I know it's not a 'G' but...

[Buttershug]

Can someone give me the lowdown on a 'Contax T'? Other than Dante Stella's (small) website it's very hard to get info on this particular rangefinder. Does anyone own one or has owned one and can give me a 'good, bad and the ugly' report? Sure would appreciate it before I fork out the (reasonable) dollars to get one.

Thanks so much.

David.

 

[Fitz]

I thought there was information on this site, but could not find it quickly. It may be worth searching here:

http://www.cameraquest.com/index.htm

I recently looked at the T. I have a Canon GIII and decided not to get another camera from this era.

 

[Buttershug]

Thanks for the reply Fitz.

I've had a good look through the Cameraquest site and oddly enough, the contax T doesn't figure anywhere there - not that I can find anyhoo. I assumed it would since it is a rangefinder and a contax (kyocera-contax anyway).

One of the questions i have about it is how it stacks up against something like a GIII or Oly RC/RD/SP. Since you have to shell out reasonable kanga's to get one, I was hoping it wasn't just the contax name that attracted the higher price and that it offered something more.

Anyway, guess I'll keep looking.

best,

D.

 

[George S.]

I've lusted after one for a few years, and I was advised by several people that with their age, they're now breaking down at a fast rate, and Contax won't repair them any longer. So I gave up looking for a good one. Seems the ones I was offered all looked rather "rough". I did get a very nice Nikon 35Ti from a forum member, and it is a great performer also, but there's also stories circulating of their failability, but I decided to just find a good example and hope for the best.

From what I hear, the T's lens makes it really shine, the high prices are not solely due to the Contax name.

 

[flipflop]

yeah suppposed to be the best lens of all the T's...I have only had a T2 but it performed too much like a point and shoot. I wanted something with less shutter lag...G1 works for me

 

[amateriat]

Having worked (briefly) with a Contax T, I can give you my observations:

- It more or less lives up to the hype. It's the only T-series Contax with a coupled RF; isseus regarding shutter lag which affect the later AF Ts don't apply here. External build quality is wonderful.

- Lens is outstanding; Dante Stella's brief test example makes this quite clear.

- Flash is attachable-type; some don't care for the extra bulk this adds, but to me it means the flash tube is far enough from the lens' angle of view to largely prevent red-eye.

- Getting one fixed has been a problem for some years now. The camera's relative scarcity can be at least partly chalked up to attrition.

- In spite of this, the things still command a premium on the used market.

- Finding one in cosmetically clean condition will be a problem; most people who owned one probably put theirs to good use.

- Getting a user Contax G (which can be repaired if and when necessary) wouldn't be much more money than a clean T outfit with flash. Just a thought, if the size differential isn't an issue.

Between the potential repair hassles and the sometimes silly-high prices (both in shops and you-know-where), I threw in the towel and bought a Ricoh GR1 instead (and, more recently, a Konica Auto S3, which is my take-it-wherever-I-go camera until the Ricoh is repaired from a rather hard fall it took some time ago). Can't say I regretted the descision.


- Barrett

 

[Buttershug]

Wow!

Thanyou for the replies guys. At last someone with hands on experience and no sales agenda.

Funnily enough, size isn't the main issue (don't talk to my wife...) and i have never consifdered a G. It was the lens that I kept reading about. I wondered if it were THAT much bertter than the Canon QL17 and Electro's that I've shot with in the past.

Look thanks again, i appreciate all of your feedback. Now I'll start the research on the G series. Guess that's why I come here, good people, good info.

best,

David.

 

[Meleica]

I have owned both T and T2. While the T is tiny and dare I say "cute," its almost too small and has an Olympus XA Flash like attachment making this tiny camera biggish. The lens is the SAME one as on the T2. Since the T2 has lots of upgrades over the T and is usually $ 100 cheaper, I think the T is the better user - while the T is a nicer collectible,,,,

Dan
My Contax G Pages
http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/contaxg.htm

 

[sleepyhead]

Hello, I have a Contax T that is working, but the back door / camera back has problems: one of the silver rails that presses the film pressure plate down is missing, and the door lock is broken.

If someone has a dead Contax T with a good back door assembly, I would like to buy it. Black or silver model is fine, and I don't care about cosmetics, as long as it is mechanically fine.

THANKS!