Re: [Leica] Re: Contax T3

[Bill Satterfield <cwsat@istate.net>]

Wow, thanks. I may get one when the black ones come out.

Rolfe Tessem wrote:

> >
> > Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 08:57:54 -0400
> > From: Henry Posner/B&H Photo-Video <henryp@bhphotovideo.com>
> > Subject: [Leica] Re: Contax T3
> > Message-ID: <4.3.2.7.2.20010725084425.04a5cae0@bnhpop1.bhphotovideo.com>
> > References:
> >
> > At 03:22 PM 07/24/2001, you wrote:
> > > > In the latest issue of Shutterbug, there a good review of the Contax T3.
> > > > The flash was disappointing. I was all set to get one but this turned me
> > > > off. Flash is only good for 3 feet or so. Any of you have one?
> >
> > FWIW, the Contax specs for the T3 flash say it's good from 1.2 to 75 ft @
> > ISO 100. See http://www.contaxcameras.com/home/pr_tvsiii.html
> > - --
> > regards,
> > Henry Posner
> > Director of Sales and Training
> > B&H Photo-Video, and Pro-Audio Inc.
> > http://www.bhphotovideo.com
>
> That web site reference is for the TVSiii, which is not the same camera
> as the T3, the successor to the fixed lens T2. Kyocera has apparently
> not updated its web site even though the newer camera has been available
> for some months.
>
> I have a T3 (as well as several Leica M cameras) and can attest to the
> sharpness and contrast of the 35mm Zeiss lens on this little beauty.
> Viewfinder magnification is quite large, and the bright-line frame is
> decent, if not quite up to Leica standards. You can see a bit of the
> action outside the bright-line frame, but not as much as with a 35mm
> lens on a .72 viewfinder Leica M. The autofocus is fast and accurate,
> even at wide apertures.
>
> As to the complaint about the flash range, I wouldn't rely on
> Shutterbug's test reports for anything too serious :-). The flash is in
> the same league as every other P&S I've ever seen -- no better no worse,
> except I have yet to get a case of redeye even though the flash is very
> close to the lens. I have no idea why.
>
> According to the manual, the flash range is 2.2 meters with ISO 100 film
> and 4.2 meters with ISO 400 film. That is borne out by my experience (I
> normally use Fuji NPH in this camera), and has not proven to be a
> limitation in any situation in which you'd actually want to use the
> build-in flash. Remember that it is a 35mm fixed lens, so if you are
> using the flash at all it is probably for a group of two or three people
> or something within ten feet at any rate. I suspect Shutterbug didn't
> notice that the distance was given in meters, not feet -- duh! I've used
> the flash in slow-sync mode in restaurants and bars quite a bit and in
> this situation you don't want a powerful flash anyway.
>
> It is hard to see how a 35mm camera can get much smaller than this,
> since it is literally the size of two 35mm rolls plus the lens in the
> middle, which retracts to form a package about the size of a pack of
> cigarettes.
>
> --
> Rolfe Tessem        |    Lucky Duck Productions, Inc.
> rolfe@ldp.com       |    96 Morton Street
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