Strengths: 1. Amazing color. I have a digital SLR now....but it does much better color.
2. MF gives this camera good response.
3. Good design, good size to use.
4. Clear view finder
MF+ evaluation metering + Program AE......this set up turns this slow camera into Quick shooter. Actually, it is better than using AF with Digital SLR.
Weaknesses: 1. AF is accurate, but slow. Faster to use MF.
2. LCD is small and not clear.
3. Slow to start up.
4. No RAW or TIFF image
Bottom Line:
This was my 1st digital camera after 20 years of Canon F-1,
Like lots of old people, I was not interested in DIgital until I got this. But, after I experienced the amazing color , I stopped using Canon F-1 and got another Tvs Digital.
The fact of having a great name behind like contax doesn't really yeald the best results as this camera shows.Having a great optics like Carl Zeizz sonar T lens won't suficce when the electronic desing is mediocre. I a not going to repeat myself with countless technical details that abond in other review sites. Instead I am going to tell why I don't recommend to buy this camera. Very slow either writing to sd card, reading and transfering. Very poor choice of materials on buttons and keys it resemble cheap plastic buttons on children's toys. Poor light metering managment on dim light conditions. Poor metering and focusing resulting in out of focus pictures that any normal & descent digital camera should be able to handle. Lack of downloable firmware upgrade s on contax site to improve speed and other bugs in this camera (actually there's an firmware upgrade on the website of kyocera, help yourself if you read japanese...). Too small letters on the menus. Worst lcd display I've ever seen: is to small for a camera at this price tag, it has a very low refresh rate and flickers to much, it can be seen very well in strong daylight conditions but the worst is the annoying "flickering" of the lcd display. It doesn't come with an auto lamp to add to focus using the lcd display in dim/dark light conditions. It desn't come witha descent cpapacity memory card for the price paid (the 16 mb is actually miserably useless). The shutter release button has to much play and feals cheap. Who needs a jewells grade shapire on the viewfinder since it's in a receded cavity? They should have cover the lcd screen with an anti-scratch layer which is more prone to scratchs than the viewfinder. Who use the viewfinder with aa good lcd screen anhyways? It would've been nice to have the chance to charge the battery out of the camera using an external battery charger. Nice woud've been also to have the chance to choose speeds (speed priority). And last but not least Price, too high for the mediocre results that this camera yields. For all this reason I don't recommend buying this camera I am thorougly disapointed with contax and this is my last contax camera.
Strengths: classical design,
build quality,
"analoog" feel,
exellent optics
quick start
fairly quick auto focus
good overview (operation)
bright viewfinder
battery life
easy pc transport (USB)
Weaknesses: 80%viewfinder
price
only jepg
Bottom Line:
I must say I don't (din't:-) like digital camera's. Too expensive, bad quality, too cold, hard pictures etc,etc.
It't is that I'm back to school again and a digicam was recommended because off the large amound of pictures must being
taken, digi is cheaper in the long run.
You must understand that my understanding of digital camera's is not that great.
I sometimes play around with them when a friend had one.
I most of the time found them fustrating;
Tons of useless info and operations, a shutter delay of I-dont-now-how-long and a out focus even wurse the the G1(contax:-)
With this Idear in mind I was looking for a camera and saw this deal.
I found this black finished TVS by chance I liked classical (analoog) apperance, the sold build construction. The Zeiss lens, 5mp and size. I't has a more timeless feel than other digicams.
When I finaly got him, I feld quickly 'at home' the operation is what getting used to, but ones you get the hang of it (quick:-) i'ts where logical and analoog...
I think is a good camera for analoog minded photographers, there is a good licht metering system, color managment. and a fairly good manual focus opparation.
The format (JPEG) is maybe limited, but good anough for the concept of a compact/rangfinder. How use a Tiff/Raw (outside studio) annyway?
The zeiss lens is exellent (this is one of the reasons to write this review because many dispute the quality of the lens in opinions/reviews I have seeing. IMHO it's more due to other reasons than the lens but more as Digital in general, commpared to analoog)
Would I recommend the cam?
Yes, When you are Analoog orientated I surtenly do, It is a classical, not to ovious camera with a easy operation and exellent
picture quality.
Similar Products Used: NON digicams :-)
Pentax ME, Canon Eos300, Canon AE1(!), Contax G1, Lomo mca, Yashica-MAT6X6, Ensign selfix 820
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
nvanallens
a Expert
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2003
Strengths: - build quality, like all T compacts
- Zeiss lens, great colour and contrast
- fill flash/skin tones (awesome)
- perfect size
- good battery life
- easy menus
- includes leather case
- no lens cap (hooray)
- did I mention build quality?
Weaknesses: - no RAW images
- no hot shoe
- no full manual mode
- software could be better
- not the fastest camera
Bottom Line:
I am very happy with this camera. It fits very nicely in a pocket, is built like a tank (and therefore a wee bit heavy), looks good :-) , has a Zeiss lens, lasts a good long time on its batteries and takes excellent images. It is relatively simple to operate, but you can use it "like" a manual with a few adjustments. However, I'm perfectly happy on program or AV mode, as this is basically my take everywhere camera. Note, though, that this is not an idiot-proof camera. In the hand, it feels like my old T2, which is to say perfect. If you appreciate a Contax camera, this may be the digital for you. It will cost more than the G5s of this world, though (especially in the gorgeous black), and you may consider the options that those camera have, at a lesser price, to be the way to go. I did, but then I came back to the Contax - primarily for the fill flash and the skin tones.
