redimp
Member
Actually I've been looking closer at the Contax T (original manual focus cam), T2 that I own and the T3 that I am considering, as well as Fuji Klasse S.
Interestingly, the T2 has a ton of limitations I was not even aware of (which makes their importance questionable). The 1/500th is ONLY available at f16.
According to page 32 of this manual https://www.cameramanuals.org/contax/contax_t2.pdf the limitations are somewhat crazy. In Program mode shutter speeds above 1/125th are only available if you start stopping down, for example to shoot 1/250th you need to be at f5.6-f8.
This is somewhat ridiculous. I've noticed a lot of my pictures from T2 have quite a deep dof, but never gave it too much thought. When you go to aperture priority it gets even crazier – 1/125th is THE FASTEST shutter speed available for aperture priority, you can get it only at f4-f8, and if you stop down more you can only shoot slower speeds, like 1/90th. This article confirms it. https://www.35mmc.com/04/02/2017/contax-t2-vs-fuji-klasse-s/
I was thinking more on what I did not like with my T2, and I also came to a conclusion it's the pre-focusing without expanding the lens. When you release the shutter, the lens expands to correct distance, fires shutter and immediately retracts. There is no decisive moment that I can identify of when the picture is taken. I can't even know behind all the whirling.
I think all three other contestants, original T, T3 and Klasse S should not have this issue. On the T you focus by hand so the lens is already expanded to where it should be, on T3 and Klasse you can set a custom feature to extend the lens when pre-focusing, so I am hoping either of the three will have a much more pleasant shooting experience.
For the original T tho, I am afraid same limitations will kick in with the aperture speeds. I could not find any mention of how the camera handles this in the manual, so I would appreciate if anyone can share any knowledge on this matter. Is it same as T2? Manual is here https://www.cameramanuals.org/contax/contax_t.pdf
I must say the clamshell design of the T is really appealing to me, I can see this as a daily camera for myself, but if it has same exposure pairs available as the T2 it's a no-go for me.
T3 has aperture priority mode table on page 37 of this manual. https://www.cameramanuals.org/contax/contax_t3.pdf
It seems that 1/500th is available for all apertures, and in AE mode the cam will not go over 1/500th, BUT there is this weird dashed line on the graph, that indicates that for f2.8, f4 and f5.6 in AE mode the camera will act as if it's in program mode, and if the subject is too bright, it will effectively stop the lens down, and around f8 it will start increasing shutter speed all the way to 1/1200th.
I am not 100% sure I understand this correctly. Can anyone please confirm?
In auto-exposure mode (graph on page 35) the camera picks 1/500th only for f8 and above. The curve actually looks very close to the T2.
Klasse S in aperture priority (page 75 here https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/KLASSE-WS_E_090917.pdf) also has 1/500th available for all apertures, but as you stop down from 2.8 to 16 it increases shutter speed incrementally all the way up to 1/1000th. In automatic mode (page 74) it will choose f5.6-f16 for all the hand-held speeds (faster then 1/60th).
All of this is sort of disappointing, while I do understand the technical limitations. Looks like the T3 and Klasse S are the most suitable cameras for my daily camera choice, but the ebay prices are somewhat scary.
I could sell a T2, G1 kit and some other cams I don't use and get either a T3 or a Klasse S, but for that amount of money I can't help but wonder if something like a CLE with a 40mm would be a better choice, or maybe even a Hexar RF or some bessa. Yes the lens will stick out, yes I won't be able to carry it in the small rear pocket of my backpack, it will always have to stay inside the backpack. I will need a lens cap or maybe a half case to protect it from other stuff in the backpack (gym stuff, water bottle, laptop, lunchbox, wallet). But maybe it's worth it, I will definitely have more control over the camera and the look.
Then again, if I look at those cams I might look at small SLRs like people suggested here – the OM or a pentax or a canon with a 40mil pancake.
I think I am now even less sure in regards to what to do, then I was before. I was shooting over the weekend and had portra 800 loaded into the T2, and today it's sunny all of a sudden, and the T2 had a blinking aperture speed in the viewfinder again when I was trying to shoot a black vintage car under direct sunlight. Portra handles it fine, but it's a different look altogether.
Interestingly, the T2 has a ton of limitations I was not even aware of (which makes their importance questionable). The 1/500th is ONLY available at f16.
According to page 32 of this manual https://www.cameramanuals.org/contax/contax_t2.pdf the limitations are somewhat crazy. In Program mode shutter speeds above 1/125th are only available if you start stopping down, for example to shoot 1/250th you need to be at f5.6-f8.
This is somewhat ridiculous. I've noticed a lot of my pictures from T2 have quite a deep dof, but never gave it too much thought. When you go to aperture priority it gets even crazier – 1/125th is THE FASTEST shutter speed available for aperture priority, you can get it only at f4-f8, and if you stop down more you can only shoot slower speeds, like 1/90th. This article confirms it. https://www.35mmc.com/04/02/2017/contax-t2-vs-fuji-klasse-s/
I was thinking more on what I did not like with my T2, and I also came to a conclusion it's the pre-focusing without expanding the lens. When you release the shutter, the lens expands to correct distance, fires shutter and immediately retracts. There is no decisive moment that I can identify of when the picture is taken. I can't even know behind all the whirling.
I think all three other contestants, original T, T3 and Klasse S should not have this issue. On the T you focus by hand so the lens is already expanded to where it should be, on T3 and Klasse you can set a custom feature to extend the lens when pre-focusing, so I am hoping either of the three will have a much more pleasant shooting experience.
For the original T tho, I am afraid same limitations will kick in with the aperture speeds. I could not find any mention of how the camera handles this in the manual, so I would appreciate if anyone can share any knowledge on this matter. Is it same as T2? Manual is here https://www.cameramanuals.org/contax/contax_t.pdf
I must say the clamshell design of the T is really appealing to me, I can see this as a daily camera for myself, but if it has same exposure pairs available as the T2 it's a no-go for me.
T3 has aperture priority mode table on page 37 of this manual. https://www.cameramanuals.org/contax/contax_t3.pdf
It seems that 1/500th is available for all apertures, and in AE mode the cam will not go over 1/500th, BUT there is this weird dashed line on the graph, that indicates that for f2.8, f4 and f5.6 in AE mode the camera will act as if it's in program mode, and if the subject is too bright, it will effectively stop the lens down, and around f8 it will start increasing shutter speed all the way to 1/1200th.
I am not 100% sure I understand this correctly. Can anyone please confirm?
In auto-exposure mode (graph on page 35) the camera picks 1/500th only for f8 and above. The curve actually looks very close to the T2.
Klasse S in aperture priority (page 75 here https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/KLASSE-WS_E_090917.pdf) also has 1/500th available for all apertures, but as you stop down from 2.8 to 16 it increases shutter speed incrementally all the way up to 1/1000th. In automatic mode (page 74) it will choose f5.6-f16 for all the hand-held speeds (faster then 1/60th).
All of this is sort of disappointing, while I do understand the technical limitations. Looks like the T3 and Klasse S are the most suitable cameras for my daily camera choice, but the ebay prices are somewhat scary.
I could sell a T2, G1 kit and some other cams I don't use and get either a T3 or a Klasse S, but for that amount of money I can't help but wonder if something like a CLE with a 40mm would be a better choice, or maybe even a Hexar RF or some bessa. Yes the lens will stick out, yes I won't be able to carry it in the small rear pocket of my backpack, it will always have to stay inside the backpack. I will need a lens cap or maybe a half case to protect it from other stuff in the backpack (gym stuff, water bottle, laptop, lunchbox, wallet). But maybe it's worth it, I will definitely have more control over the camera and the look.
Then again, if I look at those cams I might look at small SLRs like people suggested here – the OM or a pentax or a canon with a 40mil pancake.
I think I am now even less sure in regards to what to do, then I was before. I was shooting over the weekend and had portra 800 loaded into the T2, and today it's sunny all of a sudden, and the T2 had a blinking aperture speed in the viewfinder again when I was trying to shoot a black vintage car under direct sunlight. Portra handles it fine, but it's a different look altogether.
