Contax's premium fixed-lens APS compact — Zeiss lens, autofocus, APS format, 1997.
The Contax Tix is a compact fixed-lens camera for the APS (Advanced Photo System) film format, introduced in 1997 under the Contax name and made by Kyocera. It applied the premium T-line approach, with a Carl Zeiss lens in a small titanium body, to the smaller APS cartridge rather than 35mm film.
This is a fixed-lens APS-format compact with a Carl Zeiss Sonnar lens and autofocus. It uses APS cartridges rather than 35mm cassettes and offers automatic exposure with electronic metering and a built-in flash, so it depends on a working battery to operate. The lens is fixed and cannot be interchanged.
The Tix suits collectors and users interested in a high-quality APS compact with Zeiss optics for general, travel and street photography. Its main limitation today is the APS format itself, since APS film is discontinued and remaining stock is scarce, which restricts its practical use compared with the 35mm T models.
As a high-value cult compact, buy carefully and note the APS format constraint. Confirm the electronic metering, autofocus and flash operate with a fresh battery, and check the battery-door area for corrosion. Inspect the Zeiss lens for haze and fungus, check the LCD display for bleed or fade, and verify the APS cartridge chamber and drive mechanism work, since APS film availability is now very limited.