Contax ND

[Guest]

Dear friends,

1. My reference to internal focusing was to ZOOM ACTION in the N 70-200 vs the comparable Canon lens mentioned, which has no outside moving parts.
2. The N100 Macro I do consider SLOW in focussing.
3. Apparantly you guys in the states are not aware of the 3 months extended launching periode in Germany vs. the US, France and UK. During that time N-Digital Fanatics (Like me.....) were given the most ludicrous and contradictory reasons with respect to availability or lack thereof. Culminating in their announcement, in autumn 2002, the camera might not be launched at all and the KYOCERA production stopped all together, due to unsurmountable problems encountered. Followed by backtracking and again claiming uncertainty. The camera is around locally for a month now and no pertinent official reassurance as to remedies to the persistant flaws has been available to date. The only redeeming measure taken was the lowering of the price - propably forced by 1Ds entering meanwhile.
Who would blame me loosing all hope in an initially exceptionally promising concept. As already relayed, I was exasperated by the performance and demeanor of CONTAX/YASHICA/KYOCERA which added insult to injury. I am therefor convinced my above postings were pertinent and to the point - and last not least aimed at encouraging other disappointed forum members to go for a new but much more sensible solution. That apart from venting my anger amongst birds of similar feathers......, or so i would beleive.

TINO ZAHEDI

 

[Guest]

Here's a thought on the ND, and our expectations of it (some are happy, and some are not depending on those expectations)...

My real job is in marketing and creating ads for a wide range of clients. As an Executive Creative Director, I've sold everything from Lincoln Motor cars to Margarine. Here is what I have learned in 20 years of creating successful advertising:

The success or faliure of almost all products is often determined by how a product is initially positioned in the marketplace verses the competition. If a corporation fails to carve out a unique positioning for themselves, the consuming public will do for them...usually by directly comparing the corporations' product to what exsists from the competition. That is what sets the level of consumer expectation, unless a different and unique expectation is communicated by the corporation about their product.

This, I now believe, is where Contax made their biggest mistake (among others).

If I were marketing this product, I would look for what makes it unique, even if on the surface that difference could be initially seen as a weakness.

For ex&le, the ND has an ISO range that pales in comparison to Nikon or Canon. But !!!! the lowest
ISO on the D1-X is 125, where the ND can be shot at ISO 25. There is a huge difference in quality just like with film. And many photographers prefer lower ISO films and understand the difference. Shooting ISO 25 to 64 in a studio with powerful strobes is never a problem, and in fact is often an advantage if you want to limit DOF like a when shooting a portrait using the 85/1.4.

The next test I would do if I were Contax is compare the Canon 1Ds @11 meg at it's lowest ISO (100?), to the ND at ISO 25. It may be that the quality of enlarged print (13X19) from the ND would equal or surpass that of the higher meg Canon. You never know until you try. I know for a fact that the ND murders the D1-X in a comparison like this.

As Irakley has said, this is a more thoughtful, deliberate art camera...not a wedding or sports camera. Because Contax wasn't clear about their positioning (or changed the spec's on it at the last minute), I went in with a set of expectations to use the ND as a companion to my 645 and share the lenses at weddings using a NAM-1 adapter ( like I have done with the N1 and 645 to great success). This is why I am angry about this camera, and fairly fed up with the poor software and slow performance. If I had bought it to use as a personal artistic tool, I may have been in the c& of happy ND owners right now. (I may have to migrate there anyway, because I don't believe Contax will do a damned thing for me on this...another mistake on their part IMO).

 

[Guest]

Otola, I must agree.

I have 25 years of experience in computer programming, my profession, and 30 years in all manner of photography. Today, we see a massive convergence of the digital process and the visual arts. Star Wars is now shot on digital video, not film. Some movie productions, like Final Fantasy, were rendered completely by computer -- no actors, no sets, no cameras. In the consumer sphere, a st&ede is underway from film to digital cameras at every price-point. The old order is dying in front of our eyes: 120, 135, enlargers, slide projectors.

Kyocera is a large conglomerate. If they want to dominate the photography market, they have the capacity, technology and money. However, I think their attention is divided across a large product range, some of which are quite lucrative. Photography is turning into a commodity market with low profit margins. Only with corporate focus, and a relentless pursuit of market share, can Contax maintain a viable presence in this new world. To underscore the notion that Contax means end-to-end photo supply and support, they must forge strategic alliances with companies such as Kodak (sensors), Epson (printers), Sanyo (Li-ion batteries, DVD-RW). With cross-branding, Contax will be able to compete with the likes of Canon across the entire photographic realm.

Sorry, but this will never happen.

Observe the other majors (e.g. Nikon, Minolta, Olympus and especially Canon). Their digital cameras have the ferocious product cycle of consumer electronics, not of the film cameras of yesteryear. Panasonic (with Leica) has now entered the fray, and all other manufacturers should be afraid. Contax, meanwhile, is sound asleep.

In order to compete, Contax must release one DSLR each year, every year, forever -- and they must publish a product roadmap. They need mid-range and low-end product lines (P&S) which release new products each quarter, every quarter, forever -- and they need mainstream advertising to push those products. Brands of expensive products and services (Lexus, Tiffany, British Airways) always have a cheap offering: today's young customer will be tomorrow's rich customer. Today's young customer can't afford the NX kit, so he buys the Minolta Maxxum 5; he can't afford the T3, so he buys the Stylus Epic, he can't afford the N Digital, so he buys the Nikon D100. Goodbye, Contax future!

From my points above, you can construct why I think the N Digital is a bad purchase. It served as a feather in the hat for Contax, being the first 135 full-frame digital camera and, of two such cameras available now, it remains the most affordable. Unfortunately, this class of product is mostly an exercise in electronic engineering and computer programming: CCD sensors, power management, Bayer-pattern processing, ASIC, color space, host computer interface, work-flow design, database management. Stuff that I do. We know Contax can machine a camera body, and stick a fine piece of glass on the front, but that is far from sufficient. Everything that Contax does well, I already enjoy in the RTS III. For everything else, there's Canon.

For digital work, I use a D30. Within the year, I will buy another DSLR because that is life in the digital lane. I desparately want full-frame, and I'll get it from someone, but that someone will not be Contax. I say that with sorrow.

 

[Guest]

Letter To Contax:

Dear Contax,

Thought you'd like to know that the only forum on the Internet that actually discusses the N Digital camera is also the only forum on the Internet where owners of competitive products log in to laugh at your customers and call them stupid. Actually I think they will feel insulted by that statement, as they don't consider you competition. Yet another "first" for the Contax marque.

Sincerely,

A Contax N Digital User

 

[Guest]

Marc,

You're absolutely right. Right up there with lousy software, a total mis-marketing has got to be at the top of the ND's list of problems. You just have to wonder what is going through their PR people's mind ...

It will be interesting to see what their next steps will be. Hmm ... I can just feel one of those "I feel sorry for you" opinions on that coming up

.

Cheers,

DJ

 

[Guest]

The 100 Macro Sonnar is indeed slow in focusing, but then when shooting at a macro level, it is unlikely that many things would be moving that fast! If they are, you shouldn't be shooting at macro settings. As for using the full zoom setting on the MS, it focusses fine at normal distances (i.e. not macro) and the speed is fine too.

Simon

 

[Guest]

all auto focus macro lenses are slow. canon's , nikon, minolta ( the ones i tried). simon it was smart of you to have sold your N1 system!!

 

[Guest]

Nope, Canon 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro is very fast focussing. In fact, it is so fast that in servo mode it successfully tracks a bumblebee pollinating a flower.

 

[Guest]

Marc had put it beautifully - Kyocera failed to be completely clear whom they were offering Contax N Digital to. It is an excellent artistic tool, a camera that gives you more than enough in image quality, but it is definitely not for high-pace work due to its hardware design. All real problems that we all have encountered so far are attributed ONLY to firmware and RAW Developer software. I am sure that from a hardware standpoint, this camera is capable of shooting JPEG and RAW simultaneously, it surely can create previews for RAW files and even have in-camera colour profile selection. The fact that we do not see all these features is thanks to slugheads in Kyocera software department.

 

[Guest]

I think that you are really missing the FACT that contax had on the market 6 months before any other camera manufacturer a full frame 35 mm system. 6 months in the world of technology is a long time. Your indication that the product is not competitive is rediculous considering it was at the time the ONLY full frame CCD. Prices on the system are now dropping, due to the Canon, and that is how the market place works. Competition brings price reductions and improvements.