• Contax TVS iii — view 2
  • Contax TVS iii — view 3
  • Contax TVS iii — view 4
  • Contax TVS iii — view 5
  • Contax TVS iii — view 6
  • 1999
  • Carl Zeiss T*
  • Titanium body

Contax TVS III

Carl Zeiss in titanium. The last great Contax compact.

The Contax TVS III is the last and most refined of the TVS line — Kyocera's premium titanium-bodied zoom compact, made under licence with Zeiss. The lens is a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 30-60mm f/3.7-6.7. T* coating, four-element design, real Zeiss rendering in a body that fits in a jacket pocket.

What you give up versus a fixed-lens premium compact (T2, T3) is a stop or two of speed and the prestige of single focal length. What you gain is a usable 30mm wide for a small room or a wider street, and 60mm for a portrait — all under the same Zeiss rendering envelope. Programmed AE, aperture priority, manual focus override when the AF guesses wrong. Titanium feels exactly the way you'd expect.

Late-production Kyocera Contax compacts are getting harder to find with every passing year. If you've been looking for a TVS III, the wait isn't getting shorter.

Match

Who this is for

Good for

  • Carl Zeiss collectors
  • Travel
  • Premium street
  • Backup body for a Contax shooter

Not for

  • Anyone wanting a single fixed focal length
  • Sports / fast action

Character

What it feels like to shoot

The titanium body is a thing. Cold to the touch, dense for its size, with a click on the command dial that's closer to a Leica than to any plastic compact. At the wide end the lens is wider than you expect to like; at the long end it does portraits the way only Carl Zeiss glass can. The pop-up flash is quick and sensible. The autofocus is fast for its era; nothing's faster than a 2026 phone, but this is a 1999 compact built for film, and it gets there.

Born 1999

History of the Contax TVS III

Released by Kyocera under the Contax brand in 1999 as the third and final generation of the TVS — the original TVS shipped in 1993 with a 28-56mm Vario-Sonnar, the TVS II in 1995 was a minor refresh, and the TVS III in 1999 brought a slightly longer 30-60mm zoom, more refined ergonomics, and a quieter motor. Production ended along with the rest of Kyocera's Contax line in 2005.

Technical specifications

MFG. 1999 – 2005
01
Format
35mm autofocus zoom compact
02
Manufacturer
Kyocera (Contax) · Japan
03
Production
1999 – 2005
04
Lens
Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 30–60mm f/3.7–6.7
05
Metering
TTL center-weighted
06
Viewfinder
Real-image zoom finder with frame lines and parallax marks
07
Shutter
1/700s – 16s (programmed leaf shutter)
08
ISO range
DX-coded ASA 25 – 5000
09
Flash sync
Built-in pop-up auto-flash, all speeds
10
Exposure modes
Programmed AE, Aperture priority, Manual focus override
11
Dimensions
124 × 67 × 38 mm
12
Weight
295 g
13
Power
1 × CR2 lithium

Backed by GPP

Service & guarantees

Every analog camera ships through our bench

This unit has been bench-tested by GPP. AF and exposure system verified, light seals checked, lens elements inspected for haze and fungus. Cosmetic condition is reflected in the listing photos — wear consistent with a 25-year-old premium compact.

Comes with our 7-day functional return policy: if anything we declared isn't working as described, we'll exchange or refund.

  • CLA'd by GPP — shutter speeds checked, light seals replaced where needed, meter calibrated against a known reference.
  • 7-day functional return — if it doesn't work as we declared on this listing, we exchange or refund. Wear-and-tear consistent with the listed condition isn't returnable.
  • UAE & worldwide shipping — Domestic next-day, international tracked. Insurance can be added to any order on request. Customs and import duties are the buyer's responsibility on international orders.
  • Walk in to inspect — Warehouse D36, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. Mon–Sat, 10am–7pm. Bring a roll if you'd like to test-fire on the spot.

Questions

Things people ask

What film does it take?

Standard 35mm film. We carry the widest selection in the Middle East — colour, B&W, slide — across consumer, professional, and cinema stocks. Need a recommendation for this body? Just ask us.

Is the camera serviced before sale?

Yes — every analog camera at GPP goes through our bench before it goes on the listing. Shutter speeds verified, light seals replaced where needed, meter calibrated against a reference.

What's your return policy?

7-day functional return. If anything we declared isn't working as described, contact us within 7 days of receipt for a full refund or exchange.

Can GPP develop and scan the photos I shoot with this?

Yes — our in-house film lab handles colour, B&W, and slide development with scanning. 24-48 hour rush available. More on the film lab.

Can I see the camera before I buy?

Always welcome. Visit Warehouse D36, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am–7pm.

Reading

Further reference

Camera-Wiki entry on the Contax TVS series

Wikipedia article on the Kyocera Contax compacts

Contax TVS III
Dhs. 5,000.00Dhs. 5,500.00 Save Dhs. 500.00
  • ✓ CLA'd by GPP
  • ✓ 7-day functional return