Am I Nuts Or What

[wang]

AX does have very specialized features not matched by any other systems and cameras.

For ex&le, Contax do have extension rings with the shortest being 7.5mm and 13mm. What happens if you need only 2 mm ?

I understand that lens extension is not an ideal way of getting close focusing, but sometimes you do have situations that you only need small increments of extensions. The greatest merit of owning the C-Y system is the great choices of excellent quality wide angle lenses not found in any other 35mm systems. The wide angles of other system are no match to C-Y. C-Y wide angles have close focusing capabilities and excellent image quality is preserved even at close focusing. This close focusing ability can only be augmented by AX.

The other system with excellent close focusing is Hasselblad. 2.8/50 FE is able to do 0.2m. Being 6X6 or 645, this system is less versatile compared to 24X36.

 

[jdm]

Tom,
Your AX can be repaired by sending to ToCAD America. They will charge you $224 and send it back to Japan. Mine took 1 month round trip, and now, works like new.

 

[jsmisc]

Hi Tom,

Big shame about the AX.

The trouble with adapting your CZ lenses to say a Canon DSLR is that unless you get the full frame 5D or the even more expensive ones, you will suffer from the dreaded crop factor.

I think that if I was going digital and not buying full frame, I would feel that I had to fork out for the special lenses designed to fit the sensor size.

The new 400D looks interesting but Photokina is just around the corner and who knows what that will bring

.

Cheers,

John

 

[wang]

There is a big drop in the prices of the DSLR with crop factor due to intense competition from different companies.

The same will happen to the full frame SLRs. Canon is monopolizing the play, but we expect the full frame Sony and Nikon will be coming soon. The same degree of price drop will be seen for the full frame cameras.

It is great for us as consumers, bad for Canon.

 

[jsmisc]

It will be great if full frame prices come down. I hope you are right and Nikon and Sony bring them out soon. That would really "level the playing field".

It is interesting that Canon have now brought out anti dust measures. Dust problems was one of the things putting me off digital. I expect they will apply it to all future models. Now Nikon has to introduce that too.

 

[biggles3]

Hi John,

You're right about full frame prices - they will come down as demand increases no doubt. And you're right about the dust problem - once again Olympus had blazed the trail - like it did with the OM that led to the Contax 139 - and Canon and the others are following. Here's hoping that Photokina brings some welcome news on the E-1 replacement.

And Ugo, thanks for the W-3 - it's perfect and working on a Contax RTS Fundus + bellows + 60 2.8 as I write this!

Does anyone here know if the Sigma MF APO 500 f4.5 was any good as I have spotted one for sale with a C/Y mount?

Cheers all.
Graham

 

[coyot]

Tom,

Of all the cameras that I have from Contax (RX,ND,N1,RTS II,G2 and the AX)the AX is/was absolutely my favorite. I love the weight, feel and the auto focus. The camera is built like a tank and never has failed me. Unfortunately, I rarely use the Contax equipment now that I have a Nikon system, including the D200. But ... my fondest memories of all the Contax equipement is of the AX.

Good shooting.

Michael.

 

[dirk]

I have always a Yashica FX3 Super 2000 and this will never be sold. It is the poor man's Contax S2

All mechanical like the S2. Not as well build and not as beautiful as the S2, but still very very robust and a joy to use with a Contax/Zeiss 50/1.4

Best wishes