Contax 167MT Black

History

Contax introduced the 167MT in 1986 under Kyocera's ownership, which had acquired the Contax brand from Zeiss Ikon's successor arrangements in 1983. Kyocera's strategy was to use Yashica's manufacturing base to expand the Contax range downward into more accessible price tiers while protecting the RTS lineage at the professional end.

The 167MT addressed a specific gap: Contax users who wanted the C/Y mount ecosystem but could not justify the RTS II's cost, and who found the older RTS or earlier bodies increasingly dated. The integrated motor drive (the "MT" designation) was a meaningful differentiator in 1986, as competitor bodies at similar price points - Canon T70, Nikon FA - either lacked motor drives or required add-on units. The 167MT's motor ran at approximately 2 frames per second, modest by professional standards but adequate for general use.

The Quartz variant (167MT Quartz) followed with a data back integration and quartz date imprinting capability; this is tracked separately. The 167MT series remained in production through the early 1990s, overlapping with the Contax ST (introduced 1992) which became the more capable mid-range C/Y body for the decade.

The black body was produced in parallel with the chrome from launch. Black-body Contax bodies across the lineup have historically been produced in smaller batches, consistent with market demand patterns that favored chrome for resale value and black for working photographers.

Why It Matters

The 167MT Black represents an entry point into the Contax/Zeiss ecosystem at significantly lower cost than the RTS II or ST. For photographers prioritizing access to Zeiss T* glass - particularly the Planar 50mm f/1.4, Distagon 28mm f/2.8, or Sonnar 85mm f/2.8 - the 167MT provides a functional platform without the premium associated with higher-tier Contax bodies.

The integrated motor drive is a practical advantage over the Contax RTS (which required a separate winder) and the similarly priced Yashica FX-D. For street photographers and documentary work where a Zeiss lens is the priority rather than the body, the 167MT Black strikes a reasonable balance between affordability and operational capability.

The black finish is a secondary appeal for those who prefer the visual discretion of a non-chrome body, particularly when paired with black-finish Contax or Yashica lenses.

Lenses & Accessories

The C/Y mount gives access to one of the most respected lens ecosystems in manual-focus 35mm photography:

• Contax Zeiss Planar T 50mm f/1.4* - the benchmark standard lens for this system; high contrast and resolution characteristic of T* coating
• Contax Zeiss Planar T 85mm f/1.4* - the signature portrait lens of the C/Y system; commands a premium even used
• Contax Zeiss Distagon T 35mm f/2.8 and 28mm f/2.8* - the accessible Zeiss wide options for this mount
• Contax Zeiss Sonnar T 135mm f/2.8* - telephoto option, sharp and compact
• Yashica ML 50mm f/2 - the budget-friendly standard; a useful pairing when the body is used as a system entry point
• Contax TLA 280 or TLA 360 - dedicated flash units with program coupling through the hot shoe
• No additional motor drive attachment is needed or supported; the body motor is the system

C/Y to Sony E-mount and C/Y to micro four-thirds adapters are widely available, making 167MT bodies occasionally purchased as lens-testing platforms by mirrorless users.

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

The 167MT was a working photographer's body rather than a collector's statement piece. Its use was widespread among editorial and commercial photographers in the late 1980s and early 1990s who wanted C/Y mount portability without professional-body expenditure, but specific documented attributions are sparse in available literature.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Contax 167MT - specifications and production context
• Wikipedia: Contax - brand history through the Kyocera ownership period and eventual discontinuation