Contax TVS
The Contax TVS is a 35mm compact film camera introduced by Kyocera under the Contax brand in 1993. It pairs a titanium-clad body with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar zoom lens and sits in the premium autofocus compact segment alongside cameras such as the Contax T2.
At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Contax TVS have ranged from about £140 to £300, with a median around £225 across 2024–2025 sales. These are wholesale saleroom results rather than dealer retail, so what a TVS is worth in 2026 on the private or shop market typically sits above this band. Condition of the titanium finish, LCD clarity and lens smoothness strongly influence where an individual example sells for within that range.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
Prices updated: July 2026
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| Jul 2026 | £100 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 282) Title: A Contax TVS Digital Compact Camera
Description:
champagne, powers on, black screen, captured images black, otherwise G-VG, (Qty: 1) |
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| Jun 2026 | £150 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 201) Title: A Contax Tvs 35mm Premium Point & Shoot Compact Camera
Description:
champagne, serial no. 066146, body P-VG, camera powers on for a few seconds before it seems to go dead & the viewfinder shows the word "OFF" in the (Qty: 1) |
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| Mar 2026 | £100 | 🇬🇧 Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 11) Title: A Contax TVS Compact Camera
Description:
A Contax TVS Compact Camera, serial no 028066, shutter working, flash working, self timer working, issue with film transport, not rewinding film |
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| Nov 2025 | £140 | 🇬🇧 Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 139) Title: A Contax TVS Compact Camera
Description:
A Contax TVS Compact Camera, serial no 028066, shutter working, flash working, self timer working, body G-VG, pink & black colours to LCD displays |
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| Nov 2025 | £312 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica (Lot 209) Title: A Contax TVS Compact 35mm Camera
Description:
1994, champagne, serial no. 037254, with Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* f/3.5-6.5 28-56mm lens, body, VG, shutter working, lens, VG, complete with lens |
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| Nov 2025 | £300 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica (Lot 211) Title: A Contax TVS Digital Compact Camera
Description:
2003, champagne, serial no. CL008923, with Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* f/2.8-4.8 7.3-21.9mm lens, body, VG-E, powers up and appears to function, lens, |
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| Nov 2025 | £400 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica (Lot 210) Title: A Contax TVS Compact 35mm Camera
Description:
1993, champagne, serial no. 091845, with Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* f/3.5-6.5 28-56mm lens, body, VG, powers up and appears to function, lens, VG, |
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| Oct 2025 | £225 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 106) Title: A Contax T VS Digital Compact Camera
Description:
Champagne, body VG, powers up, with charger, instructions and maker's box. |
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| Oct 2025 | £288 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 109) Title: A Contax T VS Digital Compact Camera
Description:
champagne, body VG, powers up, with charger, fast charger and soft case. |
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| Apr 2025 | £225 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 174) Title: A Contax Tvs Compact Camera
Description:
champagne finish, serial number 037385, body VG, powers up, takes a shot, flash works, with soft case, filter and manual. |
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| Oct 2024 | £220 | 🇬🇧 Harper Field Auctions | |
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Auction: Buying & Selling (Lot 1838) Title: Contax TVS Digital compact titanium camera, serial number CL018089, with Zeiss Sonnar 2.8-4.8/7.3-
Description:
Contax TVS Digital compact titanium camera, serial number CL018089, with Zeiss Sonnar 2.8-4.8/7.3- |
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| Oct 2024 | £260 | 🇬🇧 Harper Field Auctions | |
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Auction: Buying & Selling (Lot 1836) Title: Contax TVS compact titanium 35mm rangefinder camera, serial number 031217, with Zeiss Vario Sonnar
Description:
Contax TVS compact titanium 35mm rangefinder camera, serial number 031217, with Zeiss Vario Sonnar |
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| Jun 2024 | £475 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 121) Title: A Contax Tvs 35mm Compact Camera in Maker's Packaging
Description:
with Sonnar f/3.5-6.5 28-58mm lens, appears to be new and not used, in the complete original packaging, camera powers up, flashes and takes a picture, |
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| Apr 2024 | £162 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 92) Title: A Contax TVS 35mm Compact Camera
Description:
champagne, body G, LCD panels not working: internal screen in viewfinder shows flash status but exposure values are illegible, shot counter LCD (Qty: 1) |
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| Apr 2023 | £288 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 104) Title: A Contax TVS Compact Camera
Description:
with Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T* f/3.5-6.5 28-56mm lens, body, VG, shutter appears to work at the time of testing, lens, VG, complete with soft pouch |
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| Dec 2021 | £198 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 577) Title: A Contax TVS 35mm Compact Camera
Description:
champagne, body G-VG, back release switch damaged, camera powers on but shutter sticks and wont forward to next frame, optcs G, some haze and dust (Qty: 1) |
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| Nov 2007 | EUR 220 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 12 (Lot AI_12_20651) Title: Contax Tvs
Description:
like new high quality Contax compact camera with Vario-Sonnar 1:3.5-6.5/28-56mm, cap, strap, data back, maker's box, papers, presentations box Estimate: EUR 400 - EUR 500 |
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| Mar 2007 | £192 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: Cameras, Photographs and Optical Toys (Lot 245) Title: Contax Tvs no. 36720
Description:
Contax Tvs no. 36720 Estimate: £180 - £250 |
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| Jan 2001 | £470 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 198) Title: Contax TVS no. 121333
Description:
Contax TVS no. 121333 Estimate: £400 - £600 |
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| Oct 1998 | £368 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS & OPTICAL TOYS (Lot 219) Title: Contax Tvs no. 32258
Description:
Contax Tvs no. 32258 Estimate: £300 - £500 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Contax TVS worth today?
Recent UK auction hammer prices have spanned roughly £140 to £300, with a median near £225, so a clean working example tends to value in that bracket at saleroom level.
How much does a Contax TVS sell for at UK auction?
Across 2024 and 2025, hammer results have clustered between £160 and £300, with the highest price in the recent dataset being £300 in November 2025.
What affects the price of a Contax TVS?
Cosmetic condition of the titanium body, a fully functional LCD, smooth zoom operation and clean lens glass are the main factors that move a TVS toward the upper end of its value range.