The mode (B/X/M/TV/AV) dial and AE lock is also located on the top right. I believe there was actually a waist-level finder for this camera.įrom the shooter’s perspective, the top right of the camera contains the shutter speed (32-1/4000 in AV mode) and exposure compensation dials. The viewfinder is beautifully bright and contrasty. The body when fitted with AE prism and film back feels very solid and is as beautiful to look at, as it is to shoot.

You can even add a nice (but expensive) accessory battery holder/vertical grip (the MP-1). The Contax 645 is a modular system with removable backs, prisms, and lenses. I couldn’t write enough to do the camera justice. I do have photos made with this camera and will be updating this article, once I can rescan and put them together. This is by no means a complete review of the Contax 645, just my memory and experience with it. When I sold it years back, I never thought I’d be writing about it one day on a blog 🙂 I apologize for not having more photos of the camera. but man, if you have to have an excuse for another camera, the Contax 645 is IT!! Looking back now, it was just another excuse for G.A.S. I had actually gotten the camera initially because I had done a couple of weddings, was thinking of going down the weekend weddings path, and was thinking of adding something different and unique to my wedding portraits. I’d always say that I would only sell this camera if I had to pay the rent. I got the Contax 645 in 2008 and had the pleasure of using it for a few years, but eventually had to sell it. It was part of their 645 system, an ambitious foray in the (then) professional portrait and wedding world where medium format was king. The Contax 645 is a Medium Format autofocus film camera introduced by Kyocera in 1999.

Perhaps one of the greatest camera systems ever made? I took this shot when I had to sell this dream combo. The almighty Contax 645 and 80mm f/2 Carl Zeiss lens.

Contax 645 battery