Contax T3 - User Comments, Discussion in Accessories Posted June 27, 2001 After discovering this thread yesterday, I read through it with considerable interest. Based largely on Greenspun's recommendations and the testamonials on photo.net, I purchased a Yashica T4 Super (T- 5) a couple of years ago. My impression of that camera after moderate use is mixed. <p> In bright daylight, I've gotten some very pleasing crisply-focused, nicely color-balanced 5x7 prints. No doubt, a stopped-down aperture has been helpful in this regard. But not always. At times, the AF has not captured the subject at the center of the image and there was insufficient DOF for subject focus. Maybe it's a user problem, but I've come to believe that the T4's AF is not entirely predictable. Indoor exposures with flash are often a bit washed out (ISO 400) and fuzzy. <p> Not long ago, I came across the Contax T3 in a camera shop and was intrigued with its features. Viewfinder shutterspeed info is nice. (However, had Contax included the focus distance *in the viewfinder*, that would have been much nicer.) Having aperture control is very attractive. But now, upon learning that the maximum shutterspeed is limited below F8 apertures, some shine comes off that feature. When the aperture is set lower than F8 and the available light calls for a shutterspeed faster than 1/500, one ends up with overexposed images. <p> I'm very much of the mind of Charles Stewart in his first message of May 20. An honest (though subjective) appraisal of the Contax T3 vs. Yashica T4 would be very much appreciated by, I'm sure, many people. That means, loading both cameras with the same type film and shooting the same images under the same conditions with each. Less shutterlag, programmable options, (limited) aperture control, etc. are nice, but to my mind can't justify the price difference between the two cameras. <p> What would be useful to know is whether the T3's AF is distinctly more robust. Is the flash superior? Can one generally distinguish one camera over the other based on image quality from similar exposure conditions? (See Charles Stewart above, June 25) <p> Phil Bonner writes that he's "highly impressed with the crisp, sharp results that my Yashica T-5 is providing while filling in for the T3." (It should be noted that the repair cost alone of his T3 could buy two new Yashica's.) Phil, in what ways were the images (not features) from your T3 more pleasing than from your T-5? <p> All constructive comments appreciated.
Contax T3 - User Comments, Discussion
in Accessories
Posted
After discovering this thread yesterday, I read through it with
considerable interest. Based largely on Greenspun's recommendations
and the testamonials on photo.net, I purchased a Yashica T4 Super (T-
5) a couple of years ago. My impression of that camera
after moderate use is mixed.
<p>
In bright daylight, I've gotten some very pleasing crisply-focused,
nicely color-balanced 5x7 prints. No doubt, a stopped-down aperture
has been helpful in this regard. But not always. At times, the AF has
not captured the subject at the center of the image and there was
insufficient DOF for subject focus. Maybe it's a user problem,
but I've come to believe that the T4's AF is not entirely
predictable. Indoor exposures with flash are often a bit washed out
(ISO 400) and fuzzy.
<p>
Not long ago, I came across the Contax T3 in a camera shop and was
intrigued with its features. Viewfinder shutterspeed info is nice.
(However, had Contax included the focus distance *in the viewfinder*,
that would have been much nicer.) Having aperture control
is very attractive. But now, upon learning that the maximum
shutterspeed is limited below F8 apertures, some shine comes off that
feature. When the aperture is set lower than F8 and the available
light calls for a shutterspeed faster than 1/500, one ends up
with overexposed images.
<p>
I'm very much of the mind of Charles Stewart in his first message of
May 20. An honest (though subjective) appraisal of the Contax T3 vs.
Yashica T4 would be very much appreciated by, I'm sure, many people.
That means, loading both cameras with the same type film and shooting
the same images under the same conditions with each. Less shutterlag,
programmable options, (limited) aperture control, etc. are nice, but
to my mind can't justify the price difference between the two
cameras.
<p>
What would be useful to know is whether the T3's AF is distinctly
more robust. Is the flash superior? Can one generally distinguish one
camera over the other based on image quality from similar exposure
conditions? (See Charles Stewart above, June 25)
<p>
Phil Bonner writes that he's "highly impressed with the crisp, sharp
results that my Yashica T-5 is providing while filling in for the
T3." (It should be noted that the repair cost alone of his T3 could
buy two new Yashica's.) Phil, in what ways were the images (not
features) from your T3 more pleasing than from your T-5?
<p>
All constructive comments appreciated.