Show us your SLR ..... WHAT?

wlewisiii said:
Family portrait. Considering that on Dec 1, 2010, I didn't own anything with the Nikon name on it... 😱

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:angel:

William
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nice score, William.
 
kdemas said:
One of the few SLRs I've sold that I really miss. Sold two of them, stupidly.
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Is it that good? Even by todays options still valid as a digital camera?

I shortly investigated, finding a second hand one with lenses, but gave up on the idea with prices, fit and feel of the Contax N film camera (plasticky, light, …) and endless questions regarding reliability, longevity, repair, service etc.

After all, these are very expensive cameras @ todays second hand prices.
It is a beautiful camera at least ;-)
 
Menos...some excellent questions. It definitely is still valid as a digital camera today, with some serious caveats (many of which applied even when it was released).

The ND was, for me, mainly a portrait and still life camera. The auto-focus, though actually pretty sophisticated, was slow relative to CaNikon and also didn't focus track real well. Long and short, not a good rig for sports or action.

The body was actually a unique Kevlar impregnated material which was quite tough. The build was excellent, prompting many friends to comment that "they don't build them like this anymore". They sure don't (Contax is gone joke).

Weaknesses... Autofocus for all Ns were often miscalibrated out of the box, luckily my ND's did not suffer from this. Want to preview your raw images on the rear LCD, sorry..you're out of luck. Buffer was too small, batteries were gobbled up quickly.

So what did I like? Fantastic ergonomics. Nice finder. Huge, massive photo sites (only 6M) gave great DR. And then, the lenses. Zeiss went all out, and the 85mm may have been the finest lens I have owned, and I have owned many.

Long and short, an interesting camera capable of incredible images, but only capable in very limited conditions and situations.

Time for a drink!

Kent.



menos said:
Is it that good? Even by todays options still valid as a digital camera?

I shortly investigated, finding a second hand one with lenses, but gave up on the idea with prices, fit and feel of the Contax N film camera (plasticky, light, …) and endless questions regarding reliability, longevity, repair, service etc.

After all, these are very expensive cameras @ todays second hand prices.
It is a beautiful camera at least ;-)
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Kent, I am very curious about this camera still (limiting factor being the steep prices and low availability).

I find it a shame also, that many lenses have been slaughtered and converted to Canon mount, driving also prices up (especially the wide zoom and 85mm it seems).

One has to be quite committed or well heeled, to tip toe into the unfortunately discontinued Contax SLR territory.
 
Menos,

They have stayed quite expensive and you're right, the prime lenses are hard to come by. Specifically the 85/1.4.

The 100mm macro is also stunning, the 50 planar strong and the 24-85mm zoom amazingly good. I never used my 17-35mm a whole lot but they too are going for very high prices nowadays. The rarest of all is the 400mm, very few made, pulling over $4K.

Anyway, it's something different but, like I said, it's for only specialized uses. With the digital it is only 6mp so cropping can get tricky pretty quickly. I've actually been using my N1 quite a bit and enjoying it a great deal...it helped me kill of my remaining Kodachrome in December.
menos said:
Kent, I am very curious about this camera still (limiting factor being the steep prices and low availability).

I find it a shame also, that many lenses have been slaughtered and converted to Canon mount, driving also prices up (especially the wide zoom and 85mm it seems).

One has to be quite committed or well heeled, to tip toe into the unfortunately discontinued Contax SLR territory.
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My used and abused...

Both OM2ns, only recently acquired the black one for a paltry sum. Both now serviced so work as good as new, the chrome OM2n is actually in pretty good condition except for a dent on the underside where it got dropped on McDonalds' tiled floor once from a good couple of feet or more.


Used and Abused by Vicky Lamburn, on Flickr​
 
Menos,

There are N1s out there in nice condition for a little over $200 US. Even KEH has a few, seen here.

If you like zooms the 24-85mm is the lens I'd recommend starting with, very nice. For far less money you can get a Zeiss 28-80mm, though the build is lighter and it does not use a silent wave motor to focus, instead it's a direct screw. Quality from the pictures from it and it's lighter cousin, the 70-200mm, are quite good. I have an extra 28-80mm that you can get really cheap if you decide to get into the system.

Anyway, best of luck and enjoy whatever it is you're shooting. We're all lucky that there are/were so many choices out there.

Kent
menos said:
Kent, I will have my eyes open on the Contax N variants, despite I doubt, they get in any affordable terrain.
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kdemas said:
Menos,

There are N1s out there in nice condition for a little over $200 US. Even KEH has a few, seen here.

If you like zooms the 24-85mm is the lens I'd recommend starting with, very nice. For far less money you can get a Zeiss 28-80mm, though the build is lighter and it does not use a silent wave motor to focus, instead it's a direct screw. Quality from the pictures from it and it's lighter cousin, the 70-200mm, are quite good. I have an extra 28-80mm that you can get really cheap if you decide to get into the system.

Anyway, best of luck and enjoy whatever it is you're shooting. We're all lucky that there are/were so many choices out there.

Kent
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Thanks Kent for the tips - I handled the N1 and didn't like it much.
I am a nikon guy with SLRs, using a F5 (heavy tank) and F3/ FM3a for manual focus for film with SLRs.

I shoot mostly Leica M at the moment though and have slimmed down on SLRs.
The Contax N1 was compact and light by comparison, but felt quite alien.
The only reason, to try out the Contax for me is the 85mm (complementing by the 50 1.4 and the 17-35, if a system should be interesting).
The Ndigital is the only body, interesting to me for the wonderful images, I have seen with it, but I think, it is more a paradise bird of a camera, costing more and more money and leaving uncertainties (parts, service) for very high costs.

I remain a silent Contax fan, until a sweet deal arises ;-)
A pity, Contax didn't make it "back then".
 
kdemas said:
Menos,

There are N1s out there in nice condition for a little over $200 US. Even KEH has a few, seen here.

If you like zooms the 24-85mm is the lens I'd recommend starting with, very nice. For far less money you can get a Zeiss 28-80mm, though the build is lighter and it does not use a silent wave motor to focus, instead it's a direct screw. Quality from the pictures from it and it's lighter cousin, the 70-200mm, are quite good. I have an extra 28-80mm that you can get really cheap if you decide to get into the system.

Anyway, best of luck and enjoy whatever it is you're shooting. We're all lucky that there are/were so many choices out there.

Kent
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The only affordable problem comes with the 24-85 these days. There is someone out there who'll convert them to work on Canon DSLRs (AF and everything!) so they've become more dear since then. RIghtly so though as they are incredible lenses.

Add the Contax N system to the same list as the Pentax 645AF - cameras I should have bought before there was a digital solution for them and they were giving them away.....
 
jmooney said:
The only affordable problem comes with the 24-85 these days. There is someone out there who'll convert them to work on Canon DSLRs (AF and everything!) so they've become more dear since then. RIghtly so though as they are incredible lenses.

Add the Contax N system to the same list as the Pentax 645AF - cameras I should have bought before there was a digital solution for them and they were giving them away.....
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Yeah, good point. The Coronus conversions have definitely had an impact. The 17-35mm in particular has been a big conversion favorite.

The 24-85mm can still be had for under $500 but you have to keep your eyes out for them.
 
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