Description: The Contax T ix weighs in at only 7 3/4 ounces and is about the size of a small bar of soap. The T ix, however is a great performer, due to its Carl Zeiss T* lens and titanium construction. It is a Contax by any standard, and that means there is nothing better.
Summary: Great compact camera. I shoot with mostly 35mm because of the larger frame size but this camera closes the gap. I agree with the critics that this APS is in the same league as the other "posh" p/s cameras out there. Street price is $699, retail store used is around $550. Used price in the $400-500 range on eBay. A steal for this level of quality. I also own a TVS and the Tix takes much sharper pictures. Not quite the quality of a G2 but close and much more portable. Very thoughtful design and great for travel and carrying around. The three image sizes available for APS cameras distinguish this one from other posh p/s cameras. Value rating is for a used one.
Strengths: Pin-sharp, contrasty pictures.
Weaknesses: None except price when new.
Similar Products Used: Contax TVS, Contax G2, Nikon N80, Canon Elan II, Canon Elph
Summary: Terrific camera with a dropping price. If you really like APS, you will recognize that Contax has really put some thought and care into designing this camera (more than Leica did the c-11)The fit and feel are great. Practically no distortion. Good rich colors. Near SLR quality pictures. The best APS P&S I''ve used. I also have a Leica c-11 and a Pronea 6i. This camera does not match the Pronea''s image quality, but exceeds the leica in all areas except with exposures using fill flash ( the leica does a better job at using flash for short range portraits than any P&S I''ve used or the Pronea). If you are using an APS SLR, then this will be a good companion camera, but it will not match the quality though it will come close and will be much more portable. I would not recommend breaking the bank to buy this camera, but if you find a good price and like APS then go for it.
Strengths: Strong and well-built, great optics with no distortion, good flash with sensitive auto-flash function (doesn''t try to flash all the time), comfortable size, bigger than an elph but still fits on your belt (I think the elph''s are a little too small). The aperture priority ring at the base of the lens is a great touch. The capacity for filters and a lens hood are also welcome additions to a P&S camera. An additional nice touch is the way the lens covers itself and the camera shuts down while rewinding.
Weaknesses: Hardly any, especially with the price coming down. The viewfinder is not great, I wear glasses and have to search around sometimes for the little markers of the exposure area. I also wish there were a little more information in the viewfinder. The camera displys the shutter speed on the LCD disply briefly after takign the shot, but would like to see it in the viewfinder.
Rating Reviewed by: Neil Mitchell(Unregistered User)
(Expert)
Review Date July 31, 2001
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 4 of 5
Visitors rate this review 4.00 of 5,
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Review 3 of 7
Summary: I have the black version of the Tix which makes for a very low profile camera.
Image quality is outstanding - I use print film and have it professionally developed and scanned to CD (18Mb image files, then print it using photoshop and an Epson Photo Stylus printer. The results are fabulous. Most bad results with APS usually come about from poor processing in discount processoring houses. I have had big enlargements done from APS by a professional processor and they are stunning.
I have also used Fuji slide film (100x - the only one available) - this really shows off the quality of the Zeiss Sonnar lens.
I now carry this camera everywhere with me now, its small size, light weight and excellent image quality having displaced my previous carry everywhere camera, the 35mm Contax T2.
Summary: Being an equipment freak, I couldn't resist the T ix, with its tiny size and beautiful finish. Once the infatuation wore off, I began to realize that the pictures didn't really measure up to some much cheaper 35mm cameras. I don't think this is the fault of the camera, but probably mainly due to the smaller negative size. The results I got were certainly better than the only other APS camera I tried (Elph). I ended up switching to the Minolta TC-1. It's almost as small, but gives 35mm quality. (It's not quite as cute as the T ix, but I like the photos better.)
If you like APS, though, the T ix is at the top of the heap.
Strengths: Tiny size, very nice looking and well-finished.
High-quality lens. With a lens hood! (Why don't all cameras have them?)
More user controllability than most P&S.
Weaknesses: Tiny size sometimes makes it a little difficult to handle.
No continuous parallax compensation in the finder.
Some sort of leather or rubberized material on the body might improve the grip.
Expensive.
APS film issues?
Similar Products Used: Canon Elph, Minolta TC-1, Yashica T4 Super
Summary: As the years plow forward, I find myself using compact cameras with a single lens more than anything else. I have been looking for a quality APS camera which had the size I wanted with the lens quality and controllability to do top notch photography. I looked at the Tix many times over the course of the past year or so and finally decided to take the plunge.
I've had other compact Contax cameras so I expected build quality and features to be good. I didn't expect them to be far better than my Tvs or T2 were, though. The Tix is a highly evolved, beautifully executed camera with just the right mix of features. I simply have not found a way to get a bad picture with it as long as I point it in the right direction.
I feel this is the finest APS camera available. I don't want an APS SLR ... if I want that much bulk I go for full frame 35 ... The Tix meets the size I want with the features I want and returns superb results every time.
My value rating may seem crazy to some, but I've learned that to get the best you have to pay for it. I own Leica equipment too, and I rate the value of Leica equipment to be extremely high because it works, keeps on working, and returns results that are simply yards beyond anything else I've tried in the genre. The Contax Tix is like that. I feel I'll be shooting a LOT of film with this camera.
Strengths: Superb lens, build quality, controllability, focus system, exposure system, everything about the camera is wonderfully conceived and beautifully executed.
Weaknesses: Hmm... Well, I wish it had the infrared remote that the ELPH Jr does and I wish the viewfinder was parallax corrected, but these are minor nits.
Similar Products Used: I own about 40 cameras, about 20 of which are compact 35s or APS. I compare the Tix against the Canon ELPH Jr, Rollei 35S, Minox 35GT-E and Olympus Stylus. It's on par with the Rollei and Minox in terms of quality, or better.
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