Contax's mid-range SLR — the 159MM, program plus aperture-priority and manual, C/Y mount, 1985.
The Contax 159MM was an electronic 35mm film SLR in the Contax/Yashica system, made by Kyocera and often marked 159MM Quartz. Its name refers to the MM aperture coupling used with newer Zeiss T* lenses, and it introduced a program exposure mode to the mid-range Contax line. It sat below the RTS professional bodies and was aimed at enthusiasts who wanted Zeiss optics with fuller automation.
It is a 35mm single-lens-reflex camera on the Contax/Yashica mount, with an electronically timed vertical focal-plane shutter that requires battery power to fire and reaches a fast top speed. Metering is TTL centre-weighted, and exposure modes cover program, aperture-priority automatic and manual, giving it broader mode coverage than the earlier 137 bodies. The viewfinder shows exposure information through LED readouts. Because timing is electronic, a good power source is needed for correct operation.
This body suits general, portrait and travel photography for users who want Zeiss lens rendering with the convenience of a program mode as well as manual control. Its range of exposure modes makes it approachable for students while still offering the direct control that experienced photographers prefer, all in a relatively compact body.
When buying used, test the electronics and LED display, confirming the meter and all three exposure modes respond correctly. Check foam light seals and mirror-damper foam for perishing, verify shutter accuracy across the speed range without capping, and test film advance and rewind. Inspect the finder for prism haze, confirm the battery type and that the camera powers up reliably, and remember that as an electronic body it will not shoot with flat batteries.