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2005 Contax Predictions

This is from the MF forum on photo.net :

"As I reported last Friday, a number of knowledgeable sources have been telling me that while Kyocera will be discontinuing their 35mm film, and digital cameras, the Contax 645 line is not discontinued. This has now been confirmed by Denise Nelson of Kyocera Yashica (UK) Ltd., to Ian Andrews of ePHOTOzine ? that the 645 range would continue in production for the foreseeable future. An official announcement will be released early next week. It really is appalling though that someone at Kyocera in Europe were allowed to spread incomplete and premature information, that was then picked up by several web sites, and which caused such concern among customers and related companies for the past few days. Someone flunked Corporate Communications 101. "

Hope it's true, and that the Contax 645II is still in the pipeline.
 
I am sure the articles on the internet of the past days have shaked up Kyocera vrey much. IMO this is very goog - at least for the Contax users
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I would argue this way:

Why did Kyocera never communicated what their plans are for the future development of any kind of Contax product? Why Contax users have to depend on inofficial statements?

IMO no other company is kicking its clients so obviously in the bud.

After those articles in dpreview and BJP, why suddenly there is also a different version - but again NOT from Japan? This is like a bad joke. Like in a Kindergarten. I am sick of these teenager games.

I do expect more respect for a client, that spent thousands of dollars for the products and financed with this the salary of those people in Japan, who are not able to send an official note what they are doing although it seems quite obvious.

Is this a game for Kyocera? Do they not take their costumers serious?

I expect because of all the "trouble" within the past days, that there will be VERY soon a REALLY official announcement from Koycera Japan.

If that does not happen, I would not be surprised if there would be some talks of insiders with a less official, but very interesting information flow
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another information, which is public already, so we can disclose it.

The employess of the European headquarter got already their dismissals last week. And I have not heard anything that there will be a new distribution partner for Europe like in the US with ToCAD.

So what started last summer with the global restructuring (see our announcements), leaded at the end of the day to a totally different result as originally planned.

As long as nothing official comes from Japan which assures that there is somthing continued for the next 5 years (not just 12 months), we can be pretty much sure that this is the end of Contax. At least with Kyocera and Contax.

Any other kind of announcements is IMO just a game to sell the rest of the stock. You can see this behaviour in every industry if a company is closing the business.
 
There seems to be alot of confusion but is the question Discontinued or not in production?
Jaguar never discontinue there cars just one day they are no longer available.
Like Saras and Paul I visited the Focus show on the last day and also spoke to frazer the Sales Manager, while waiting to speak with him he had to contend with some Journalists who just kept pushing but frazer made many points very clear and one was about misquotes like the BJP saying the End of Contax. Frazer made it clear that he said that Kyocera manafacturing of Contax had stopped but he never said that Contax is DEAD, as the future of Contax lies with Carl Zeiss and not Kyocera. He explained that very clearly and lets see what the other British Press have to say!
I listened while he spoke to others on the stand and to new people buying into the System he explained the future in his eyes and I heard more than one person thank him for being so honest and attending the show. Frazer told me that he took the decision to attend FOCUS to let all the supportive Contax users know what was happening and have the oppertunity to get any stock before its to late.Kyocera also showed all the models, he claims to have Aria, RX RXII RTS and many lenses available and infact advised me to buy what ever I had dreamed about within this month. I have to agree with others and this is a very positive and brave step to take, Leica and Pentax were not there and Olympus had no cameras not even the E-1. The roumers at Focus were not just about Kyocera and while I will not post or comment in any way the Journalists surprised me with some comments and statements !!!!!!
Contax in the UK have in my opinion done the correct thing and hot hidden as others have done.
If Frazer is correct and his name is mentioned in the BJP article then like Dirk said before this can only be good and lets see if Kyocera now make some statement.I think all who are missing the odd lens or Body should get there money out before its to late.
Also saw a Press Photographer from the Guardian News Paper do a test with the Canon 1DS Mk II beside the Phase One stand, he fitted the 85mm 1.4 to it and tested it against the Contax with the P25 back, result was enlarged to 1.5 Mtr X 1.5Mtr square print but just unbeleavable results, tried the same with the Canon lens and no comparison. Thats all Bob.
 
Well, screw Kyocera. I'll make damned sure my company doesn't buy any of their copiers, and no one I know buys their cell phones.

To assure use of Zeiss glass well into the future, I just bought my second N-1, and added a N70-200... both at very nice prices for mint used gear. Anyone selling a 100 macro? I'm also looking for another 2 Nam-1 adapters. Now, if I could only find the Zeiss 400/4 at a really good price .... : -)

Robert, the comparison above is confusing. What 85/1.4 lens was fitted to what camera? And was the Contax with the P25 back a Contax 645. If so what lens did it have mounted?

Here's my Contax 35mm set-up as of now, with second N-1 coming, and missing the ND and 2nd 50/1.4 which I used to shoot the photo ; -) Simply delicious!

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Mark,

Very nice Family Picture! I happened to notice that your one hoos has a cap on it, very handy. I didn't know they existed in the Contax line!

Next up for me in the N line is that 17-35... it looks too nice to pass up!

As for Kyocera phones... good luck to them. I don't know a single person who has one and I am sure not going to buy one any time soon.

Take care,

Kent
 
Marc sorry the test was done using the canon 1 MkII using the DSLR Exchange mount and the 85mm f1.4 MM Lens NOT N Lens. They also wanted to try the 21mm but none about.
Contax was fitted with P25 and 140mm Sonnar.
The point I was making was both were surperb results but when you looked at what the Canon with the Zeiss lens produced compaired with the M.F. in same size enlargement 1.5Mts Sq it was very impressive. No doubt if they had blown up to 5 Mtr square you would see the difference, the thing is few people enlarge over 24" X 36".
Your results are also fantastic.
No more news from your side re Contax & Tocad.
Bob.
 
That would be the function of the MF back, more than the glass Robert. I've said that even the Kodak 16 meg back on the Contax 645 produces better results than the 1Ds MKII.

Come on folks, dump those delightful N lenses and sell them to me ... 100 macro, Nam-1, 400/4. Do it now before I run out of money ; -)
 
Actually I would like to see a 645-to-EOS adapter so I could buy 645 glass for my 1DsII. Since the 1Ds and the ND are so close in focal design and there's a 645-to-N adapter, it should be a piece of cake, and they should have the electronic interface too
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