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Group: Moderator
Post: 2,068 (583 liked)
Join date: April 2014
Status: Long, long time Contax and Yashica user; glad to be here and hope to contribute.
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on May 24, 2024 10:45:48 GMT
Posted: May 24, 2024 10:45:48 GMT
If you go to the second page of Accessories and look at the thread near the bottom of the page titled 'Silence in Court' you will see a very unusual case designed for the Contax RTS - it's the Sound/Cold-Proof Jacket.
By the time the 159MM was introduced (1985/6), it had disappeared from the systems brochures. However, much to my astonishment, on looking through Kyocera's trade price lists for 1997 and 1998, it re-emerged as a 'special order' accessory for the 167MT. I have both versions of the 167's brochure and it's never mentioned. I've not been able to find any image showing a 167MT with the jacket which begs the question as to how anyone would know such an accessory was available...
The original jacket, although designed for the RTS with a Winder, will work with most Contax 35mm SLRs so there's no practical reason why it could not have been offered for pretty much every camera - I've not tried an AX or N-series model to see if they can be squeezed in.
It was always an expensive item (that did not change in 1997/8!) with a limited number of applications. Although marketed initially as ideal for use in a cold climate (very true), it was also positioned as perfect for use in a court (very few courts permit photography!) but should instead have been aimed at theatre work. Even if that had been done, sales would still have been low so one can't help wondering if Kyocera had simply discovered a number of the unused jackets in Japan and tried to repurpose them for the 167MT.
Out of curiosity, I popped a 167 with its P-5 attached and a VS 35-70mm f3.4 lens into the jacket and it's an excellent fit - and very quiet.
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Post: 1,400 (309 liked)
Join date: February 2017
Status: Failed treatment for L.B.A. and G.A.S,
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on May 28, 2024 5:03:12 GMT
Posted: May 28, 2024 5:03:12 GMT
After some checking, there's a big size difference so the AX won't come close. Here's my side by side, top-down view of an AX and RX, and if memory serves, there was an additional 10-11mm of depth in the body just to handle the motorized travel of the mirror box alone - plus whatever might have been added from the back plate mechanics. I can't find my manual for the RTS to get exact dimensions, but I'd assume it's 50-ish mm deep. The 137/139 bodies were 51mm/50mm, the 167MT is 51.5mm. However, the 159MM is 55mm, and the RX is 59MM, with the AX being a massive 72mm in comparison. The more modern rubberized bodies seem to pack more parts in their reshaped designs, so I'd suspect the rest are likely to be deeper too. The special cases were not available as custom or off-the-shelf models from outfits like Porta-Brace or similar companies that I recall seeing. Most of those cold/bad weather setups were made for TV gear, and not still cameras... although if you're absolutely intent on getting something custom, Porta-Brace may be willing to do one to order. I'm guessing at nose-bleed pricing, so.....
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Group: Administrator
Post: 1,400 (309 liked)
Join date: February 2017
Status: Failed treatment for L.B.A. and G.A.S,
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on May 28, 2024 5:14:15 GMT
Last Edit: May 28, 2024 5:14:39 GMT by lumiworx
An example of cold weather 'clothes' that are currently used for TV/ENG cameras. A Porta-Brace WC-2 Cool Shoulder Case - retails at $519.00 USD. ![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/198a64_e46cca0b897342a9a52c99a66e825414~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_500,h_500,q_90/198a64_e46cca0b897342a9a52c99a66e825414~mv2.jpg)
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