Contax 645 auto standby problem

[cl_ho2]

I planned to purchase a Contax 645. However, after I read those

comments from other users. I am now hesitating with the auto standby

mode of the camera for not shooting it after 15 second. Does anyone

have any comment on it? It is really affect the shooting smoothness on

the fast object. How to overcome this problem? Should I consider

Pentax 645NII instead? I will greatly appreciate for your comment.

Thanks.

[juan_mateos]

i really don´t know what you are refering to but as a Contax 645 ex-owner can

tell you something. I was really disappointed with that camera. Problems

everywhere:delay when powering up, drain of baterries (just 9 or 10 roll),

flatness of film inadequate sometime, flimsy film backs, etc. I also had a

Pentax 645N which liked more than the Contax. In general a super camera

the Pentax but i sold it bacause the lack of flatness wide open sometimes.

After all the wandering, i ended up purchasing a Hasselblad 503 CW.

Wonderful camera, very easy and no whistles, or auto-anything. just

concentrate on the picture. I´va been so happy with Hasselblad that i have

recently purchased a Hassy 903 SWC, amazing camera too.

Hope this helps

[dermot_conlan4]

Have you tried renting the Contax or the Pentax ? You would be

foolish to sink $$$ into a MF system without at least a weekend

with each camera. If you are in the US try renting Friday for the

weekend you pay only for one day, well worth the expense.

 

I have used both the Pentax 645n and H'blad in the field and

have never had any film flatness problems, could these

companies really survive if they were selling crappy equipment?

 

If you cannot get a sharp image from either of these cameras

you either have a defective back, leaving film in for extended

periods or your eyes are giving you problems.

[jhbeckman]

My feelings aren't nearly as negative as Juan's.

 

The lenses are absolutely superb; it's quieter than its 645 competitors; it's viewfinder is brighter; it uses ultrasonic motors for autofocus, so you don't have to switch anything off to do manual focus; the flash prefire is a nice feature.

 

Still, the standby mechanism and the time it takes the camera to power up from standby are serious flaws; you could definitely miss a shot.

 

The Pentax definitely provides more value; there's a positive review of it on www.luminous-landscape.com that you may wish to read.

 

If I had it all to do over again, I would probably get the Pentax instead and save money. The Pentax' two shortcomings in terms of important features -- lack of interchangeable viewfinders and backs -- ends up being less important than I once thought they might be.

[jhbeckman]

I haven't seen film flatness problems with this camera.

 

The problem with the standby feature is not so much a fast-moving object -- none of the med format AF cameras will perform well in those circumstances. It's more a matter of bringing the camera up to your eye at the critical moment and then missing the shot while waiting the camera to power back up. It's a power saving feature, but I for one would happily pay for more batteries if it didn't do this.

 

The only way around it is to remember to push the shutter release down on a recurring basis, so that the camera never goes into standby mode.

[fotografz]

I do not have a clue what you folks are talking about. I have 2 Contax

645 bodies, one less than 2 years old. I cannot get either one of them to

do what you are talking about. I just tested both of them. I shot, then

watched in the viewfinder for the display to go out. 15 seconds. Pressed

the shutter button, and it took all of 1/2 second to light up, and maybe

3/4 of a second to lock focus. Did it again but waited even longer. No

problem. Some cameras have shutter lag longer than that. I've never

missed a shot with these cameras due to powering up problems. Never

heard of it until I read it here. And the main use for my 645s is weddings,

especially candids. I admit it, I'm stumped.

 

BTW, not having interchangable backs is a real pain. Switching back and

forth between film types is one of the greatest advantages of cameras that

do this. Plus, it'll bite you on the ass later should you go digital. Not

because of the cost of the bodies, but the lens systems you're stuck with.

[cl_ho2]

Thank you for all comments.

 

Marcs, I have already tried the camera in a local camera shop in Hong Kong and it really goes into standby mode after around 15 seconds when not touching its buttons (similar to Juan and John mentioned). If I press the shutter button again, it will not shoot immediately and no response. There is some sound and mechanical movement appears inside the camera. The camera only starts to re-focus the object after around 4-5 seconds. I don't know whether this phenomenon only happens when there is no film loaded in the film back.

 

As the shop will not let me try the camera with film loaded and there is no rental service in Hong Kong, can anyone try and verify this phenomenon later. Whether the delay/power up problem is caused by empty film back?

 

Regarding the short battery life problem, I have seen a 2CR5 rechargeable available at www.2cr5.co.uk May be it can reduce the camera operation cost and the inconvenience when using addition corded battery holder.

 

Really appreciate for further comments.

[gary_ferguson1]

The Contax 645 will go into standby mode after 16 seconds with a two or three second delay on restarting, but ONLY if you're using the camera WITHOUT film. With film loaded it's instant start-up every single time.

 

If you want to play with the camera in the dealers then try leaving the back off or open (careful though with the shutter) and it will behave as if there's film in it and give you the same instantaneous performance.

 

This wake-up delay is an enduring but totally unfounded myth about the Contax 645, I wonder how many sales it's cost them?

[juan_mateos]

Hi, again.

When i had the Contax, i also purchased the vacuum insert, hoping that it

would do the difference. i know it may sound weird but i found the same

problem of flatness but now it was amazangly strange: at f8!!! two identical

shots, one showed the problem the other not, camera mounted on a tripod,

manual focused,etc. But what really drove me crazy with the camera was the

day when on a wedding it didn´t shot flash mounted on hot shoe. Fortunately,

i was near home and had to change the equipment, relying again on my best

beloved Nikon F5.

i know this to be a particular case but you can now understand the sort of

feeling i got about that camera!

[ShunCheung]

I have had the Contax 645 for a little more than a year and I am extremely happy with it. But I shoot mainly landscapes so that I don't use flash with it. I have also rented a Hasselblad 501 and have looked at the 503. I can't believe that there is no coupling between the optional meter and the camera. The Hasselblad is an ancient design that hasn't changed much in decades and it slow to operate. The Zeiss optics is excellent though, but so is the Zeiss lenses on the Contax. If you happen to like the Hasselblad, that is perfectly fine, just like a lot of people still use view cameras. However, even Hasselblad itself is finally moving onto the H1 now. Personally, I by far prefer modern automated cameras.

 

I have shot a lot of 120 and 220 with the Contax and I have no film flatness problems, so I don't even bother to get the vacuum back. I heard that if you pause a long time between frames, the frame that sits under the roller for a long time may have flatness problems, but the next frame should be OK. However, this kind of problem is common to a lot of medium-format cameras with interchangable backs.

[fotografz]

Okay, no film in the camera explains everything. When that delay

happens it is a clear indication (WARNING) that you are shooting

without film.

 

Didn't you notice that the camera started to wind to the first frame each

time? It will do that each time the camera is turned on, or awakened if

there is no film loaded

.

That's because the Contax automatically advances the film to the first

frame after you load. The delay you are experiencing is because the

camera is trying to advance to the first frame of film that's not there.

 

Obviously, the sales people you are dealing with are not knowledgable

about the products they are selling.

[jhbeckman]

I'll test Mark's claim this weekend. Truth is, I have gotten so used to fingering the shutter release 1/2 way before I know that I am going to do a shot in order to avoid what I believe will be a problem that I haven't had to confront it.

 

I'll get back to you all

[cl_ho2]

I really get confused now. Some users said they experience the problem both others don�t. Does the 4-5 seconds power up/delay really exists? (I am talking about a normal situation when the film is loaded). Thanks.

[gary_ferguson1]

Mr Ho, the Contax 645 power-up problem does NOT exist when there is film in the camera, or when the film back is removed, or when the rear "door" on the film back is left undone.

 

You may also hear that the power-up problem can be solved by using an external battery pack. Wrong again. Just load film and you've nothing more to worry about.

 

If you're in a dealer's store and he won't let you use film then either remove the film back (but be very careful with the exposed shutter blades), or a safer plan would be to open the film loading door at the rear of the film back. Having done this wait 16 seconds for the camera to go into power save mode and "shut down", then point the camera at a subject and press the shutter. The camera will IMMEDIATELY come to life, focus, meter, and shoot. This is exactly how it will function when loaded with film.

[cl_ho2]

Hi Gary. Thanks for your firm answer and professional advice. It is clear now.

[erol_a.]

2 or 3 second delay, yes. 4 to 5? No way. I likewise have had no film flatness

problems. I've heard a few people say they have, so I don't discount it, but I

hear far more satisfied users. My dealings wth Contax customer support have

been decent; I think they'd take care of you if you had a defective filmback.

[david choo]

So how do you get rid of the delay with an Imacon Digital back?

[marz]

Mr Ho, the Contax 645 power-up problem does NOT exist when there is film in the camera, or when the film back is removed, or when the rear "door" on the film back is left undone.

 

You may also hear that the power-up problem can be solved by using an external battery pack. Wrong again. Just load film and you've nothing more to worry about.

 

If you're in a dealer's store and he won't let you use film then either remove the film back (but be very careful with the exposed shutter blades), or a safer plan would be to open the film loading door at the rear of the film back. Having done this wait 16 seconds for the camera to go into power save mode and "shut down", then point the camera at a subject and press the shutter. The camera will IMMEDIATELY come to life, focus, meter, and shoot. This is exactly how it will function when loaded with film.

 

This is utter falsehood from a liar. Who would try to shoot with the camera when there is no film in the camera? This feedback is real, and is from real 645 users, not from novices without film in the camera. The 645 does have a standby delay problem, and it is a primary reason to not invest in the 645 system.