Asim
Well-known
I've read good reviews on both of these cameras but the Leica CM reviews are from around the time it came out. I wonder if the Leica CM is still a good option in 2014 as a compact film shooter.
I've only heard raving reviews about the Contax T3 and I'm most probably going to get one soon. I just wonder if the CM is a better (or just as good) alternative.
I've only heard raving reviews about the Contax T3 and I'm most probably going to get one soon. I just wonder if the CM is a better (or just as good) alternative.
Archlich
Well-known
The CM is larger, better built (Made in Germany), have a real image, very squinty viewfinder (reminiscent of the Minilux). The 40/2.4 Summarit lens is the king of the compact world, it simply dwarfs any other options, by a small margin though; yet it focuses only to 0.7m!
The T3 is pocketable, has more plastic, but still reasonably sturdy. It has a moderately large finder and real illuminated frame lines. The 35/2.8 Sonnar is excellent, not as astonishingly good as the Summarit, but certainly on the level you would expect from something with the Zeiss word stamped on. It goes down to 0.4m.
Both have advanced 1/1000ish shutter, use passive phase detection focus, and are on par with each other in terms of speed, accuracy and quietness. The CM has a handy dedicated manual focus dial, larger buttons, an illuminated rear display, a Leica TTL hot shoe. The T3's top display is not illuminated (which I find annoying), and has a rather painful push-and-turn system.
Serviceability: The CM is prone to the E01 and E02 problems. The T3 has many known issues, Google will reflect that. For the year 2014 there is one decisive difference: while the CM was discontinued in 2007 and Leica dropped support subsequently, Kyocera is still offering support on the T3. ToCAD America Inc. represents them in the States and will work on the T3 until January 2015 so you could send them in by the year's end for a full maintenance!
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All in all, they do different things. The CM, with its size, build quality, manual focus dial and even the odd 0.7m close focus limit, feels like a modernized T2 but lacking the good finder. It's solid and it wants to be your only camera, while the small T3 could fit in your pocket on any occasion. Both give you superb results, I would say the Summarit is marginally more crisp, but the Sonnar is wider and focuses closer.
The T3 is pocketable, has more plastic, but still reasonably sturdy. It has a moderately large finder and real illuminated frame lines. The 35/2.8 Sonnar is excellent, not as astonishingly good as the Summarit, but certainly on the level you would expect from something with the Zeiss word stamped on. It goes down to 0.4m.
Both have advanced 1/1000ish shutter, use passive phase detection focus, and are on par with each other in terms of speed, accuracy and quietness. The CM has a handy dedicated manual focus dial, larger buttons, an illuminated rear display, a Leica TTL hot shoe. The T3's top display is not illuminated (which I find annoying), and has a rather painful push-and-turn system.
Serviceability: The CM is prone to the E01 and E02 problems. The T3 has many known issues, Google will reflect that. For the year 2014 there is one decisive difference: while the CM was discontinued in 2007 and Leica dropped support subsequently, Kyocera is still offering support on the T3. ToCAD America Inc. represents them in the States and will work on the T3 until January 2015 so you could send them in by the year's end for a full maintenance!
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All in all, they do different things. The CM, with its size, build quality, manual focus dial and even the odd 0.7m close focus limit, feels like a modernized T2 but lacking the good finder. It's solid and it wants to be your only camera, while the small T3 could fit in your pocket on any occasion. Both give you superb results, I would say the Summarit is marginally more crisp, but the Sonnar is wider and focuses closer.