Contax N1 user opinions wanted

if you've got one, had one or used one i'd like to know what you think. not sure if they are

going to be discontinued but the big camera stores over here have started a sale - N1

body with 24~85 set for approx 1500 US$ so i'm tempted to buy it for a regular

assignment i may take on next year. especially interested in hearing about the auto-focus

and exposure abilities. is there anything you really love or loathe about it? i know what

the alternatives are so just want opinions on the N1. thanks.

Hi, Steve.

 

I had an N1, 50mm Planar, and 85mm Planar, for about a year. I sold it primarily because

of my frustration with Contax/Kyocera, and not because of disappointment in the camera.

I was never able to reconcile the fact that there are no wide-angle prime lenses available

for the N-system. To get even a 35mm, you have to use one of the zooms. Even though

the zooms are highly regarded, i prefer smaller, faster primes for most purposes.

 

Have you seen/held the 24-85 lens? Most/all of the glass for the N-system is rather large,

relative to other 35mm camera systems. Even the 50 and 85 primes were large, although

not especially heavy.

 

I think the 85/1.4 is the best medium tele lens available. The bokeh is phenomenal. The

50/1.4 is great, as well. The N1's AF is not nearly what you would expect on a Canon or

Nikon. It works well, but it is not quick. That said, i did appreciate having it. I don't shoot

sports or fast action. Not as good as Canon for shooting moving objects, including

children. It's quick enough for portraiture/fashion, etc., though. As well, and what i really

liked about the system - manual focus is constant. No need to switch it on/off. And, the

lenses are designed with barrels/grips that are very conducive to manual focus, unlike

what i'm used to with Canon EOS.

 

The AF works with a 5-point (if i remember correctly) grid, controlled by a tiny joystick on

the back. I love this system, and prefer it to the EOS dial. I believe the new 20D has a

joystick now - maybe Canon is moving that way?

 

Don't know what to say about the exposure abilities. I used a handheld Sekonic when i

shot portraits with it. I did use the meter in Aperture Priority mode when photographing a

friend's baby girl, but don't have any manner of critical assessment of the exposure, as it

was mostly used with (forgiving) Tri-X. Negs seem to be exposed consistently as i like

them, though.

 

So - nothing that i loathe, other than the lens selection. If you're comfortable with the

zooms, it's a nice system. Love - the AF/MF implementation, and the two lenses i owned. I

hear the 100 Macro is also spectacular.... If they had a simple 35mm/f2, i would still own

it. Instead, i now have an R8. The N1, though, feels better in use. The quiet(-ish) integral

motor drive is nice, and faster than my R8's motor winder. Also, the mirror/shutter seem

to be very 'low-impact,' giving the feeling that one can handhold it at lower shutter

speeds. I don't know if that's true, but it just feels like a very 'smooth'-operating camera.

 

I would check the prices at KEH.com. I don't know what the zoom is going for, but i've

seen the N1 bodies selling for prices that make that $1500 combo price seem high.

 

I'm sure i've written too much, but if there's anything i haven't addressed, please ask.

I used one a while ago. My problem with the system is the lack of certainty re: Contax in the market place. After the abortive N1D (which, apparently was actually pretty good), they've gone very quiet as far as the N line is concerned. I think that the Zeiss cooperation with Cosina over their M mount camera is hardly a vote of confidence (it was hinted to me 3/4 years ago that Contax would bring out an M-mount range of lenses). Also, as written above, Contax UK weren't a great company to deal with efficiency-wise. Finally, I had bad luck with a Contax RTS3 and with a Contax RX which makes me nervous.

FWIW, I didn't think that the 24-85 performed in the same league as my 85 1.4 MM or 50 1.4 MM did - I'm sure the primes would be pretty marvellous tho'.

 

OK, so I haven't answered the question - exposure v.good/excellent. AF - good (not a problem). Something I hated - the 24-85 at full extension "sagged" i.e. had play in it - arguably not really acceptable in a ?1000 lens. Something I loved - as usual from Contax - excellent ergonomics.

I second Dereks excelent report.

 

I was very close to buying a N1 and a Ndigital later. Kyocera's booth at the CeBit is a few meters from our's, so I had time to play with the N1.

 

It is a decent performer, AF is great as long as you haven't tried a Canon 1V, the body feels great and handels very well. Even with the added weight of the gigantic 17-35 zoom it is well balanced.

 

But the lack of a 35/2 or 28/2.8 were the deal breaker for me. If they had a way to mount my old manual Contax lenses, I'd bought it.

Hi Steve. I've used a N system on and off for years now. It is an idiosyncratic system that

you'll either love or hate depending on what your expectations are. Speed? Forget it. Image

quality with reasonable speed? It's the bomb.

 

IMO, it is a good choice for a Leica user over even the R system for general SLR work.

While the N AF is no where as fast as that of a Canon EOS 1V, it also provides full time

manual focus that isn't a second thought like with Canon lenses. There is a real feel when

manually focusing a N lens. The lenses also have aperture rings which Canon does not

offer.

 

As mentioned above, some of the lenses are really quite good. It's unfortunate that Contax

hasn't seen fit to bring out some of the unmatched manual W/A primes like the 21/2.8 in

a N mount. But the N 17-35/2.8 is the best zoom in that range I've ever used. I recently

tested it against my Canon 16-35/2.8L and the Zeiss kicked it's rear ... sharp as a tack

right out to the corners, with better color rendition and tonal gradations ( both were shot

using a 16 meg., full frame Canon 1DsMKII body, with the only difference being the lens

used). The drawback is that that image quality comes at a price in terms of weight and

size. The lenses are old time rock 'n roll and built like a tank. Nothing new for Contax in

that regard.

 

Another cool thing about the N camera is that Contax 645 lenses can be used on it via the

NAM-1 adapter... all while retaining AF and Auto Aperture functions... meaning you don't

have to stop down meter. In addition, another adapter can be mounted on top of that and

all Hasselblad glass can be used. I use the legendary Hassey 110/2F lens all the time. With

that adapter, everything is manual, but focus confirmation is retained in the viewfinder.

 

Here's a snapshot taken while vacationing on Martha's Vineyard. It was with the full frame,

6 meg. Contax ND, the digital version of the N-1 using the 24-85 @ 85mm.<div></div>

cool. that's the sorta info i was looking for. thanks guys. i'm not a great SLR fan but if i

have to buy another it needs to feel good in my hands and i like the fact the AF design is

so manual looking and feeling. i won't need a fixed wide solution so i'm not concerned

with the lack of lens availbility but one thing still nags me... it looks like a good tough

camera but is it? all the shops' demo models have buttons missing -usually the ISO

button or DRIVE button... those little springy, spongy efforts. this buttons obviously

coming lose and popping out after thousands of pushes... i've never seen buttons missing

on nikons or canons so i'm wondering how this body stands up to being knocked about a

bit. needless to say a resovoir of water would accumulate inside if used in the rain??

Never lost a button or any such thing on that camera. The only water resistant SLR

cameras I know of are the ones with o rings like the later pro model Canons and L lenses.

Steve,

 

I've not used it but my feeling is that the camera was destroyed by half hearted Contax support. Its limited lens range and the ridiculous fact that no MM lenses would fit it - hence excluding all the existing Contax users made it very unappealing. Kyocera were not able to pull off a Canon with respect to changing lens mounts.

 

That being said, if all you think you want is the body and the 24-85 zoom and maybe the 50 or 85mm then it is probably a fine, if heavy, camera. My only worry would be that SLRs being what they are, one does tend to want more lenses and with the N1 you are a little stuck - also is there any repair and support available for the camera?

Stephen: "Also, as written above, Contax UK weren't a great company to deal with

efficiency-wise."

 

My post was the only one "above." I didn't mean to imply or suggest that Contax isn't good

to deal with "efficiency-wise." My statement about being disappointed with Contax/

Kyocera pertained only to the lens range offerings. As well, i was bothered by their lack of

expressed commitment toward further/future support for the camera, as no new product

development had been announced in quite some time following my purchase of the N1. I

had not had to deal with the company directly, so i have no negative comments about

"dealing with the company." In fact, the only time i ever had to correspond with anyone

from Kyocera, it was regarding rebates. They were most accommodating, and well-

represented there.

 

 

Marc:

It's nice to hear about the performance of that zoom from someone i trust. I guess i

should have considered that lens, but most of my opportunities for using wides come in

situations where i really don't want to 'show' such a big, flashy piece of glass.... I really

would have been very happy with the camera if they only had a simple 35mm.

 

 

Steve West:

I've not seen N1s in the condition you have. I'm surprised to hear that buttons/controls

were missing on the display units. The N1 felt, to me, quite solid, although it isn't an R8 or

EOS1. I do prefer, though, the control system, and the construction and design of its

knobs. Nobody makes knobs like Contax! This is not a camera to be tossed around, like an

old, cast iron Nikon. With such huge glass elements on the lenses, you will naturally use it

with a bit more care, so i do think the body is built well enough for most purposes.

Derek - point taken: I mis-read what you'd posted.

I had the system a couple of years ago. Main reason I don't still have it is that it was huge and heavy. Was a good performer, as others have said, but it was just too big. After using Olympus OMs for many years, I felt Contax would be the kind of AF camera system I'd enjoy since I didn't care for Nikon or Canon. Perhaps coming from the diminuitive Olympus bodies and lenses made the size/weight issue even more of a pain for me, probably so, but there's certainly no need to do it that big if you're using modern technology.

N1 was awesome just a bit too load for me, specially the rewind of the film

 

the medium zoom i had was a pleasure to use, i love the dual focus. You can actually manual focus with smooth damped feel, not like the af nikkors.

 

colors and resul;ts from Zeiss were great

 

at the end of the day, I missed the quiet, noble Leica feel.. so i went bk to leica