dermot_conlan4

Try to get your hands on both camera bodies...what someone

else likes may not work for you. I used the Aria for a few months

but found it too small for my taste. The RX is heavier, smooth as

butter in operation but the viewfinder is dark by todays standards,

with my aging eyes I had trouble focusing a f4 lens...solutuion

use faster lenses at least f2.8. Try to post on some Contax

forums and talk to users of the ST.

The CF will work fine for that set up, you have mirror lock up on

the Canon 1N and technique is more important. My Gitzo CF

1228 MK2 can take a load up to 17.6 pounds but weighs only

3.4lbs, it's a joy to use after hauling around a big Gitzo 320. I've

used it for years with several medium format systems along with

a good ball head. I consider it the best accessory I've added to

my gear in years.

There's a guy (Marc Williams) on photo.net that shoots

professionally with Canon L and Contax N glass drop him a line

he'll give you the low down. You have a few options for reviews

one try www.photographyreview.com or camera review.com or

join www.contaxinfo.com ($25) where you can post a question

and talk to actual users of the lens. I tend to take reviews on the

web with a grain of salt the differences between these pro type

lenses are so small you cannot see see them unles you use a

microscope. Personally I find that Contax / Zeiss lenses are

more contrasty than Canon L but not any sharper, some people

like this look but lots of others cannot even see it.

Go on your trip with confidence in either lens, have fun.

Contax is DEAD!!!!!!!

Do a search on "Google" you need to get tickets beforehand,

also bookmark www.andalucia.com. lots of info here about the

region. The visiting time is divided into morning and

afternoon...so you know lunchtime begins at 2pm in Andalucía.

There's a max of 8.000 visitors allowed per day.

The only way to cover everything is to bring everything...but I find

the more gear I carry the less image's I return with. I find I use

two lenses in my bag more than others and to that I'd add one

more. I'd bring the 50mm -120mm-250mm add a converter and

I'm covered ( for 35mm 17-40 / 50 1.4 / 70-200 + 1.4x.).but that's

me and in the end you are the only one who can answer this

question.

Scott I've done this twice in the past four years, first time with

RZ67, 50ULD, 110,180,360 xtra back, film and gadgets...result

lots of missed ops forget people unless you hire models as one

well kbown RZ shooter does. Second trip went with my Pentax

645N and four lenses better results with landscapes but again

the only off the cuff people shots were done with a small MF

rangefinder.

You may have better luck with the 38mm biogon using it

handheld for people and to that I'd add the 50mm CF/FLE. If I

was to go tomorrow I'd take along a a small 35mm kit with my

645 I missed to much street stuff fumbling, setting up tripod etc.

Please note this was my experience only, you can go to

www.dermotconlan.com and click on Andalucía Gallery to see

images from the second trip.

Technorama Apo-Symmar 5.6/180

t, B, 1s - 1/500th aperture range 5.6 - 64, angle of view 53

degrees, close focus 2.2 m / 7.2 feet. filter mount M 58 x 0.75.

weight 1160g so yes it's a 58mm thread and the regular Apo

which is nothing to sneer at.

I've tried the Fuji mailers with the same results, it does state on

the mailer not for Pro use...I'm trying A & I out right now (B&H

have the mailers) it's a little more money but so far cleaner

results and quicker turnaround.

More equipment usually means less images....use the 1V

without battery and add a from a long list of fast lenses eg 24, 35

f1.4 or 35 f2 a 50 f1.4 and a 85f1.8 or 100f2. With two or three of

these lenses you can cover a lot. Check out Steve McCurry's

work most of it now done with a Nikon F100 and 35, 50, 85 or

105.

Aaah Abe's of Maine how I've missed them...here's a good one,

back in the early 90's during the busy Christmas holiday period I

ordered a lens from Abe's COD. The lens was promptly delived

by a nice UPS man I signed over my cash and went on my way.

Unfortunately for Abe's said UPS guy was a holiday hire he took

the cash finished his day and never returned to work. They did

have good prices and they delivered as promised.......

Are you talking about the Quick Control Dial? If so I just had the

same problem with a EOS 1N body, it worked intermittently

especially in Manual mode and when using exposure comp I

could only move the comp in one direction. Sent to Canon, repair

cost $135 turn around one week.

Pentax 645N lots of cheap sharp lenses available used and 2.7x

larger than 35mm. Please forget those who c**p all over the

format most have never used it. Projects as well as that square

one which you'll end up cropping into, prints to 24" with high end

scanning...you'll miss some shots 67 especially if you are new to

MF. Rent a rangefinder if you have never used one before, in fact

renting all those you are interested in would be best. Carbon

fiber pod some new really light ones avatilable or a monopod,

Velvia 100 in 220. Bags are tough take your gear to a well

stocked store and try it in several . Of course technique is very

important and I'd go with the camera I'm used to rather than

bringing a brand new system on such a trip.

 

Check out Art Wolfe's "Edge of the Earth Corner of the Sky" great

work shot on Canon 35mm gear...

" I mostly shoot photos of my young children playing (soccer,

playgrounds, etc.)and a few macro shots with my SLR. I use my

favorite camera,a Contax IIIa rangefinder, for street shots and for

traveling light.".

 

Keep your 35mm what you describe above is what it does best.

I've been shooting 67,66 and 645 for years and it's much slower

to use, there are times you can slap on a 35mm wide angle for

some great hand held stuff but for what you describe you'll need

at least a monopod and lots of practice. Go and rent a body and

a few lenses for a weekend at least and try shooting some of

your kids activities...don't forget re-sale prices suck right now,

you'll loose big time on the Contax and everyone buying MF,well,

it's a buyers market.

Both for $270? Sounds strange to me the 135mm f2 is RARE

and when it does show up used it's very expensive usually well

over $2,000. So i'd either be a little worried as to where it came

from or dancing down the street. That price for the 50 1.4 and a

135mm f2.8 seems more logical....the 28mmm f2 goes for

$475-600

You can answer most of this long list of questions you've been

asking by spending the time over the next month renting each

system that interests you. Rent Friday afternoon for a day rate

and return the gear on Monday morning. Get a body and three

lenses and a couple of backs and get out for a hike or carry it

around twon for a half day or so I bet you can start to eliminate

camera's pretty quickly. There will always be a small core of

masochists who'll carry 60lbs of gear, but i've found the more

gear I carry the less images I come back with..no one here can

tell you what's best for you, if there was a best camera out there

we'd all be using it and life would be pretty boring.

If Contax was interested in keeping the MF system alive they

would have released the RX11 in the USA...think about it, it's a

huge market . I've been to many Photo Conventions and shows

over the past few years and ALL the Contax booths have

contained the newer N1 the 645 and some p/s digital...the

Canon booths are swamped with the digital crowds and the

lonely old Contax sales guy upon asking does not know anything

about future lenses and when I ask about primes, he say's

what's a prime? yikes. This company is clueless about

marketing...all they adveritse in US magazines now is the double

rebates for buying into a dead system...I love the MF bodies and

some of the lenses but Canon and Nikon have slowly crept up

and passed in some cases with newer design's.

The manual focus line died a long time ago and let's be honest

the N1 was a lame effort...no new lenses in how long. No primes

below 50 f1.4 and Kyocera is too busy making digital p/s. Sure

there's a small core of loyalists just like the Olympus OM crowd

who will hang on...yes I too love the body styling and they made

some great primes...

Pure BS, I have and use both Hassey with Zeiss lenses and a

Pentax for work.... get the Pentax.

I've used the 120 marco many times with great results also the

150mm f3.5 (min focus 4.6 ft) add ext tubes to get closer, my fav

long lens is the 300mm f4 EDIF shot wide open using a flexfill

reflector as a fill light source. If I was specializing in portrait work

I'd have to consider the 150 f2.8

Thank you all for the advice.

Despite what a certain curmudgeon thinks, quality 11x14's are

possible form 35mm, obviously from MF they will be better.

Read the question they guy ends it with..too bad Nkon does not

make a 24 t/s -"perfect " for my type of photography.

This is more of a logistical question rather than a photo one but

the object is to get to the location to photograph. Anyone taken

the bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende via Querétaro,

wondering about actually getting a taxi from the airport to the bus

station, never been to MC before...I'm a pale Irish guy so yeah I'm

going to look like a gringo no matter how I dress. Any info or

experiences appreciated. If you don't want to post here feel free

to e-mail me at dermot.conlan@verizon.com

Nikon does not but Canon does 24,45,90mm T/S lenses, Velvia, a good tripod and 11x14 should be a breeze. I use a Pentax 645N and the 35mm is wide stops down to f32 so I've never felt the need for tilt..have not handled the VH but it does not work well with super wides after 65mm you need to resort to special mounts. P645 can be had pretty cheap thses days but for 11x14's I'd stick with 35 and some prime lenses spend my money elsewhere.

Boy you have opened yourself up here, might want to re-phrase.