Contax T3 - Worth the money?

A

andrew00

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Hey,

I've currently got a Oly Mju II (35/2.8 version) that I picked up for cheap after having to sell my Contax G2. I also have a Ricoh GRD3 which I use a lot with an Oly FL-20 flash. I'll dovetail these cameras depending on if I'm in a film or digital mood.

Money is better now so I was pondering whether to pick up a Contax T3. I'm curious if people think it's worth the £300 outlay vs my £20 Mju II.

I'm considering it as it's that level of quality that you could call 'professional' in the P+S form factor. I'm wondering if the Mju II just falls short and so if I'll regret not having the T3 for any worthy situation or if really it's minimal difference and I should just focus on shooting!

Cheers!
a x
 
I loved my T2- really loved it. I now think the T3 is way better. I just got one about a month and a half ago.

Never tried the Oly, but the T lenses are everything they're cracked up to be. The T3 is tiny too.
 
If you plan to shoot film for several more years and have the money, it's worth it. Best film P&S I've used. However newer digital camera's like the Fuji X100 will probably blow it away, except for size. So get the T3 if you are strongly commited to film.
 
Not for me. Got rid of mine after about a month. Just didn't like using it. Too many useful features in the menu. Not fun at all. Preferred the T2. My fave is the Ricoh GR1v. I've had the Leica Minilux and Minolta TC-1 as well and preferred both over the T3 for pleasure of using. Yeah the T3 has got a great lens but you need to enjoy using it, and I simply didn't. I've owned a Nikon 35TI in the past too, but that was worse to use than the T3 although it's a lovely camera to hold and look at. More a display piece than a user camera.

I've read the T3 has the best lens on a Compact but looks like it's topped by the Fuji Klasse S and Klasse W from the many photo's I've seen on the net. If you was going to spend what a T3 costs then you should seriously take a look at the Klasse. Plus you'll save money.

Paul
 
My 2 cents is that the Contax T3 is one of the best small point and shoots around. I also think the Nikon 35 Ti is second. Interesting how seasoned photographers have their favorites. As far as the Fuji Klasse, I hear nothing but glowing reports on them and they can still be found new.
 
I'd go for the Contax T. Not cheap or easy to find, but I like the compactness (without the flash attached, of course), simplicity, quietness of the shutter, and ability to control exposure.
 
I had a Nikon 35Ti for a while. It was a very nice camera but I always kept going back to my Olympus mju II. The problem with the Nikon was it was not just too heavy but it was also too expensive. It didn't feel right dropping it in my pocket "just in case" and that's what I need a P&S for. If I want to go out for a proper photography session I'll carry a "proper" camera.
Now the T3 surely is a great camera and probably a bit smaller and lighter than the Nikon 35Ti. However, it's also much more expensive.
 
I've had one for a couple of years. Not used it a lot but whenever I have it have enjoyed it and that lens produces stunning results. In my opinion.
 
I have the MjuII, The Contax T3 and a Hexar AF.
The MjuII gives very good results for such a small camera, its Vf is a pain though.
The T3 results are sharp and have a 'modern' signature, like a Canon USM lens.
The P&S I prefer is the Hexar AF, this camera can bring depth and character in pictures, which I find is lacking in the too perfect T3 pictures (sharp but flat).
My advice, have a look at the cheaper Hexar AF also.
 
I shot with a T3 for years. Always found the results to be fantastic and found very little in use that I didn't like. It never did feel "snappy" though.

You will find that a number of people prefer the operation of the T2 to the T3 enough to claim the T3 was sort of a step back. The T2 also costs a fair bit less. So you might look into it as well and compare.
 
I think the T3 has one of the poorer interfaces of all the top end point and shoots. Having to lock in distances with those little plastic push buttons just didn't it for me.

This is where the T2, Leica Minilux and CM win out. You can turn a knob to get your scale focusing which is very useful for off centre shots. I lost so many shots with the T3 and the whole experience proved frustrating. The two Leicas provide pictures that in my book render subjects in cotrasty light with a more gradation of tones. The T3 is way too cotrasty.

Recently purchased a T Zoom as that represents for monetary value excellent value with that Carl Zeiss lens. It produces images with less contrast than its brothers the T2 and T3.

Haven't used the Klasse, Minolta, Ricoh or the Nikon so can't comment. Had a friend who swore byt the Minolta and Ricoh but swore at the Nikon.
 
A T3 loaded with Superia 800 is P&S heaven. :) It's not perfect, of course, but it's a breeze to carry and images have real punch. The main annoyance is the price, which has not come down at all since the Contax shutdown - I want another one!
 
The T3 is good, if it's worth it is entirely up to the buyer.
When using the T3 I wonder if I really need any other 35mm camera's anymore, it's just the perfect little camera. It would be my only camera if I didn't want to shoot anything other than a 35mm focal length or have colour and b&w loaded at the same time.

That said, I always preferred the 38mm Sonnar on the T and T2 models rather than the 35mm. But size factor and technical details lead me to the T3, it fits in my jeans pocket and comes with me everywhere, don't even notice it because it's so small.

Though I've got a current fetish for high end point and shoots for all their different reasons, others I'd recommend for you to take a look at is the Ricoh GRx series, Fuji Natura Classica (or klasse, prefer the lens on the classica however), the T2 of course and if you don't mind something a little bigger take a look at the Hexar AF.

End of the day though, cameras are cameras. If the Mju does what you need why buy something else?
 
Thanks for the replies.

Yeah it's interesting. Part of me thinks well I've got a 5dmk2, GRD3 and now the Mju II, do I really need the Contax T3 esp as you do pay the premium for it - including over the T2.

(I'd prob get the T3 due to the size. Anything smaller is better for me).

And a lot of the time I think no not really. But then I see some great fashion shots or black and white shots taken with Contax's and I think, well, can I really get that level of quality from the Mju II and if so am I just 'wasting' pictures I could take with the better camera - especially one that lets you select the aperture, which I'd probably leave wide open most the time.
 
Hi, I can't help thinking that the mu-II being a pure P&S - in that you have no say in what it does and you have to leave it to guess right, which it usually does anyway - so what you probably want is something small with either manual controls or "A" or "S" priority. That might be the Contax for all I know.

BTW, talking of fashion shots, have you tried the mu-II on a tripod and using the self-timer to fire it? You might just be surprised...

Regards, David
 
T2 for me I prefer the simple interface. The extra stop of shutter in the T3 would be a bonus. The lenses in these cameras are the real draw (punnny :) ). I prefer the character over any other 35-40mm. So much so I am now taking a go with a LTM Sonnar f2.8/40mm hoping for similar results to the sonnar f2.8/38mm in my T2. The T2 is inexpensive for what you get. I think give it a try. If you find it too large and feel you need the extra stop.... go to the T3.
Cheers
 
As others have said, if you want to stick with film the T3 is hard to beat for a P&S. I still regret selling mine, even more so than my M6.
 
Interesting.

I've actually just been checking out the TLA 200 flash and how it works w/the T3. I didn't know this but apparently it works w/TTL too if you use the SA-2 bracket.

This is pretty interesting, although I've not seen many/any shots w/this combo working together.

It's interesting though b/c when I shoot w/my Ricoh GRD3 I use my Olympus FL-20 flash and really like the combo. I'm curious how the combo works for the T3's images.

Either way it looks like if I were to go this route I'd need the T3 b/c the T2 doesn't have this TTL capability.

That being said, I just did a google for the SA-2 bracket and found none for sale anywhere, so a bit disappointed about that!
 
Yes, I believe there is much more capable flash with the T3 over the T2. I don;t shoot with the flash on either tho. T3 is so tiny it really can go anywhere with you. The T2 is not tiny.
 
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