Contax Zeiss Ikon IIIa Sonnar 50mm f1.5 working condition Light meter works also£300
○ version can’t tell+ lens
Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa
camera
The Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa typically sells for £200 (median of 76 recorded sales, 1998–2026; solid evidence, version mix).
Typical sale price
£200
median of 76 sales, 1998–2026
last 3 years: £160 (20 sales)
Solidversion mix
Middle half of sales: £130–£280
£190at auction (70 sales)
£250on eBay (6 sales)
Hammer prices, buyer’s premium removed; eBay as soldHow ↗
Price by version
Typical price and middle half, on one shared scale.
Version not stated£20075 sales
1 rarer version (1–2 sales each)
Stereotar£900
Not in the typical price
Listed apart, never blended in.
Over time
Every sale since 1998; no trend line.
Latest sales All 86 →
Contax IIIa 35mm Film Camera with Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar f1.5 50mm T Lens + Case£226
○ version can’t tell+ lens
Contax IIIa + Carl Zeiss Sonnar 1.5 50 mm On-Sale! ff-shop24£299
○ version can’t tell+ lens
ZEISS IKON CONTAX IIIA 35MM FILM CAMERA£119
○ version not yet checked
▶ [ Near MINT ] Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa Film Camera Sonnar 50mm F1.5 From JAPAN£273
○ version can’t tell+ lens
What it is
{"overview":"The Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa is a 35mm rangefinder camera introduced in the mid-1950s as the post-war Stuttgart-built development of the pre-war Contax line. Values today in 2026 are strongly condition-sensitive: a working meter, clean rangefinder patch and smooth shutter make the difference between the lower and upper end of what this body sells for. Bodies offered without a lens, or with a seized shutter, tend to sit at the bottom of the price range.","buying_guide":"Inspect the selenium meter for responsiveness, as many cells have faded and are no longer accurate, which materially affects value. Check the rangefinder patch for clarity and correct vertical\/horizontal alignment, and fire the cloth shutter at all speeds to listen for capping or drag at the fast end.
Generated summary, 22 Apr 2026 — not checked by hand; prices on this page come from the sales, not from this text.
Versions and how to tell them apart
Other Contaxs
Contax I
58 sales£190SolidContax IIa
45 sales£160SolidContax II
32 sales£110SolidContax III
32 sales£98SolidContax D
9 salesabout £103IndicativeContax S
1 saleSales onlyContax E
0 salesNo sales yetContax F
0 salesNo sales yet
58 sales£190SolidContax IIa
45 sales£160SolidContax II
32 sales£110SolidContax III
32 sales£98SolidContax D
9 salesabout £103IndicativeContax S
1 saleSales onlyContax E
0 salesNo sales yetContax F
0 salesNo sales yet
Questions
What affects the price of a Contax IIIa most?
The biggest factors in value are a working selenium meter, a clean and aligned rangefinder, and an accurate shutter; any of these being faulty pushes the price toward the lower end of the range.
Facts
- Maker
- Zeiss Ikon
- Type
- camera
- Sales in the typical price
- 76
- First sale
- 19 Mar 1998
- Latest sale
- 6 Aug 2026
- Median
- £200
- Middle half
- £130–£280
- Evidence
- Solid · version mix
- Method
- v1
Cite this page
“Zeiss Ikon Contax IIIa: typical sale price £200, the median of 76 recorded sales, 1998–2026, middle half £130–£280 (Solid, method v1).” cameraworth.com, retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.cameraworth.com/z/zeiss-ikon/contax-iiia/