Review Contax T3

[Guest]

Is it possible to change CF5 to AF Lock Only, lock focus using the AF-L button, recompose, and read exposure by pressing the shutter half way with T3?

 

[Guest]

I use this method of locking focus etc. Point the camera at the subject and lock focus using the AF-L button. Point the camera at a mid-tone to get an accurate meter reading (or if there isn't one then point at something close and use the exp. compensation), recompose and shoot.

I do not have my camera in front of me but I have set one of the custom funcitons to only lock focus, not exposure.

Simon

 

[Guest]

..the short answer is: YES

You can have both via CF 5 on the T3. Either AF lock only and read exposure by pressing the shutter half way (CF 5 a) or AF lock and exposure at the same time with AFL button only (CF5 b). See for that the manual page 47.

 

[Guest]

Question for the shoppers out there in HK. I had posted earlier, my son is visiting HK,Korea, how much should one pay for contax T3 flash and bracket.

 

[Guest]

Hello,
I'm currently looking for a high quality compact camera for mainly landscape photography when I'm off mountain walking (SLR is just too heavy for a 7 day hike!!).

I was looking at the Leica Minilux, but I've been put off by the fact that there are numerous 'E02' faults reported by users, and I'm not prepared to replace the expensive shutter mechanism every year or so!

The Rioch GR21 also looks good, but the 21mm lens is a little too wide, and the f3.5 a little slow.

Which takes me to the T3.... Obviously the lens is first class, plus it can accept filters! It has a faster shutter speed than the competition, so I'm less likely to end up in a situation where there is 'too much light'.

The reviews above have been most useful, thanks.

All I need to do now is find a good deal

 

[Guest]

I just got my first roll of film back from the T3 .... I was amazed at the quality of the prints! I borrowed a T2 last week, and thought they were good but this is just exceptional ... this is a camera that is going to be always with me in future. The "feel" of the pictures reminds me a lot of some of my best Hasselblad photos, the character of the lense that is recognizably Zeiss and hard to define ... its just great colour, contrast and that kind of "creamy" look that I personally find so pleasing. The "P" function and the auto-focus (I did try out everything) handled light and shade situations perfectly, and not a single shot out of focus. I also found the camera very easy to handle, dialing in exposure correction was no problem for me, as I thought it might be. All in all I am delighted with the thing, I never though I would get pictures of this quality with a compact camera.

 

[Guest]

Paolo,

I bought a T3 on Saturday and it had exactly the same problems as yours: the focus zone is shifted to the right of where it should be. Perhaps not the end of the world, but since I paid £650 for the thing, I thought I should not have to tolerate any defects like this. So I took it back and asked for a replacement, which arrived yesterday.

The replacement is exactly the same! The dealer has been very helpful and he agrees that there is a problem, so he is now ordering a new one direct from Kyocera for me.

I wonder if in fact ALL T3's are like this? Is very very easy to check:

Hold out your hand at arms length and focus on it. The macro light will light up.

Now move your hand to the left of the focus mark and refocus: the macro light doesn't light as the camera (correctly) focuses on the background.

Now, try the other side: move you hand to the right of the focus mark and focus again. The macro light appears! The camera is focussing on your hand even though it is way to the right of the focus mark.

With both the ex&les I have tried my hand had to get to the last 1/4 of the viewfinder before the camera doesn't focus on it. Whereas on the lefthand side, it won't focus on it if its even a tiny bit outside of the focus mark. Now that can't be correct, can it???!?!

Perhaps other owners can try this and post their findings?

Thanks,

Mark Haslam.

 

[dirk]

... this is already described in the other comments above in depth, especially in the first review.

It seems to be a "normal thing" with the T3. Once you know it, it is not a problem anymore.

dirk

 

[Guest]

> Yes but at least 1 guy on the web said he managed to replace his T3 for one that didn't have this fault. And I say "fault" because that's what it is: I don't expect a $1000 camera to not be able to focus at what's behind the focus marks! Especially when this behaviour is contrary to how the manual describes it.

But from your comments it seems this fault is very widespread then.

 

[dirk]

..I agree and I did not mean that I am happy about this issue, but it really seems that almost every T3 is calibrated this way. A kind of consistently wrong fine tuning

I just was to lazy to send it back , because I got used to it. For my kind of shooting, I prefer the Spot AF via AFL button anyway.

dirk