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2005 Contax Predictions

kdemas

Well-Known Member
OK, the guys on the deck of the Titanic could play music until they were breathing water so why don't we have some fun here and take a few guesses as to what 2005 will hold for the Contax brand. I'll lead off the hit parade with some fairly uneducated, but heartfelt, predictions.

Here goes:

1) C/Y mount is completely discontinued. With the cancellation of the Aria and RX2 I may be stating the obvious but I have to get one right in this list ;-)

2) G-series remains and sees some price adjustment in the body. The G still moves a bit and with some incentives it can continue to be viable. Longshot prediction had a digital G, though this is about as likely as Kim Jung Il visiting the states for vacation.

3) N Mount survives with a "low priced" digital body in the $2500 area. The camera is not full frame but is quite competitive with the mid-level DSLRs such as the 20D and the soon to be released Nikon D200. Maybe 8 megapixels sounds about right.

4) New distributor actually creates SOME relationship with vendors.

Here's to hoping for a better 2005 and happy shooting to all
happy.gif


Kent
 
Kent,

as a positive sidenote: even if the Titanic is/might be sinking, Contaxinfo.com will stay alive and look like a sunny island for all Contax enthusiast in the boat
happy.gif


Thanks to the continious support of all members, we are able to stay alive. With or without new products does not matter to us in this regard. Contaxinfo was, is and will be the nicest Contax place on the internet.
 
Dirk,

How right you are! I am going to continue to use and enjoy my Contax equipment regardless of what may, or may not be, in the pipe.

Thanks to you for keeping the forum interesting and a place to learn about all things Contax.

Cheers,

Kent
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Titanic has sunk. Kyocera Optics has handed over it's distributorhips and camera repair duties to the American sub of a Japanese company. See www.tocad.com. They will still fix cameras.

K
 
There is a company called ToCad that took over the responsibility for this as far as I understood this.

I do not know whether this is a temporary solution until restructuring is completed or a final solution, which would give the impression that Kyocera is leaving the photomarket worldwide completely. I hope that there will be at least at "Focus" in the UK next week-end an official statement ready. I do not expect any announcements during the PMA...

If no official statement comes over the next weeks, I would not be surprised to see stronger actions from Zeiss. This would be only logic. Zeiss is with the back on the wall. They waited too long to avoid this situation.

Now Zeiss has no real active cooperation partner anymore.

- Rollei has not ordered new Zeiss designs for years. They work closer now with Schneider Kreuznach.

- Hasselblad decided for Fuji for the H1 system. I do not know whether there are new lens designs in the pipeline for the Hasselblad V-system, but I doubt it.

- Kyocera seems to leave the place

- Only left is now Sony. But Sony is a mss-market player. This brings good money to Zeiss, because of huge quantities. But there is - at least not at the moment - no Sony DSLR with Zeiss lens on the horizont.

So Zeiss is not really "present" in the photo-market for the advanced amateur or professional. IMO this is the reason why they started now with the Zeiss-Ikon system. To gain back the reputation and to show their interest in the camera-market.

But in case that Kyocera is leaving (which seems to be the case) and Zeiss does not find soon a new cooperation partner, they will have big trouble with their photo-division...
 
Yes and I have noticed that the Sony cameras which have Zeiss lenses do not have T star coating. The coating contributes to much of the benefit of Zeiss lenses. Let's hope that Focus has good rather than bad news. As mentioned earlier, both Kyocera and Contax are separately listed as exhibiting.
 
Thanks Dirk. The ways of big, impersonal corporations are always a mystery.

Zeiss has all this ability and expertise and no where to apply it.
"All dressed up and no place to go", so to speak. Think if it had been Zeiss lenses on the H-1 along with Imacon dedicated digital backs. I would've dumped my Contax 645 long ago with a choice like that.

Now it's a quandary as full frame 645 digital backs with no tether become available. Stay with Contax 645 for the Zeiss glass, or surrender to fate and go H-1 with Fuji lenses? Will Contax support it's products into the future? Who will repair them? A distribution company? Yikes!
 
Actually John,

Whilst both Contax and Kyocera are listed on the Exhibitor list, if you look at the stand map, you will only see Kyocera Yashica listed.

Personally, I'm not hoping for a lot to come out of the show - but I'll be there quizzing them!!

Cheers, Saras
 
Hmmm, I see what you mean Saras, stand E31 and not even a very large stand at that. Presumably they mean that they will be exhibiting Contax products (we hope) on the Kyocera Yashica stand, or maybe it was just a slip. Never mind. I did think it was strange that Contax should be listed separately but I was full of hope that this augured well for us with a boosting of the marque - hope dashed, I shouldn't try to swim against the tide.
Unfortunately I can't get to the show but I'd certainly be interested in what Kyocera have to say. I expect that we all would. I hope that you enjoy the show.
All the best,
John
 
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