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Rangefinder
Magazine
September 2001/Columns
First Exposure by Ron Eggers
Contax: A New System Approaches
Most professional photographers spend a considerable
amount of money on their camera gear. With bodies, lenses, accessories
and other necessities, costs can easily run into the thousands of dollars.
That total can jump exponentially when a photographer shoots multiple
formats. Additional bodies, additional lenses and other format-specific
accessories can quickly eat up equipment budgets.
The reality is that, most commercial photographers shoot multiple formats
because their clients demand it. There are times when 35mm is the right
format, there are times when medium format is the right choice, and there
are times when large format is the optimum choice.
It is possible to rent photographic equipment, and photographers who occasionally
shoot other formats can rent the required gear. That’s not the best
approach, though, for photographers who shoot multiple formats regularly.
Renting equipment generally means renting a body and a lens or two. All
the little format-specific incidentals generally aren’t even considered
until they’re missed on the shoot. And, while renting can occasionally
be the best option economically, it can get very expensive, and can present
problems for photographers if they aren’t used to working with that
gear.
It’s not possible to totally eliminate the costs involved in shooting
multiple formats, but Contax has come up with a comprehensive camera system
that can dramatically cut the cost for photographers who shoot the two
most popular commercial formats, 35mm and medium format.
Contax N1 Auto Focus
Contax is marketing a 35mm single lens reflex camera, the N1 Auto Focus,
and a medium format camera, the 645, that, with the proper adapter on
the SLR, can take some of the same lenses. These aren’t just any
lenses either. They are Carl Zeiss lenses with superior optics and superb
image rendition.
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| 35mm images made with Contax N1 Auto Focus |
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On the 35mm side, the Contax N1 is one beautiful piece
of equipment. With the lens adapter and larger pieces of glass, it’s
a little heavier than competing pro 35mm SLRs, but the extra weight doesn’t
make it cumbersome to shoot with. In fact, it feels like a pro camera
should feel—solid, sturdy and well built. With their new composite
and plastic parts, some pro 35mm cameras feel more like consumer models.
The N1 is equipped with a vertical-travel focal plane shutter with a range
of speeds from 32 seconds to 1ž8000. (The shutter speed dial only shows
four to 1ž8000, but for auto-exposure shooting and in the command mode
it’s possible to go all the way to 32 seconds.)
Multiple exposure and metering modes provide the creative controls that
professionals are looking for. Shooting modes include auto exposure aperture
and shutter priority as well as manual exposure and a special through
the lens (TTL) auto flash mode. Exposure compensation of +/– 2 stops,
in either half or third-of-a-stop increments, is available. Selectable
metering options include matrix, center weighted and averaging.
The camera supports auto-DX film sensing for ISO speeds from 25–5000.
Manual ISO adjustments extend from 6–6400. Even though it utilizes
a focal plane shutter, it can flash sync up to 1ž250 of a second.
An innovative five-point wide-array diagonal focus system ensures optimum
sharpness control. Based on the “rule of thirds” artistic principle,
it lets photographers select individual or a combination of sensors with
a toggle switch. The selected sensors illuminate to confirm focus. Audio
focus verification can be turned on or off, as desired. The system lets
users switch instantly between auto and manual focus for making detailed
focusing adjustments and controlling depth of field.
Between the exposure data in the viewfinder and the information that’s
available on the monochrome data LCD, it’s easy to quickly determine
exposure settings and shooting modes.
Fine focus auto bracketing control (ABC) is the focusing version of exposure
bracketing. It makes it possible to take several photos of the same composition,
with only slightly different focusing points. With focus bracketing, the
focusing point is moved to several slightly different positions, forward
or back. Such minute focusing adjustments may not be observable in the
viewfinder, but they can make a difference in the final image. The lenses,
of course, can also be focused manually.
Another first for Contax is an optional Liquid Crystal Display viewfinder.
Digital cameras have LCDs—film cameras don’t, until now. The
externally mounted FE-1 LCD makes it easy to preview the composition and
adjust the exposure to ensure that just the right image is captured on
film.
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| 35mm images made with Contax N1 Auto Focus |
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The N1’s LCD viewfinder is a precursor to Contax’
next step, the introduction of a digital camera body, the Contax N Digital,
which is expected to be available later in the year. The N Digital will
feature a 6+ megapixel CCD with a full 24x36mm sensor. Like its film siblings,
the digital will take the adapter-coupled Zeiss lenses.
The N1 was designed to couple with the newly introduced Carl Zeiss T*
Auto Focus Lenses, which will be covered in greater detail a little later.
There are only a couple of minor negative things about shooting with the
N1 that require mentioning. For one thing, when shooting with the adapter
attached, sometimes the autofocus mechanism wouldn’t engage properly
until it was moved slightly.
It was almost like the lens’ autofocusing mechanism didn’t quite
have enough power to get started. Once the lens had been turned, it seemed
to focus correctly. It wasn’t a major problem. It was just something
that had to be kept in mind. The other thing is that the camera would
sometimes get confused. It seemed to hesitate briefly before triggering
the shutter.
Contax 645 Auto Focus
As part of the comprehensive multi-format system, Contax also has the
medium format 645 Auto Focus, another outstanding camera. Like the 35mm
Contax, with all the components required to shoot such as the detachable
viewfinder and multi-component film back, the 645 is a little heavier
than competing medium format cameras. But the superior quality images
that the 645 can deliver are well worth the little extra weight. Since
it shoots at a frame size of 6x4.5cm, it can capture 16 frames per 120
roll, rather than the more customary 12. With 220, it’s possible
to capture 33 shots per roll.
Again, it’s control that sets the Contax 645 apart. Multiple exposure
modes, a sophisticated new focusing system, an interchangeable film back
and a motor drive that advances the film automatically make the 645 as
good of a choice for field work as it is for the studio.
There are six different shooting modes, including aperture and shutter
priority auto exposure, TTL and TTL pre-flash, and both manual exposure
and manual flash control.
The 645 features a newly developed focusing system which
has a 1ž5 of an inch 250,000 CCD for highly accurate focusing. There’s
a high-speed coreless motor in each lens that provides the fastest autofocusing
possible.
The camera’s dual focus system precisely controls autofocus and manual
focus, to meet the highest expectations of photographers. The AF system
can help with manual focus while the photographer can assist with autofocusing.
When the focusing ring on the lens is moved manually during autofocus,
the camera automatically shifts to the manual focus mode.
It comes with a standard full-matte focusing screen, which is very viewable.
Additional focusing screens which can be switched out for different requirements
are available as options.
The 645 features an electronically controlled shutter with speeds ranging
from a full eight seconds to 1ž4000. It syncs at 1ž125 of a second or
lower. It can accommodate film speeds ranging from ISO 6–6400 with
automatic bar-code sensing. Exposure compensation of +/– 2 stops,
in third-stop increments, is available. A special shooting mode provides
for continuous exposure compensation for up to three frames.
The Contax 645 can take both 120 and 220 films. There are two film backs
available, the MFB-1A, with takes both film types, and the optional MFB-1B
220 vacuum film insert. A semi-auto loading mechanism ensures proper film
position. Film is advanced through an auto-wind system with an advance
speed of 1.6 frames per second. Options include single and continuous
frame advance. For creative control, it’s also possible to take multiple
exposures on a single frame.
Exposure information such as the frame counter, the aperture setting,
the shutter speed, the exposure modes, the custom function indicator,
and the power status are available in the viewfinder. Other settings are
read off of their respective dials and controls. There is no separate
data LCD.
The 645, like the N1, draws its power from a single 6 volt lithium battery.
The camera has the capability to record technical data on the outside
of the film frame. It can not only log exposure data such as the shutter
speed and aperture used to capture the image, but also the lens that was
used and the type of film it was captured on.
It’s obvious that the Contax 645 was designed as a system camera.
For example, there are different viewfinders available to meet different
shooting requirements. The AE Prism Finder MF-1, with its eyepiece shutter,
is the standard viewfinder for shooting at eye level. It can accept either
the F-2N Finder for magnified eye level photography and Right Angle Finder
N, for angled shooting. A Waist-level Finder MF is available for ground
glass focusing. Multiple electronic flash systems provide the lighting
options that professional photographers are looking for.
Lenses
The lenses for the N1 and 645 are great. Three different lenses were tested
with the bodies for this article, the 45mm Distagon T* f/2.8, the 80mm
Planar T* f/2.0 (IF) and the 140mm Sonnar T* f/2.8. The 45mm lens is designed
with nine elements in seven groups, with an angular field of 76 degrees.
The 80mm’s composition is six elements in five groups with an angular
field of 47.2 degrees, while the 140mm has seven elements in five groups
and an angular field of 28 degrees.
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| Images made with Contax 645 Auto Focus |
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Other available lenses are the 35mm Distagon T* f/3.5,
the 210mm Sonnar T* f/4.0 and the 120mm Apo-Makro-Planar T* f/4.0 (IF/FLE).
All the T* lenses can be used with the N1 with the special NAM-1 adapter
ring. Unlike tele-extender rings, which can adversely affect image quality,
the lens adapter ring has no negative impact on image quality.
Optional accessories for the Contax 645 include a Polaroid film back,
for instant proofing, close-up and macro accessories, an external power
pack, and a quick release tripod adapter, among others. The N1 has a suggested
retail price of $1299 while the Contax 645 kit lists for $3999. Prices
for some of the lenses and accessories were still to be set at press time.
With the N1, the 645 and the soon to be available N-series Digital, Contax
has taken the lead in its multi-format system approach. With that three
prong approach, the company is making it possible to shoot 35mm film,
digital and medium format film without having to make the significant
reinvestment in lenses that might otherwise be required.
Ron Eggers is a senior editor with NewsWatch Feature Service.
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