Contax T2 or Fuji Klasse S (again) - please help

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stillshunter

unlearning digital habits
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After a compact camera - again. I won't share too much of my sordid history, suffice it to say I've tried a few including Leica Minilux (currently selling), Ricoh GR1s, Olympus mjuii (still got and won't part with it), XA (still have for nostalgic value), RC, SP, Auto S3, GIII, etc. Amongst the many I've cycled through the one I miss the most is the Fuji Klasse S. I'm in a position to buy again and wonder whether I want to buy this a second time? The one thing standing in my way is the Contax T2. They look similar in size, I hear the T2 lens renders beautifully. The other factors tipping me towards the T2 is the distance indicator in the VF (with symbols similar to the GR1) while what frustrated me about the Klasse was all I recall is there being a green light, not sure what's in focus. I also here the active AF is not too shabby speed-wise. But in the Klasse's corner it has manual ISO control and is current model (more easily serviced/repaired).....

Hmmm....:bang:

So the short of it, can someone please help put some light between these cameras for me - hopefully from personal experience perspective.

P.S., I do not want a T3. Nothing against it, but just saying....
 
I just got hold of the Klasse W a week ago (2nd hand, 2011 copy), and it died after 2 rolls. The lens extracts, buttons go dead, and I would have to remove the battery for it to shut down.

Inserting the battery again will OFF the camera, and make it go back to the 'hang' mode, with everything switched on.

I'd personally stay away from a Point and Shoot. I bought this for freedom of speech (photography), where I could shoot fast and just focus on composition, but I'd think I will stick to mechanical stuff after this expensive incident.
 
benji77 said:
I'd personally stay away from a Point and Shoot.
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I can fully understand your frustration, but I can't agree here. 😉

From experiences with the Klasse W and T2:

I liked the Klasse better, but just because it feels better in my hands and I like the manual ISO. Apart from that, I also liked the exp comp dial better on the Klasse, tho the position not so much.
 
benji77 said:
I just got hold of the Klasse W a week ago (2nd hand, 2011 copy), and it died after 2 rolls. The lens extracts, buttons go dead, and I would have to remove the battery for it to shut down.

Inserting the battery again will OFF the camera, and make it go back to the 'hang' mode, with everything switched on.

I'd personally stay away from a Point and Shoot. I bought this for freedom of speech (photography), where I could shoot fast and just focus on composition, but I'd think I will stick to mechanical stuff after this expensive incident.
Click to expand...

Really sorry to hear about your experience. Any compensation?

I'd agree except that the mechanicals are all a little too large to have on hand always. There is something compelling about the size of the P&S - like the mjuii always in your back pocket. The only thing is I'm looking at something in-between the two. I can't help it I need to wrest some control 😱 Though something like a Rollei 35 is too mechanical for me....
 
OlliL said:
I can fully understand your frustration, but I can't agree here. 😉

From experiences with the Klasse W and T2:

I liked the Klasse better, but just because it feels better in my hands and I like the manual ISO. Apart from that, I also liked the exp comp dial better on the Klasse, tho the position not so much.
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Thanks for the reply Oliver.

I must say I didn't much appreciate the Klasse exp. comp dial position and prefer it on top like the GR1.

So is your preference for the Klasse for both image quality and user interface? Also is the viewfinder a better experience on the Contax?
 
I'd say, they're pretty much on par, in the IQ department, though I never printed really big.
The VF is definetly better on the T2. I saw that you mentioned a distance scale in your initial post. There's none!
 
OlliL said:
The VF is definetly better on the T2. I saw that you mentioned a distance scale in your initial post. There's none!
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I was wondering ... or maybe you just removed the scale on mine 😀
the one thing you mentioned earlier that is bothering me too with the T2 is the lack of manual ISO settings.

I'd like to add that for my taste the best auto focus VF camera ever build is the Hexar. It might be not as compact but it really has ALL THE FEATURES 😀
the only thing that bothered me with that thing was the quite heavy distortion.
 
Get the Contax T2. Both produce great photos. IMHO the Contax is the better build camera. Once you hold either you will understand why.
 
Yes, I agree that the Klasse wins in certain sectors. The few things that swung it in its factor were the Manual ISO setting and the special settings such as the C1-C4 setting.

I particularly love the C3 setting whereby we can set the film rewind to leave the film leader outside the canister. This is exceptionally useful for B&W film if you are developing it yourself and skip the use of a film picker.

The other contenders before I bought the (now broken) Klasse W that I own, were the GR1 and the Konica Hexar AF. The Klasse had a wider angle of view lens, though slower, it was more 'pocketable' than the Hexar, but more versatile than the GR1.
 
Maiku said:
Get the Contax T2. Both produce great photos. IMHO the Contax is the better build camera. Once you hold either you will understand why.
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Yes, I got both and also prefer Contax T2 for this reason. It has that high-quality solid feel consistent with the G1/G2 series that I've always loved.
Klasee S on the other hand feels like a typical P&S to me; the covering & the lighter weight give a strange "hollow" feel, even though I believe it's metal underneath.
You just need to try both cameras to feel the difference.

Contax T2 from 1990s is getting long in the tooth though... and Fujifilm Klasse S offers a few nice extras, such as the C1-C4 custom settings. The choice is yours.
 
The Contax T2 has "focus marks", which basically look like this:
> o <
And according to the manual, this is how you should use it:
1. Set the main-switch/focus dial in the manual focus range.
2. Aim the focus frame toward the subject you want to focus on and turn the focus dial while observing the focus mark to focus on the object.
3. Press the shutter release to take the picture. Allows you to change the composition after focusing or set the distance by visual measurement so that you won't miss taking a picture at just the right moment.

Well, that's the theory. In practice, I never use it. I find the autofocus quite fast, actually faster than quite a few digital cameras I had (especially in low light). You will have to be a bit careful when aiming, as you want to make sure that the camera does not accidentally focus on the background. But knowing this, and the ability to use focus-lock, I have had only very few missed shots.

I don't know the Fuji, so I cannot comment on that. But I have had the T2 for a while and am very happy with it. As others said, very nice built quality (real titanium), and the lens really produces some great pictures. I project slides, and at 7x7 feet you can really tell... it's a sharp lens.

On my last trip I took the T2 as my second camera, along with a Plaubel Makina 670 (medium format rangefinder). This was a great combo--the big one for the landscape shots when time allowed, and the T2 was in my belt-bag always ready for everything else.
 
It's been some time, but as far as I can remember, the Contax VF is bigger, by quite some margin. I had trouble "hitting" it initially, when I put the Fuji to my eye, while I never experienced that with the Contax.

Both don't compare in any way to something like a Hexar and they are fine for the size of each of the cameras tho.
 
I switched from a T3 to a Klasse S. Mostly due to the VF on the T3 being maddeningly large (or with a maddeningly low eye point). Quite happy with the Klasse S so far. The VF is just the perfect size to be used with glasses on (yes, it is smallish, but I will take it over the T3 any day). And the exposure compensation lever and ISO override are nice bonuses.
 
filmfan said:
Everyone raves about the T2 and T3 viewfinders but as clear and bright as they are, they are just about useless otherwise.
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So did you jump on a Klasse mate? (I notice your signature block no longer has you after one).

If so, I'd be very keen to hear your impressions - esp. as compared to the T2
 
I never had a Contax P&S but I have the Klasse S and the viewfinder is OK for P&S (The nikon 35ti is great). The Klasse S is my most used camera since I got it, it's always with me. The lens is plenty sharp and contasty and I found it to be easy to use too. Not as compact as Contax t3 but the T2 seems to be same size to me. Plus you can buy it NEW!

Metering is also great and fill flash (both this features the nikon 35ti is even better).

If I have to pick only one P&S I'll get the fuji Klasse S (I have the Minolta TC-1, Nikon 35ti and the Klasse S).
 
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