

Although Carl Zeiss and Kyocera have entered into a long term co-operation regarding the development, production and sale of CONTAX-branded cameras, Kyocera has decided to terminate such business due to difficulties in catching up with the recent rapid market changes.

Consequently, Kyocera will terminate the shipment of CONTAX-branded cameras, and the exclusive lenses and accessories in September 2005, except for the CONTAX 645 camera system, the shipment of which to some markets will come to an end in December, 2005.

Kyocera will continue to provide after-sales services to its customers for their CONTAX-branded cameras, and the exclusive lenses and accessories over the maximum period of ten years within the specified time of each model. "

They developed the AX in the nineties which was backward compatible even if the camera was on the bulky side.

It is a shame to lose one of the best line of lenses ever made. It is especially a shame for people like myself who spent tens of thousands of dollars to buy their cameras and lenses.

I can't say I am surprised.

Contax made the stupid decision to release first a line of Auto focus cameras that weren't compatible with their manual focus lenses. Then they came out with the H1, that again was not compatible with the newer AF or older manual lenses.

They could convince people to spend that amount of money on lenses yet again. You figure they would get it. They are not Canon. You can't buy a complete camera system with lenses for 1 or 2 thousand. Each lens can cost as much or more. So you can understand why loyal Contax owners were unwilling to buy more lenses.

It's as simple as that. Their 35mm system is great, but Leica was smart enough as well as Nikon, to make their lenses backwards compatible. Even Hasselblad got it with their new cameras able to use all the old Hasselblad lenses.

Then they came out with the over priced $8500 6 megapixel N1 digital, which was blasted buy critics for it's being over-priced, released a year late, and thus not at the top of the line as far as resolution etc. They had too many design flaws and took too long to fix the problems, thus sabotaging the camera.

So i guess they had it coming. They had a responsibility to their customers and they dropped the ball.

I am angry about it and unfortunately, there is no Contax to not buy from.

They could at least let people know on their web site. They are still acting as business as usual.

Now I own $20k worth of cameras and paraphernalia that I can't get parts for anymore. There will be more suckers who will buy these cameras without realizing they ceased to operate.

I just hope you read this before you bought anything.

Zeiss is still making lenses for Hasselblad, but Kyrocera pulled the plug on Contax.

So I guess the good news is the bottom fell out in the price of the lenses and existing camera. Good luck trying to get it serviced though.

Don't worry about Zeiss producing lenses for their Hasselblad systems. Hasselblad remains a staple as the state of the art digital backs fit even the older Hassey bodies and lenses.

It seems that the makers of optics will still have a place in the digital world.

Contax RIP 1932-2005