The Icarex was a rather basic camera to introduce in 1966, the option of a through-the-lens (TTL) meter head was an improvement but the offering was not compelling when compared with competing cameras from Japan. The Icarex was recognition by Zeiss that their amateur 35 mm camera, the Contaflex, was reaching the end of its life due to its limited range of accessories and leaf shutter and that their professional camera, the Contarex, had not achieved much market share. The Icarex was designed to fill the gap and compete with the Japanese cameras, it may have done so had it been introduced a few years earlier.

The original model was the Icarex 35 with bayonet mount lenses, a few years later a 35S was introduced with a fixed prism and TTL (stop down) metering, both models were then available with a bayonet or 42 mm screw lens mount. An interchangeable TTL prism was sold for the model 35 which was then styled 35CS. With a pentaprism the Icarex 35 cost £99.7.6, with the TTL prism it cost £136.9.6.

A full range of accessories was available including lenses, bellows unit, extension tubes and a microscope adapter.

Meter Pentaprism