Contax T2

[james_turnley]

Hey, Question about the contax t2

 

 

What is the shutter lag like on the contax t2? is there much when you use

manual focus? can you press the shutter half way and let it focus then take

the shot? Also is it noisy? thanks

[jtdnyc]

The T2 is a sturdily-built camera with a fantastic lens. I've been using one for almost ten years as a birthday party snapshot camera and as a carry-everywhere camera when I can't take a Leica. I've had no trouble making 11x14s, and I'm picky.

 

However, the questions you pose highlight its weaknesses. Specifically:

 

<What is the shutter lag like on the contax t2?>

 

The shutter lag is long enough to make the camera far from ideal for action photography. I find that I miss the moment with it. Because of the combined noises of focusing, shutter and film advance, I'm never sure exactly when the shutter fired.

 

<is there much when you use manual focus?>

 

The lens doesn't move to the focused distance until the shutter is depressed, even when the camera is manually focused. In other words, manual focus does not reduce shutter lag.

 

<can you press the shutter half way and let it focus then take the shot?>

 

No. Depressing the shutter half way locks exposure but not focus. Actually, this is a useful feature because it allows you to set exposure based on one section of the scene while focusing on a different part, but it doesn't speed up focusing at all.

 

<Also is it noisy?>

 

Compared to what? Compared to a Leica M, yes. Compared to a digital point-and-shoot, yes. Compared to other film point-and-shoots, I find its sound distinctive but not objectionable. It's quieter than some motor-driven SLRs, but its motor does give a short, low-volumem high-pitched whine. Of course, these are my subjective impressions. I wouldn't use a T2 if my goal were silence or stealth, but it's no worse in this department than other cameras of its type.

 

I hate to give such negative answers to your questions since, overall, I love this camera. A friend of mine just lost his on a trip abroad, and he doesn't know what he's going to replace it with. It's a great little machine but not my first choice for speed of focus or silent operation.

[james_turnley]

hmm, do you think this is a good choice for me to use as a pocket camera. I know it has a great lens and thats why i want it but i want it for people shots, street shots etc... will it be too noisy and will the shutterlag bother me? Another camera i might want?

[mark_punch]

Hi James......I owned a Contax T2, and it was a really good camera, but I swithched to an Olympus Stylus Epic ...cheaper, more compact, faster reaction times, and amazingly sharp 2.8 lens.( fixed lens- not zoom )

I find the color and sharpness of the Stylus Epic to be right up there with the best, for a little pocket film camera. Amazing value.<div></div>

[mark_punch]

Here's a B&W shot from the Olympus<div></div>

[machts gut]

Jonathan's answer is more than sufficient. I had a T2 also, but sold it, because I didn't use it very much and wanted to have the money for a 6x6. Now I got an Olympus XA from my girl friend's mother. Smaller, faster, quieter, cheaper and the lens (2.8/35) is excellent, probably the same as in the stylus epic mentioned above.

 

Stefan

[carbon_dragon]

It's a well made camera but it bothers me that in "manual focus" you can't actually focus it yourself. To me you might as well just let the autofocus focus if you can't really verify what is in focus. Also If I recall putting it in auto means setting it to 2.8, so if you can't actually demand 2.8 in aperture priority because that puts it in auto. Also if the battery fails while you have film in the camera you are out of luck. Putting in a new battery won't save you. I had to open the camera in a changing bag and extract the film.

 

Well, it's a great viewfinder though and the lens if superb and it retracts out of harms way when you turn it off. I still have it but in the end I switched to a Leica CL (with a 40/2 lens) for my small snapshot camera.

[jtdnyc]

<To me you might as well just let the autofocus focus if you can't really verify what is in focus.>

 

The manual focus on the T2 is intended to allow you to focus on the object you want to focus on and then recompose the image. With autofocus, you don't have that choice -- the camera simply focuses on whatever happens to be in the viewfinder patch.

 

By using both manual focus and exposure lock, you can compose a picture in which both focus, exposure and composition are determined independently of each other, which is quite a trick for a camera of this nature.

[james_turnley]

So are there point and shoot film cameras with no shutter lag? there has to be ones with no auto focus....i just want a quick shooting camera that has good quality to it.

[machts gut]

Again: Olympus XA, no AF, no shutter lag.

 

Stefan

[sfcole]

James,

I just sold my T-2 to KEH to fund a DSLR (got more than I could get on E-bay, by the way).

Everyone says how fantastic the lens is, but in my experience I thought it wasn't anything

special (I compared it to shots taken with my Canon F-1 with prime lenses on Provia/

Velvia 100 and scanned at 4000dpi). I also found the camera to be limited with low shutter

speed, imprecise meter readout, inability to use filters, and, yes--an annoying shutter lag.

The shutter will not focus when you depress the button, but waits till you push all the way

in. A beautifully built gem of a camera, but ultimately made for burgermeisters and not

serious photographers.

Scott

[celerystalksme]

Silent? No shutter lag? Compact?

 

I'd say either the Olympus XA or the Minox 35 GT-E. I like the XA better.

[brooks_lester]

You might want to think about the Contax T3. Similar camera, even better lens, more control. Sure, you have to navigate the Mode button to access certain functions like EV Comp, MF, and Self Timer, but this can be done fairly quickly. Aperture Priority has its own dial. It focusses quickly for a 35mm Point and Shoot, and is even smaller than the T2. They are available on the auction site, usually 2-3 at any given time if not more.

 

I just got one a few weeks ago and I really like it. The lens is exceptional; it rivals if not surpasses my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF for sharpness and contrast. It operates quickly for such a small camera.

 

You can set a custom function to have the camera fully position the lens with a half press of the focus button - this makes focussing very fast. It is considered to be one of the fastest focussing P and S cameras.

 

For detailed composing use the AF lock button to set focus. You can then walk up to your subject and set a precise exposure.

 

Also, the AF Lock button puts you in Spot AF mode (center mark in VF)while the regular focus mode is a wider zone focus.

 

It's a great camera.