steamer
Well-known
Just received a Contax T, Loaded it with film but I don't know how to set the film speed. 
Can anyone tell me how to do this?
There is an ISO window and just below that is a small button. But when I press the button nothing happens. Am I missing something or is it maybe broken?
Also does anyone know of a site that has a user manual online (for free)
Thanks in advance for any help,
Steamer
Can anyone tell me how to do this?There is an ISO window and just below that is a small button. But when I press the button nothing happens. Am I missing something or is it maybe broken?
Also does anyone know of a site that has a user manual online (for free)
Thanks in advance for any help,
Steamer
Flinor
Well-known
While pressing the button, turn the rewind crank.
steamer
Well-known
Gerry-- You made my day, I owe you a beer if you are ever in Tokyo
steamer
Well-known
Found a T manual on my home computer, don't know where I got it, cleaned the fungus out of the finder and looks like I've got usable little shooter. Anyone else got a T?
Flinor
Well-known
I've had one in my pocket for the last 20 years or so. A T goes with me everywhere and i"ve had four of them over the years, I sold one to another RFF'r a while ago and I know that he likes it also.
Any other questions, don't hesitate.
Any other questions, don't hesitate.
Rico
Well-known
A few T shooters are here on RFF. They really are the cutest things, if a bit frail electronically (I own three for that reason). I consider them ideal for street work.
steamer
Well-known
Just shot a test roll, the T is a whole lot of a camera in a tiny package, but I can see how all that electronic stuff could could fall apart after 30 years of use. And after looking at the test shots I know why the T is so sought after and expensive. Rico-- how does the T3 compare?
Steamer
Steamer
Last edited:
Rico
Well-known
Glad you're enjoying the new toy.
While clearly members of the same family, the Contax T and T3 are remarkably dissimilar. As such, they can serve a complementary role in the same camera bag. The T3 is an all-rounder par excellence, but the old T puts a smile on my face. The T3 happens to be my desert-island choice above all cameras for reasons of utility. Here's a brief comparison:
Compactness. Unlike the T, the T3 is a true shirt-pocket camera. Part of the reason is the lack of a rubberized grip, the lower weight, the beveled edges, and the lack of any protrusions.
Handling. Qualities that make the T3 compact make it borderline slippery in the hand. The T feels secure, although one must navigate around the drawbridge to reach controls on the lens. I prefer the manual controls of the T over the menu and tiny pushbuttons of the T3.
Focus. The T has a true optical RF with center patch. Aperture is set on the barrel, and there is a hyperfocal DOF engraving. The T3 features AF: decent in usage and super accurate. This AF will fire a red LED "flash" when needed: focus can be achieved discreetly at 10m in complete darkness. Amazing! The T3 allows focus lock and focus by scale, although the latter is impossibly awkward.
AE. The T has full-time aperture-priority AE, with limited EC. The T3 allows EC and AE lock. Lack of manual exposure on both models is disappointing.
Film loading. T3 is a big winner for convenience. Loading a T at cocktail parties, however, will generate plenty of admiring attention.
Flash. The T has an attachable unit, but the T3 wins big in flash activities. Even with another camera in tow, I will often carry the T3 with Superia 800 to cover interiors, and the evening hours: the shutter-dragging feature works like a champ. With option SA-2, the T3 can trigger a hot-shoe.
Shutter lag. No contest, the T wins. In fact, it's my most responsive camera, and perfect for (daytime) streets. The T3 is fairly awful, even when focus is locked.
Noise. The T3 has motorized noise while focussing and after shooting a frame, but not too bad. The T has a bright metallic ping as the leaf shutter fires: not silent, but pretty damn close. T film advance is manual and quiet.
Optical character. There's a big difference between the old Sonnar 38 and the new Sonnar 35: '70s look versus ultra-modern. The 38 has lower contrast, while the 35 has deadly sharpness and blinding color saturation. Pick your lens accordingly.
Maximum shutter speed. The T can reach 1/500. The T3 has an innovative double-leaf shutter that allows 1/1200 at smaller apertures.
Battery dependence. The T wins, of course. Both cameras need juice for the shutter electronics.
While clearly members of the same family, the Contax T and T3 are remarkably dissimilar. As such, they can serve a complementary role in the same camera bag. The T3 is an all-rounder par excellence, but the old T puts a smile on my face. The T3 happens to be my desert-island choice above all cameras for reasons of utility. Here's a brief comparison:
Compactness. Unlike the T, the T3 is a true shirt-pocket camera. Part of the reason is the lack of a rubberized grip, the lower weight, the beveled edges, and the lack of any protrusions.
Handling. Qualities that make the T3 compact make it borderline slippery in the hand. The T feels secure, although one must navigate around the drawbridge to reach controls on the lens. I prefer the manual controls of the T over the menu and tiny pushbuttons of the T3.
Focus. The T has a true optical RF with center patch. Aperture is set on the barrel, and there is a hyperfocal DOF engraving. The T3 features AF: decent in usage and super accurate. This AF will fire a red LED "flash" when needed: focus can be achieved discreetly at 10m in complete darkness. Amazing! The T3 allows focus lock and focus by scale, although the latter is impossibly awkward.
AE. The T has full-time aperture-priority AE, with limited EC. The T3 allows EC and AE lock. Lack of manual exposure on both models is disappointing.
Film loading. T3 is a big winner for convenience. Loading a T at cocktail parties, however, will generate plenty of admiring attention.
Flash. The T has an attachable unit, but the T3 wins big in flash activities. Even with another camera in tow, I will often carry the T3 with Superia 800 to cover interiors, and the evening hours: the shutter-dragging feature works like a champ. With option SA-2, the T3 can trigger a hot-shoe.
Shutter lag. No contest, the T wins. In fact, it's my most responsive camera, and perfect for (daytime) streets. The T3 is fairly awful, even when focus is locked.
Noise. The T3 has motorized noise while focussing and after shooting a frame, but not too bad. The T has a bright metallic ping as the leaf shutter fires: not silent, but pretty damn close. T film advance is manual and quiet.
Optical character. There's a big difference between the old Sonnar 38 and the new Sonnar 35: '70s look versus ultra-modern. The 38 has lower contrast, while the 35 has deadly sharpness and blinding color saturation. Pick your lens accordingly.
Maximum shutter speed. The T can reach 1/500. The T3 has an innovative double-leaf shutter that allows 1/1200 at smaller apertures.
Battery dependence. The T wins, of course. Both cameras need juice for the shutter electronics.
steamer
Well-known
Thanks for all the info Rico,
The T is really fun to use. Looks like there is a T3 in my future now.
Steamer
The T is really fun to use. Looks like there is a T3 in my future now.
Steamer
Pascal
Member
I have a black T with flash I was going to sell... but every time I think about putting it up on the auction site, I end up changing my mind.
The T is truly an amazing camera for the size. The lens on it is superb and I only wish it had a hot shoe or some way of attaching a hot shoe so I could use the TLA 200 or TLA 140 with it. But loaded with 800 film, the T is all the camera one needs for indoor shots.
The T is truly an amazing camera for the size. The lens on it is superb and I only wish it had a hot shoe or some way of attaching a hot shoe so I could use the TLA 200 or TLA 140 with it. But loaded with 800 film, the T is all the camera one needs for indoor shots.