Contax T3 - What's the big deal?

[Eric Rose]

I just checked eBay and these cameras are going for, I think, ridiculous prices. I have watched a few youtube vids on the camera and nothing really jumps out at me as gee whiz I gotta have this. In fact there seems to be some really negative features that for me at least would make it very hard to get what I want.

So educate me. What's the big deal?

 

[kcham16]

it's all about that Zeiss lens, and the small, autofocus jammy of a camera. I would stay away, as there is no servicing them. So, if you spend all that dough to buy one, and it breaks a week later, you are out of luck. it does take nice shots, but not worth the risk, IMO.

 

[RattyMouse]

I just checked eBay and these cameras are going for, I think, ridiculous prices. I have watched a few youtube vids on the camera and nothing really jumps out at me as gee whiz I gotta have this. In fact there seems to be some really negative features that for me at least would make it very hard to get what I want.

So educate me. What's the big deal?

There's one for sale now on the B & S board, price reduced to under $1500!!

 

[Prest_400]

There's one for sale now on the B & S board, price reduced to under $1500!!

!
They were hovering around $1000 just a few months ago. Though I don't know if there would be feasibility for a run of similar compact cameras being made just as JCH wrote for.
Feels like bitcoin.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

it's all about that Zeiss lens, and the small, autofocus jammy of a camera. I would stay away, as there is no servicing them. So, if you spend all that dough to buy one, and it breaks a week later, you are out of luck. it does take nice shots, but not worth the risk, IMO.

Yes, the lens is good, but if the real Contaxen i.e. the prewar II and III were priced in proportion, they'd be in the low five figure range.

 

[Eric Rose]

The fact that they are expensive thus desirable for some doesn't interest me. I want to know what makes them worth that much from an image creators POV.

From what I can see it's a plastic camera with a decent lens. The titanium skin reminds me of the song "3 dressed up as a nine".

I had a T2 and wasn't all that impressed. The AF was rudimentary at best and works on a zone system. Much like the MF feature of the T3. In the end the plastic AF gears in the T2 stripped and I had a paper weight.

Again what makes the T3 worth the current asking price? Seems to be based on people trying to push the camera into some mythical realm velbon desirability.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

The fact that they are expensive thus desirable for some doesn't interest me. I want to know what makes them worth that much from an image creators POV.

From what I can see it's a plastic camera with a decent lens. The titanium skin reminds me of the song "3 dressed up as a nine".

I had a T2 and wasn't all that impressed. The AF was rudimentary at best and works on a zone system. Much like the MF feature of the T3. In the end the plastic AF gears in the T2 stripped and I had a paper weight.

Again what makes the T3 worth the current asking price? Seems to be based on people trying to push the camera into some mythical realm velbon desirability.

Nothing, they aren't worth much of anything in my book. A classic example of "branding". I'd give $5 for one, if I found it at a thrift.

BTW do you mean "Veblen"?

 

[Craig75]

The original T always looked the best to me if it were not for flip down lid. No question for me tho that for autofocus compacts contax were king. Crazy sharp lens and they feel really nice to hold.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Personally I wouldn't buy one. The best little camera in my opinion is the Ricoh GR1. Like other point and shoots of the era though, they suffer several faults. I got bit by the cracked lens ribbon cable which renders the camera useless. It also has finder separation, lens separation, LCD is out.... I don't think the premium cameras are worth buying anymore. I didn't replace the Ricoh.

I think the best bang for the buck is probably the Olympus Stylus Mju II. Great lens on that little thing. Prices are up on those as well, but they made millions of them so the price is based on utility, not rarity.

 

[Eric Rose]

I had one of those Mju's as well. Great camera!

 

[TheRook]

The Contax T3 is one of those cameras that have become so over-hyped on the internet over the last few years, the prices are now ridiculously inflated. Certainly more than I'd ever want to spend on a compact pocket camera, despite the great lens, fast focusing and many useful features it comes with. For the typical price of a Contax T3, I'd rather buy a huge supply of film and use it in a cheaper camera.

 

[plummerl]

I picked up a used (like new) Contax T3 in 2004 for $400 ($520 in todays dollars). I love it, still in perfect condition.

 

[RattyMouse]

A Fuji Klasse S or W is typically $700-$800. Seems that any quality 35mm small camera sells for big money.

 

[guangong]

My wife and I bought a T3 from B&H when the camera just came out and the accessories were easy to buy...filter adapters for E39 filters, lens shade, variety of flash attachments, around the neck carrying case, etc. All this makes the T3 a great travel camera that produces great results. The T3 replaced my Yashika T4 that was dunked into the Mekong river by my daughter. By the was, that T4 also goes for a lot more used than I originally paid for it new.

 

[Prest_400]

A Fuji Klasse S or W is typically $700-$800. Seems that any quality 35mm small camera sells for big money.

Fuji may rather easily (if they didn't ditch the mfg equipment) reboot the Klasse line and do a batch.
Forgot the price they were going new but circa 2014 they may have been around 400€?
AFAIK, compact electronic 35mm cameras have been quite appreciated.

JCH announced (or kind of let the message) on having a 35mm compact camera project. He did an article with a call out to fill this niche of electronic compacts and decided to do some work on it I see.

 

[RattyMouse]

Fuji may rather easily (if they didn't ditch the mfg equipment) reboot the Klasse line and do a batch.
Forgot the price they were going new but circa 2014 they may have been around 400€?
AFAIK, compact electronic 35mm cameras have been quite appreciated.

JCH announced (or kind of let the message) on having a 35mm compact camera project. He did an article with a call out to fill this niche of electronic compacts and decided to do some work on it I see.

Cosina built these cameras, not Fuji and I hope that one day soon they make another batch of them. But being Fuji, they probably wont. Fuji hates any film that isnt Instax now.

I was in Japan in 2014 with a Fuji Klasse S in my hands for $380. I put it back. Worse decision ever!!!

 

[Cholentpot]

It's a hip new accessory that some Hollywood starlets have taken a liking too.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Wow, these are selling for over $1000, many from Japanese vendors. I would have never guessed. I personally am very leery of a miniature electronic device like this - who could fix your $1000 gadget 10 or 20 years after its original production? On the opposite end of the price spectrum, I recently bought a super clean copy of the Olympus trip 35 for around $25, and am delighted with the optical quality. Sure it is primitive, but the results on film are fantastic.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

... I personally am very leery of a miniature electronic device like this - who could fix your $1000 gadget 10 or 20 years after its original production? ...

That is why I have vowed from this year forward not to buy any additional cameras with electronics, not even a meter.

 

[Prest_400]

That is why I have vowed from this year forward not to buy any additional cameras with electronics, not even a meter.

Or if you do, accept the probability of them becoming bricked. Electronic cameras have quite useful automation features.
Last week my F80 quit on me on a trip, VF went blank and mirror locked up. I think and hope it took that single frame of an Italian fishing town scene. Probably battery drain by leaving it on in the bag for who knows what. Unpleasant sensation, and if every 10 months it's killing the lithium I'll see what to do. Not cheap batteries.
But the camera was $30 and I exposed it to saltwater spray recklessly. Battle camera.

Contaxes 645 do also have the tendency of electronics going awry and it's also an expensive affaire. For what I see, there are workshops taking the lenses (the 80/2 planar) and adapting it to other mounts. OTOH, mechanical cameras have acted up on me and jammed because they do need maintenance when old.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

But the camera was $30 and I exposed it to saltwater spray recklessly. Battle camera.

OTOH, mechanical cameras have acted up on me and jammed because they do need maintenance when old.

You are right that if you buy a cheap electronic camera and it fails, you have not lost too much. Just buy another if you like that particular model. But the T3 in the original discussion is >$1000 now!
As for mechanical cameras, as you say, they do need occasional maintenance. But at least for now (2017), there are still a few specialists around the world who can overhaul them. Last year, I had my Rolleiflex 3.5E overhauled. Just this month, Don Goldberg in Wisconsin fixed my dad's 1949 Leica IIIC. It cost a bunch because of some issues, but I wanted to put this old family device back into use (and I think these screw-mount Leicas are fun). Cheers.

 

[Prest_400]

As for mechanical cameras, as you say, they do need occasional maintenance. But at least for now (2017), there are still a few specialists around the world who can overhaul them. Last year, I had my Rolleiflex 3.5E overhauled. Just this month, Don Goldberg in Wisconsin fixed my dad's 1949 Leica IIIC. It cost a bunch because of some issues, but I wanted to put this old family device back into use (and I think these screw-mount Leicas are fun). Cheers.

I'm feeling a bit guilty for not forking the CLA to overhaul a couple classics at home. These just can keep on going and going (beating the Duracell bunny!) and it's to appreciate when they are heirlooms, such as your Leica.

The value proposition of an expensive machine turning to a brick isn't that good and I'd keep away.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Or if you do, accept the probability of them becoming bricked. Electronic cameras have quite useful automation features.
...

Those features are what attracted me to the F4s, the Maxxum/Dynax 7, the Elan 7NE, and the R8 - I wonder if they'll function or be repairable in 20 years (or whether I will function or be repairable in 20 years).

Love them as I do, I should have stayed with mechanical operation.

 

[Eric Rose]

At least you can buy most of the aforementioned cameras for considerably less than what a T3 goes for. If one of them bricks it's not such a big deal.

 

[faberryman]

The fact that they are expensive thus desirable for some doesn't interest me. I want to know what makes them worth that much from an image creators POV.

From what I can see it's a plastic camera with a decent lens. The titanium skin reminds me of the song "3 dressed up as a nine".

I had a T2 and wasn't all that impressed. The AF was rudimentary at best and works on a zone system. Much like the MF feature of the T3. In the end the plastic AF gears in the T2 stripped and I had a paper weight.

Again what makes the T3 worth the current asking price? Seems to be based on people trying to push the camera into some mythical realm velbon desirability.

You are confusing image quality and market price. Often times there is no correlation.