Review Contax Aria

[Guest]

Alessandro,

the Aria is up to the task. I once tested a couple of used lenses among them the 200/3.5 on an old FX-3 body (MLU!). On TechPan in Technidol with the 200 @3.5 and 1/250 the best I got was 65 lpm. The Aria will have better stability than a FX-3, that's for sure. Add to that that I used a rather flimsy tripod and the Aria with the 200/3.5 will be a very usable combo.

 

[Guest]

Hi all,

I just received my new Aria today. Sadly, the 135/2.8 lens that was supposed to also be in the box is back-ordered :-(

I will have to play with it using my AE lenses tonight for some first impressions. This is my first Contax SLR system purchase since buying my 139Q many moons ago. I've been mostly using the G2 system in the last few years, but want to resume doing some tele and macro work. The Aria's many automated features, the winder and the advanced metering all appealed to me, as do the reduced weight and reasonable price.

The Aria joins the aforementioned 139Q; an RTS I; an FR; and an 85/1.4, 55/1.4, 25/2.8 and a Tamron SP 35-70/2.8 in my kit.

First impressions: the finder is bright and very "viewable", the controls are generally where I expect Contax controls to be, the power and AE lock switch is very stiff, and the camera is LOUD. (Many complain about the G2's noise, but the Aria seems significantly louder to me.)

Regards,

--Rick

 

[Guest]

Rick -

You've got some great times ahead of you if my experience is any indication. Like you, I picked up an Aria as a tele/macro complement to my G2. Interestingly, I find myself shooting with the 50/1.4 quite a bit, and thinking of picking up the 85/1.4 -- focal lengths which are pretty much covered by my G2 system, though not by such fast glass. That said, the 60mm macro made the extra body worth it, and the spot meter is a joy (when are we going to get one in the G3??).

Anyway, good choice!

John

 

[Guest]

Thanks John, for the vote of confidence on the Aria.

The metering was a major factor in my decision too. I feel like I just jumped ahead two decades (Can the RTS really be 25 years old?)

I'm still plowing through the owners manual to discover all its neat tricks--there are many. I was pleased to discover that it auto-switches to aperture priority mode when an AE lens is mounted. I don't think I'll always remember!

The Aria balances nicely with the 85/1.4, which is a chunk of a lens that somewhat overwhelms the 139Q. Highly recommended.

Best regards,

--Rick

 

[Guest]

Rick,

Can you comment on how the aria compares to the 139?

I realize the aria has a motor drive and more exposure modes -- but I'm more interesting in basic handling -- such as view finder, shutter sound, ease to focus and so on

Thanks!!

(also has anyone been able to figure out how to reply from a post via email -- I use unix and when I edit the text the parser doesn't pick up the forum correctly (I insert >> at the begining of each line and stick my text in the [ ] -- should the begining of each line have some other character such as ||?)

 

[Guest]

The Aria is larger in every dimension except width, where they're effectively identical. They seem to be about the same weight. The Aria is easier to "one-hand," due to the effective body contouring and rubbery exterior. I'm not used to the Aria's controls yet, so am better able to adjust the 139's settings w/o looking. That will change with time and experience.

The viewfinders seem equally bright, and use the same focusing screens, so ease of focus is identical. The Aria's interchangable screens are a big plus, (I love cross-hatched screens for wide angle and copy stand use, for ex&le). The 139's simple viewfinder display wins for fast, clear communication, although there's much less being communicated. The Aria's viewfinder exposure counter is great; it's my first camera so equipped. The 139 is more quiet in use, but that's not a fair comparison, given its manual wind. I perceive the 139's shutter noise as a bit softer.

That's about all I can say after all of a day's Aria use. So far I'm quite happy with it.

--Rick

 

[Guest]

Re: Rave on the Aria
Viewfinder Brightness


Hi, I've joined the rave about the Aria and got the silver edition with the Tessar 45mm. Can't quite get over its dinky aesthetics - it's such a cute camera I can't believe it's compatible with my Carl Zeiss' lenses! With the Pancake Tessar, it's dimensions are outrightly thrilling - it's so small and light, and not tremendously more bulky than a Leica M6 (esp. with a 50mm protrusion in front), I've been wondering whether a dedicated everready case to accommodate the tiny lens exists. The Pancake doesn't protrude more than 1.5cm when set at infinity!!! This gives it the dimensions of a tiny rangefinder (excluding the pentaprism of course). I've found it isn't much more unbearable than than a T2 in transit. Lugging this around isn't a problem at all!

Oh, as a step up from the 167MT I've been amazed at its light body shell. However, the 167MT has lasted me 10 years; will the Aria disintegrate from the market like most Japanese plastic cameras in 20-30 years?

From an aesthetic perspective, has anyone got inside information as to whether the silver coloured CZ lens range will be limited to the Aria, or perhaps added in the next Anniversary etc? It really is pretty, but all of that psychological stuff about aesthetic appreciation is probably damaging; with a black camera, I have no hesitation in using it as a workhorse. A silver one has me cringing in fear of scratching it, just like a cd...

Has anyone any experience of using the Aria with a 300mm f4 Tessar? The centre of gravity shifts towards the middle third of the lens. As a heavy lens, I wonder if the lens mount can tolerate being held by the lens on a routine basis.

With the same lens, the viewfinder dims dramatically - compared to a Tessar 45mm 2.8 which isn't exactly terrible either. With a Planar 1.4mm, no complaints, but the advantage of the 45mm is that anything 3metres in front on a tiny aperture of f5.6-8 will be within depth of field.

Can anyone tell me what the point of an AEL lock is? I've checked the manual and reconfigured the custom functions and set the AEL lock on a half-depressed button setting. This works just like the T2 and hence I've not needed the AEL lock, which is inoperable with one's eye at the viewer.

Have a Happy New Year - I think I'll go snapping in the city!

Joe Tweed

 

[Guest]

Hi Joe, you will probably get lots of replies. I have owned the Aria since they were first released and made this my favourite camera for travel, and in my case, the 28/2.8 seems to live on this body. I am embarrassed to say this was my first Contax experience (I now also possess the RX & the G2). My previous cameras were all Nikons and I still use these occasionally. Regarding the AEL lock, this is really useful for when you are waiting for something to happen and main object for your camera (to soon appear on the scene) is unusually bright or dark. Then you can lock the exposure before the event. The AEL is a quick way of doing this and you don't have to think too much. I use this facility quite a bit. I could also be waiting for my subject (a person) to walk in my scene but need to lock the AEL because the background is a white wall (or a very dark one) for ex&le. But I also use this facility in place of the "half way" button press because sometimes you can slip and take an unintentional photo and waste a frame. William

 

[Guest]

A common way to use AEL is to spot meter off a mid tone area of the scene and then lock the exposure at that reading. If no mid tone area exists in the same light as the subject, then one would hold a gray card in the same light as the subject, and then take a spot meter reading off the gray card, and then switch to AEL to hold the exposure setting. The camera's auto exposure system sets the aperture/shutter to whatever would be appropriate on the assumption that the scene being metered is a mid tone (not dark and not light). So whenever the scene is not clearly mid tone, for ex&le, the groom in a black tuxedo and the bride in a white gown, then gray cards and AEL become indispensable if you aren't using an incident light meter.

I find it better to use the switch rather than a half press of the shutter release, because I can then lock the exposure for multiple shots and still be free to take my finger off the shutter release between shots.

 

[Guest]

A more common way, surely, is to use Manual mode.
Forget all this spot reading and AEL; just spot read in manual, or take Grey Card reading in Manual. That way too, you'll never forget to switch off the Lock.
How many of you have done that?
Colin