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Contax ND

DJ, thanks I'll double check the CF settings.

But I think I found the problem. I have always shot on-camera flash in Manual mode in order to easily control the light balance between ambient light and flash illumination. For ex&le, I use my D1-X in that fashon 90% of the time at weddings because setting the mode to Aperture priority results in shutter speeds to long for hand holding. I also shoot second shutter all the time which requires Manual control to effectively use it.

According to the ND manual TTL cannot be used for Manual flash photography. Bummer.

BTW, the F-5 and D1-X cameras sync's at 1/500th (and the Canon 1Ds at 1/500th, plus ETTL HS up to 1/8000th) which is helpful when using fill flash outdoors in daylight. But 1/250thfor the ND is fine.
 
Marc,

According to the Canon and Nikon websites, both the EOS 1Ds and F5 are spec'd at 1/250th flash sync, although the Nikon has a 1/3000 high-speed sync option available through a custom setting for special occasions. Maybe this has changed in later versions?

Have you tried the TTL Auto with Shutter-Speed Priority mode? That would let you control the shutter to be hand-holdable and still get TTL. It also says you could use the exposure compensation dial to "vary flash intensity thus achieving certain effects", whatever that means. Really dark pictures?
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Maybe it'll let you vary the flash fill? Nah! But I'll check it out some day.

For flash photography, the RTS III had a great setup. Fortunately I don't do much flash anymore, but it's certainly part of your bread & butter.

DJ
 
DJ, Yes , I also had thought to set the Shutter-Speed priority option to achieve the slower speed needed to capture ambient light in reception halls. It would work because it would force wide open aperatures at the same time. However, I often need to suddenly select 5.6 or 8 for certain shots while prefering to leave the slower shutter speeds.
I won't be using the camera for weddings and events anyway, it's just to slow and the buffer is to small.
I'll have to use the ND for portraits and general shooting where timing isn't critical.

BTW, I had a F5, programed it for 1/500th sync., and used it all the time, as well as with the HS 1/3000th TTL option. The Canon 1/250th is for pro strobe sync'. If you use an on camera ETTL Canon flash like the 550EX, then TTL flash can be achieved at all shutter speeds. It's controlled by the flash settings not the camera ( I know this because I also had a complete EOS 1V Canon kit which I mistakenly traded in for the ND. Which is no ones' fault but my own).

The only value of high speed sync. is for action work and daylight fill flash using wide apertures...
the latter being the most important IMO.
 
Marc,

No doubt, Canon & Nikon do know what the working professional needs. Contax follows some other agenda, which hopefully they're so busy revising they have no time to respond to our current concerns ...

Well, I'm headed for New Zealand Tuesday night for a couple of weeks, so barring any unforseen travel mishaps I'll have a report early January on why I still love or why I now hate this camera.

Happy New Upcoming Year,

DJ
 
Marc, DJ, I use Mets MZ54 flash with 3802SCA adapter, and most TTL flash pictures are more than fine. The problem is that in any auto mode camera takes over, and no aperture or shutter priority is possible. It works just fine when camera is set to manual and the flash to automatic.
 
> You are probably right that we should not "automaticially" cover a great lens design with a filter. My photog professor would kill me ... but on the other hand, it seems like some protection against scratches, etc. And, it feels more comfortable wiping down a filter than risking wiping off some of the special CZ lens coating. I don't think I really see an degradation of quality in my images ... but I definitely see your point.

michael.
 
Dear all, as a new member of "contaxinfo" I might repeat somebodys earlier question but I can't go through the entire archive. As an RTS III owner I've collected a lot of M/Y mount manual focus Zeiss lenses. I'm thinking to jump on the "digital" ND vagon - and my question is is there any chance of using my old but great lenses on the new ND digital?

Is there any hope?

Alex
 
Alex, as a user of Contax gear for many years, and a current N &ND owner, my advice would be to keep your wonderful glass, especially if it is the German made versions. Get the new RX issue if you must have a new camera, and spend the remaining funds on a good (4000 DPI) scanner to go digital. The AF on the N cameras is slow, and an experienced manual focus man such as yourself, can do just about as well with a focus confirmation camera.

IMO and experience, Contax glass ain't quite what it use to be.
 
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