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contax n digital--whats the story?
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 12:49 pm    Post subject: contax n digital--whats the story? Reply with quote

i hardly ever come across these on ebay, but when i do theyre incredibly expensive. for example i saw one today for$3000 usd!

now i know contax is a great brand, but this is years old technology, and i believe its a closed lens system, in that you cannot adapt any lenses other than contax n lenses, to use on it.

so i am compelled to ask, why is this cam so valuable?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, I saw a camera and some lenses at the fair last Sunday, and their prices were reasonable, in line with the comparable items in the Contax CY line.
I think that some Ebay sellers are trying to fetch more money out of N lenses because the N lenses are convertible to EF canon mount keeping the autofocus feature.
Of course the conversion is very expensive, but this is hardly mentioned by the sellers... Wink


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks orio, and yes i do come across n lenses fairly frequently that seem quite high in price. i was more curious about the actual digital camera and why that particu,ar camera should be worth so much money, because, while n lenses can be converted, my understanding is no lenses can be converted to use on the n cam.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rbelyell wrote:
i was more curious about the actual digital camera and why that particu,ar camera should be worth so much money, because, while n lenses can be converted, my understanding is no lenses can be converted to use on the n cam.


Well, it's Contax, and it's autofocus... the first is a bonus for some people, the second is a bonus for almost everybody...


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tony, without making advertising here for other foren you can find one at FM with Contax N.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/850075

You will find a lot of nice images there and the Contax N lenses are still very good. If you like to use such a cam you can also try the N1 (with film).

Wink


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks rolf, but i cannot understand why this cam is worth $3000 usd? as i said, its years old digital technology and its a closed lens system. what is there about this camera body that makes it worth so much money? i think im missing something! i mean you can get an up to date technology wose canon 5d mkii with double the megapixels, use any lens, for less than the N--why?

Last edited by rbelyell on Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:35 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The N digital is a historical camera and the price it brings is for it's status as a collectible.
It is the first full frame digital camera released. If Contax developed the system further it would have been a force.
Like Rolf I have owned a couple of N-1 Cameras and an NX. For AF film bodies they are pretty genius.
I had the 24-85 and Planar 50 f1.4. I sold the system as prices started to drop about 5 years ago.
Never tried the 17-35 which still brings $1500+ before conversion to eos.
One thing about the 24-85 I noticed quickly is that it is a vacuum cleaner of a lens.
That thing was sucking in dust every time I even looked at it. Laughing


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

oh, i didnt realise it was the first ff dslr, i actually thought kodak was the first. i do understand why the lenses might fetch a fair amount, but just as a collectible $3000 seems awful steep for this body alone, even with collector status. one could buy the contax crown jewel, their 645 af, a pro grade mf, with back, prism and lens for $1000 less!


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rbelyell wrote:
thanks rolf, but i cannot understand why this cam is worth $3000 usd? as i said, its years old digital technology and its a closed lens system. what is there about this camera body that makes it worth so much money? i think im missing something! i mean you can get an up to date technology wose canon 5d mkii with double the megapixels, use any lens, for less than the N--why?


Well Tony, you can ask the same question for other items too. Look for Kodak DCS - ok not up to 3000 $ but also not really cheap. I know that is not the answer you like to get. I own "only" the N1 but I can tell you, the feeling is very very different for example with a 5DMKII.

Sometimes it is not possible to compare prices only with technical datas.

Wink


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rbelyell wrote:
thanks rolf, but i cannot understand why this cam is worth $3000 usd?

It is not, at least not in sensible terms. Wink But it is for collectors.
Why would somebody pay US$50.000 for some old film cameras? Well, just have a look at auctions (real ones, not €BAY ones) where old Leica cams are offered. Wink


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah, i guess so, what you all say is true. i think i was hoping there was something spectacular about this cam that would make me lust after it!


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do not know whether you followed the link to FM or not. There are some spectacular images taken with this cam and CZ N lenses and the IQ is with 6MP or something like this very well. Ok there is no high ISO etc but for normal situations I feel the images have something "very special".

Here is another link to images with N digital cam

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/984891/1

Wink


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cheaper used in the UK:
http://www.ffordes.com/product/10121018561131


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been lusting after that one for weeks Sad


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rolf, yes thank you, i did follow the link. and found the images, esp at 6mp, really fine. but tbh, i think you routinely put up photos just as special with your nikon. ive also, imho, seen just as special with sigma. but like you say, collectors items price not necessarily rational...

the uk model is still over $2500 usd, although with lens...still, imho, an amazing amount of $ for 6mp!


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree. You are better off buying a D700!


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is a very nice camera, no doubt.

I hesitated to take one as fisrt dslr. Then when i read reviews etc, plus seen the price, i quickly changed my mind, because buying an old dslr vs a new is a non sense.

That said, if i'll had the opportunity i'll take one as a back up for my D700 : )
i think the N1 barely goes over 400 iso ....


PostPosted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just take it as a collector's price, that's all.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is highly prized as a collectible, and I think that is the only full-size CCD camera body, too. All the other full-size cameras are CMOS. I don't know if any or what kind of difference it would make in the images, but that is another feature increasing its collectible value.

In real world usage, when we consider raw resolution (ignoring personal preference regarding rendition, color, etc.), high ISO noise, how many images you can capture with one battery charge, size, autofocus speed, the N Digital is no match against for example a 5D mark II, which accepts the very same lenses after mount conversion. The N Digital does have outstanding ergonomics and a very solid feel to it, though.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello,

Nice to hear that the Contax ND gets mentioned Smile It was and is a cult camera, one of the most geniously designed photography tools. Yes, the Contax has kicked the bucket in 2005 (thank you Kyocera). Yes, the ND were, is and will always be getting negative reviews. But the truth is that it is an excellent camera, as is any Contax-branded product. And the negative reviews it got are usually no more than urban legends surviving through generations. There are few people who really had a chance to use the ND (it was priced at 7000 US$ back in 2002), and lots of bad words about the camera were said by those who have never even saw it, but heard that it was bad.

I am still using my Contax N Digital, and I have all Zeiss N lenses, except the monster ApoTessar 400mm, plus I may use all my Contax 645 lenses via adapter (!). They are all great, incredible optics really. Especially the N85 and N100 are gems. The camera itself is a photographer's, rather than computer geeks', dream, a classic tool made in accordance with the very best Contax traditions. There are neither crazy menus nor buttons placed everywhere. Anything is logic, simple and is placed exactly where it should be. One does not need even a user guide to operate the machine!

The image quality. Well, in one word: great! Thanks to Adobe Photoshop one may now use the full potential of its FF imager. OK, it is only 6 megapixels sensor, but it is enough for me. And it is a CCD type one, meaning a great image quality! When the camera hit the shelves, Kyocera supplied the RAW developer for it. It was awfull producing very dull mushy JPGs. Now it is a different story. One may get very clean, brilliant pictures. OK, ISO-200 is the max usefull setting on the ND, but who cares. I am still using my film Contax cameras and I seldom use film with ISO-400 and higher.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DM_Bxl wrote:
I am still using my Contax N Digital, and I have all Zeiss N lenses....
The image quality. Well, in one word: great! .....

Welcome, can you show us some samples?....Pleeease! Smile


PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BRunner wrote:
DM_Bxl wrote:
I am still using my Contax N Digital, and I have all Zeiss N lenses....
The image quality. Well, in one word: great! .....

Welcome, can you show us some samples?....Pleeease! Smile


Sure. Here are two photos:

1st is a 100% crop taken with N100 @ F4 and the 2nd is downsized taken with N85 @ F1.4




Not so bad for a 2002 camera? Smile


PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you. Actually the first sample is stunning for "vintage" Wink digital camera! Second shows very pleasing and neutral color rendering to my eyes.
It's really pity, that Contax system was killed by Kyocera...


PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Exactly. It appears that the vintage Contax ND is not as bad as some "reviewers" say and it has a huge potential in producing great images. But the latter is of course impossible without using great optics and all Zeiss lenses without exception always deliver spectacular performance. Another great feature is a special low pass filter, which Kyocera named "Ultra-thin Monocrystalline technology filter". This is a colourless crystalline optical low pass filter with a thickness of only 1/6th of normal (from Nikon and Canon) ones.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes, the pictures are lovely, absolutely. and i am happy you have and enjoy the camera so much. but the original thought here was , is this cam--not counting lenses!--worth $3000 today? as lovely as these pictures are, it is hard to say they are much, if at all, better than a $1000 5d coupled with a $500 zeiss 85/1.4 T* lens for half price of contax n alone...just my opinion...