Exakta Contax D

The Contax D, produced by Exakta from 1952 to 1954, represents a pivotal yet transitional model within the German camera manufacturer's post-war history. Effectively a rebranding of the Exakta Varex IIa for sale under the prestigious Contax name, it capitalized on the legacy of Zeiss Ikon's pre-war Contax cameras while utilizing Exakta's established SLR platform. It retained the core Exakta characteristics: a distinctive waist-level finder system with a large ground glass screen enabling critical focusing and composition, and the unique sliding film plate lock mechanism integral to Exakta's design. The camera featured a full 35mm format, a cloth focal plane shutter offering speeds typically from 1 to 1/1000 second, and accepted interchangeable lenses via Exakta's proprietary bayonet mount. Its production period was relatively short, marking a brief chapter where Exakta marketed a Contax-branded version of its successful Varex line before solidifying the Exakta name exclusively.

While sharing Exakta's robust, somewhat utilitarian build quality typical of mid-century German engineering, the Contax D lacked the revolutionary innovations of contemporaries like the Leica III series or the groundbreaking SLR design of later Pentaxes. Its significance lies more in its role as a bridge and a marketing strategy during Exakta's recovery, allowing them to leverage the Contax name alongside their proven Exakta SLR mechanics. It appealed to photographers familiar with the Contax heritage seeking a feature-rich, high-quality 35mm SLR, embodying Exakta's continued commitment to the single-lens reflex format during a period of significant change in the camera industry.