Is a new ND around the corner

[fotografz]

Sad commentary, but to be expected from an arrogant company that ignores it's loyal customers and abandons their hopes to the trash heap.

Rarity is valuable with older style mechanical cameras. I doubt the ND will appreciate in value any more than a 5 year old computer would. I think anyone with some N lenses and an ND should get themselves a N1 so the glass doesn't go to waste.

DJ, if you go Canon, your nightmare will be over. BTW, I experienced the same thing you did with the ND batteries. What you need is the charger that refreshes. The trickle versions just don't seem to work over time. I just refresh the night before and they last a lot longer. Although I just haven't used my NDs in quite awhile. Last night I shot an entire wedding with a 1Ds and 1DMII (750 images with constant LCD review and never turned the cameras off from 3PM to 10PM and the same batteries never gave out. Here's a shot from the 1Ds @ ISO 400 using a 16-35/2.8L @ 35mm, which is even a crop, but printed nicely @ 12"X17".

 

[djg]

That's a keeper, Marc!

I just spent over three hours comparing Canon lenses both in the B&H site and Fred Miranda's review section to see what I'm going to get - way too many options! But many are easily scratched.

I'll be switching to the Canon forum soon, as I hate to burn up people's bandwidth on a system they don't use. I did feel some comments were due in case someone can pass them on to Kyocera, Dirk

.

Contax as a professional-level camera is Digitally Dead. Long Live Contax!

 

[hdfuhrman]

Marc,
Beautiful photo at ISO 400 and a crop; you even got great detail in the wedding dress. While, I am disappointed that there is no apparent digital use for my G2 lens, I will continue shoot film and enjoy the results. Ultimately, when I am ready, I will probably invest my monies in a Canon, Nikon, or whatever I see as the best alternative at the time. If cost and weight were not a consideration, I am very impressed by your 1Ds.

Howard

 

[albert4321]

I just got the 20D + 17-85mm IS kit yesterday. It is great for $2k. This EF-s is a very usuable lens especially with the IS and good range. It is a entry level camera but performce is amazing for this price range.

I still love my ND and the build quality and lenes are still one of the best. I did some brief lenses test with the 20D and the 16-35L and 24-70L. They are not that much better than the cheap designed for digital 17-85 IS zoom except faster. However, none of these lense as good as the ND with the 24-85mm combo in my short little test, especially on the color franging area. But for the digital capture and AF, canon rules.

I don't think I will shoot weddings with the ND, but definitely it is still my first choice dSLR for personal use. The build quality still blow some of the dSLR in the market today, consider it is a three year old design. I will hold on to it a little longer.

Albert.

 

[irakly]

Marc, the more I see your wedding shots, the more I understand how much I yet have to learn in photography.
That said... A cople of days ago a gallery owner was reviewing my prints for an upcoming show, and out of 35 photos she picked elevel, all of which were shot with ND... My heart is breaking.
Now, here is a photo that I shot with Canon 1DMkII and 2.8/14 L. I wish Id shot it with Contax ND

 

[marcof]

Irakly, that is an excellent photo, regardless of the camera
@Marc: very nice!
How much I'd see a new contax pro digital camera, I think the camera should be not more than a tool. If contax doesn't make one, I'll just go and get another one indeed. Since I have loads of nikon glass, the kodak or new d2x are in sight, not the canons. I never had the pleasure of using an ND, but still use a G2 (which is actually my dad's camera) on travels, and would love to see a digital version of that one

Now I'm looking for a used Kodak 14n .. budget eh

 

[antonyb]

Marc, when I get married you can expect a commission! (inc. free trip to whatever tropical island paradise we choose!)

Irakly, love the photo, i feel there is something more significant in the meaning than I have understood? (- mainly due to the helicopter!)

As for the ND debate, maybe it is fortunate that I havent branched out into dSLR's yet... all good things..!

 

[fotografz]

There is no doubt the ND delivers for those who have the nerve to use it for important shots. The first rule of wedding and street photography is get the shot first ... which is the ND's weakness.

I have processed so many images from the 1DMKII that I've learned new techniques for getting the quality I need. Each digital camera takes time to master. We spent quite awhile getting the most from the ND, so give the MKII some time Irakly and I think you'll be surprised. That said, my NDs are not going anywhere soon. I have way to much $ wrapped up in N lenses.

I will be taking delivery of a 1DsMKII as soon as they are available, in the meantime anyone with a mint ND that wants to bail on Contax can contact me about trading it toward my current 1Ds.

 

[jsmisc]

I suppose that the trouble is the we just don't know what, if anything Kyocera may have in the pipeline. If they do have something, they should give us a hint and a time scale so that we can decide whether to hang on longer for them to come up with the goods. Their competitors must now be reaping what was the Contax market and benefiting from Kyocera's lack of comment(commitment?). Maybe the reason we do not hear anything is because there is nothing despite the new U4R - is that the right name?- which looks nice but is not exactly what we are after and the other new model seems somewhat strange.
The new Zeiss Ikon looks desirable but expensive and of course it is not a Contax, nor is it an DSLR. It is a Leica, Contax G and possibly Voightlander competitor but it does seem highly likely that it will become available as a digital version a la CosinaVoightlander RD1. Whether or not it will be worth a premium over the RD1 time will tell.
I prefer a smaller camera and the new Olympus looks promising but I wonder what the non prism viewfinder will be like. Olympus lenses have always had a good reputation.
John

 

[dirk]

Hi DJ et alii,

Contax/ Kyocera and Zeiss are reading actively this forum. But it is obvious that they will not respond with a posting.

We had several meetings with them at Photokina. But up to now, I can not say more about it. I hope that there will be new infomation to publish this week.

All I can say is that final decisions for new products are definetely not disclosed yet to any Contax affiliates outside of Japan.

There are many rumours, but I can assure you nobody knows anything in reality. It is just logic that the more different rumours exist, the more likely one of them will be true. The only problem is to know in advance which one of these different rumours turn out to be true

Also keep in mind who is spreading which rumour and what is his/ her motivation for it. This is why we try to be as conservative as possible and report only news, when we get those confirmed by the people who really decide those things within Kyocera.

You have to be aware, that normally Kyocera only disclose news, if the product is available a few weeks later. This is unlike other companies in this industry. We try to convince them, that in these times and with the current mood of loyal Contax users, it might be better to make an exception in this policy, so that the Contax community knows roughly the "roadplan" of the future. Maybe we will succeed, maybe not.

One "little" success was already that we got introduced to Mr. Inoue, who is the head of the optical division of Kyocera and therefore the highest person worldwide for Contax related issues. This is the person who decides at the end of the day what will be the Contax future. And you have to know that most Kyocera employess never met or even saw him, so this is already a big step forward.

Whatever comes out of it, we keep you updated...