C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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slr-35mm
The Contax 167MT, introduced in 1986, was Kyocera's entry-level offering in the Contax C/Y-mount SLR line - a deliberate step below the RTS and ST in price and specification while retaining full exposure automation and access to the Carl Zeiss T* lens catalog. It provides aperture-priority, shutter-priority, program, and manual modes, a center-weighted silicon meter, and an electronically controlled vertical metal shutter capable of 1/4000s and 1/250s flash sync. The "MT" suffix refers to the Multi Time exposure system, which enables multiple exposures and time exposures. Power comes from four AAA batteries, a practical choice that made cells easy to source globally.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
Contax's accessible 1986 multi-mode SLR - full AE on a budget, C/Y mount, 1/4000s shutter.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Contax/Yashica (C/Y) |
| Years | 1986 – ~1998 |
| Shutter | 8s – 1/4000s + B, electronic vertical metal |
| Flash sync | 1/250s |
| Meter | Center-weighted silicon |
| EV range | ~EV 1 – EV 20 |
| Modes | Manual, Aperture, Shutter, Program |
| Weight | ~520 g |
| Battery | 4x AAA |
Kyocera restructured the Contax line in the mid-1980s to span a wider price range. The top-tier RTS II (1982) and eventual RTS III (1990) served professional and advanced-amateur shooters; the 167MT was introduced in 1986 to bring multi-mode AE to a lower price bracket, replacing the earlier 139 Quartz as the entry C/Y body. It ran alongside the ST (1992) and RX (1994) before the Aria (1998) took over its position as the compact, capable mid-range option. The 167MT's long production run - approximately 12 years - reflects steady demand from photographers who wanted Zeiss optics without the cost of flagship bodies.
The 167MT is significant because it democratized access to the Contax/Zeiss system. Before it, a photographer who wanted multi-mode automation on a C/Y body had limited options at the Contax price point. At the same time, Yashica's FX-D and FX-3 bodies offered simpler automation (primarily aperture-priority) rather than the full four-mode suite found in the 167MT.
For contemporary film shooters, the 167MT represents arguably the most cost-effective route into the C/Y system: body prices are modest, and the full AE suite means it handles a wide range of shooting conditions without demanding manual calculation. The 1/250s flash sync is also notably generous for its price tier.
Full Contax/Yashica (C/Y) mount compatibility. The entire Carl Zeiss T* SLR lineup pairs with the 167MT:
Compatible with Contax TLA flash system (TTL metering). A databack (CAM DB100) was available for date imprinting. No external motor drive was offered; the body has a built-in film-advance motor and auto-rewind.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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