Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]If you're going Contax SLR manual focus, how about the Aria? (Dan, will this non-Leica discourse get quashed by other LUGers?). - -- Paul Arnold - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Honemann" <danh@selectsa.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2000 2:59 PM Subject: [Leica] OT Contax impressions (N1 and others) > Hey LUGnutz, > > It was Contax day at a local shop here in DC, so I got a chance to check out > the new N1 with the 24-85 lens. I also checked out the 645 (and tried a 645 > lens on the N1--it works!), the older RTS III, and a Canon EOS 1v (just to > have a basis for comparison). > > My impression of the Contax N1 was mostly favorable. The finder is bright > and provides enough eye relief that I could see all of it with my > eyeglasses. It's also mercifully uncluttered. The N1 has five focus > sensors and a very easy to use joystick on the back to select among them. > It's lenses are similar to EOS USM lenses: very quiet, fast, lightweight, > and capable of full time manual focusing for touching up. > > The N1 seems to weigh slightly more than the EOS 1v without booster. It > feels good in the hands, and the controls are all within easy reach. I > found it a bit awkward having the shutter speed dial on the wrong side of > the body (from a Leica-centric perspective :), but otherwise all was easy to > use. > > I really liked the 645. The MF lenses seem better built--have a more solid > feel, and a longer focus throw. This is a very light-weight, easy to handle > MF camera. > > But my experience handling an R8 a few weeks ago has spoiled me for anything > else. I'm discovering that perhaps I am just a manual focus kind of guy. > My favorite Contax, lo and behold, was the RTS III: it has the weight and > feel of a real camera. The ground glass has more contrast and is easier to > focus manually--and the lenses feel _real_. I don't know how else to put > it. > > I was surprised, because I've handled a 1v before and really liked it. This > time, though, it felt like a toy. And the Contax N1 only felt slightly > better. > > So now I'm left wondering how I can possibly work out a budget that will let > me afford an R8 (not too bad) and a few R lenses (impossibly expensive, even > used). Maybe I'll consider an RTS III despite knowing that the manual focus > contax glass is going to go the way of the old Canon mf lenses. Then > there's always the classic Nikon F3 (also now destined for the used store > shelves) and AIS Nikkors. > > Dan >