I'm considering purchasing a Contax T# to add to my arsenal of photo equipment. I want to hear comments on actual use and results, durability, and maintenance. Any preferred print films for this camera?

-- Elliot Schrager (eschrager@signature-sound.com), February 07, 2002

Answers

Elliot, I have owned the T2, TVS and now the T3. I own other 35mm cameras including a G1, Leica R6, and a few Nikons. I love some manual control over my picture taking, but what I really want is: 1) Build quality because I love well-crafted machines like BMWs, Omega watches, and the like, 2) Color saturation with all other things being equal. I like sharp, contrasty images with good (accurate) color saturation. 3) Durability since, even though I love BMWs, I own Hondas and other Japanese machines - terrific durability and build quality almost on par with the German stuff, and my wife will tolerate the cost. A quirky answer to your question, but with a point. I like the T3 so much that I convinced my wife I had to have it. I carry it everywhere in lieu of my other gear because it never lets me down photographically or mechanically. It feels superb in your hands and just exudes class. Do you have to have all this snobbery to take good photos? No. I am a Navy officer and travel quite a bit. This T3 has taken 720 photos in the last 3 trips and has taken exactly one truly poor photo - into bright sunlight and all my fault. Decent manual controls when desired and superb optics and build. I personally can't ask for more.

Good luck, Chuck

-- Chuck Fralick (crfralick@earthlink.net), February 13, 2002.

By the way Elliot, I have very good luck with Kodak Royal Gold 200 and 400 for print film though I have heard it will be discontinued???

Chuck

-- Chuck Fralick (crfralick@earthlink.net), February 13, 2002.

Elliot,

Here's a good reference site where all the T3 maniacs hang:

http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=005ic4

I've had a T3 for some time now and carry it wherever I go. It's one helluva piece of equipment and a very versatile tool. The optics are superb and the results I've had are excellent. My only picayune complaint is that I'd've preferred a 38mm (like the T2) or 40mm lens instead of the 35mm. Otherwise, there ain't anything like it out there in terms of size, weight, quality, and versatility--like filter capability, off-camera "flashmatic" feature, and customized settings [now we'll hear from all the Minilux (40mm), GR-1 (28mm), and Rollei (38mm) adherents, but I'll stand my ground on this one just because of the T3's other attributes]. By the way, I have the titanium black (charcoal) version which, as any real photographer knows, will take better pictures than a chrome, silver, or champagne-colored camera any given day.

-- Cosmo Genovese (cosmo@rome.com), February 14, 2002.

Thanks to both Chuck and Cosmo for the responses. I've shot my first few rolls of film with the camera just as a point & shoot and am extremely impressed with the lens sharpness, color density and an almost three dimensional quality of the prints. I haven't yet used the various controls and custom functions yet. I shoot mostly medium format (Hassy & Rollei TLR) and its great to be able to carry a camera like the T3 in your pocket. Thanks again.

-- Elliot Schrager (eschrager@signature-sound.com), February 15, 2002.