Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: evgeny on February 22, 2011, 08:13:03 am
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Hello.
I think to sell my Contax 645 camera and lenses.
I want to keep my excellent Leaf 65 back with Contax 645 mount.
Please recommend a camera with Contax mount/adapter for portraits, children and models.
PS: I think about Alpa, but I need a fast focusing technique/mechanism for moving models and children..
Thanks
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The best choice might be a camera such as RM3di or RM2d from Arca-Swiss with an emodule.
You would zone focus it to a distance selected and the emodule will readout 4 apertures with near and far distances shown simultaneously with the distance focused. It focuses so accurately because you can also choose the circle of confusion for your back, and has a super fine helical focus control.
And it is eminentley hand holdable. And Fun to use. The finder is also excellent. Not too many other choices for Contax backs but this one works. I also have a 645 Contax and Aptus back, but shoot the back now mostly on the Arca-Swiss RM3di.
Rod
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Is this serious or is it already april 1????? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Something better for portraiture and children than a 645AF...... are you people really serious. I must be missing something over here. :-\ :'( :'( :'( :'( ::) ??? 8)
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Peter,
It is an alternative for a Contax user and with zone focusing and moving children, quicker than a MF camera to frame and shoot. Af being as slow as it is on MF cameras.
Just an idea.
Rod
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You need to tell the forum what you are looking to improve. In other words - why are you leaving your Contax?
The more specifically you lay out your needs the more specifically various individuals here can help!
Doug Peterson (e-mail Me) ([email protected])
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Doug,
Contax 645 is Ok for studio, but I need a faster focusing mechanism, especially for children. The next camera should not be heavier.
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I normally only use MFDB for real photography but i have seen really great pictures taken with Nikon D3(s/x) camera's. Superfast, many images per second and ideal for fast moving objects.
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Rod, thanks.
please give me a recommended configuration of a RM3di with one lens for people in studio and total weight.
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Thanks Evgeny,
One of the reasons I was advised to invest in a Sinarback eMotion with a Contax adapter plate rather than a Leaf back was that having an MFDB with an interchangeable open platform mount would include the option to swap camera platforms without having to change MFDB. So you have given me good reason to appreciate my adviser :-)
On the other hand legacy Leaf MFDBs have a better LCD than the pre-LV Sinarbacks. Otherwise both lines have a lot in common. So one option could be to trade your Leaf for a similar vintage eMotion back that would give you on-going access to various camera platforms in future. Or to just sell your Leaf 65 and buy a Sinarback eMotion LV that has somewhat similar similar characteristics but different interface.
BTW if anybody who uses zone focussing has figured out how to get portraits of wriggling kids not to mention squirming adults in low light with sharp enough focus of eyelashes for big prints I would love to hear more about how you do it - though not if it requires planting any kind of microchip in brain, arm or fingertips.
I would also appreciate if anybody can advise me how to make an adapter plate so I can mount an eMotion75 MFDB on Mamiya 7 rangefinder body - with or without can opener and sticky tape :-)
and also how to use my mobile phone as a substitute LCD....
and...
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Evgeny my suggestion would be to try the other MF AF platform i.e. Phase/ Mamiya 645DF and H1/H2 next to your Contax and if you find that any of them is better/ faster than your camera and chose to go with it, you can then change the mount on your back.
Yair
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Koresh at Jugend show me Mamiya a year ago, I think it was III. I was not impressed. It's big, bigger than my C645, not comfortable in my hands. My first thought was: 'what a stone!' :)
I don't know, if DF is different.
I think H is out my my budget.
I also don't want to pay for mount swap.
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IMO you got the best 645 camera for the job, there is no point to change to mamiya, hasselblad etc.
You might as suggested go for a Nikon 3DX or Canon.
You can mount your Leaf Contax (mount) back on Mamiya RZ with an adapter - this is the only option I know of.
But this is a heavier solution and without AF.
Dont go Alpa, Arca, Cambo etc and zone focus - this will be a disaster for you with portraits.
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One of the reasons I was advised to invest in a Sinarback eMotion with a Contax adapter plate...
My Sinar 54H is mounted to Sinar M. It is heavy, not portable, but I keep it ;D
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I've recently been shooting on a V System a bit with fast paced action and I have to say I've really enjoyed shooting with Manual Focus. With a decent sized viewfinder I think it's faster than alot of AF which spends most of the time hunting with fast moving shots and therefore missing shots.
This is one of the reasons I keep going back to the V System. People assume they need AF on a medium format, but I dont believe they do. It's also still the sexiest camera around too.
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I've recently been shooting on a V System a bit with fast paced action and I have to say I've really enjoyed shooting with Manual Focus. With a decent sized viewfinder I think it's faster than alot of AF which spends most of the time hunting with fast moving shots and therefore missing shots.
This is one of the reasons I keep going back to the V System. People assume they need AF on a medium format, but I dont believe they do. It's also still the sexiest camera around too.
Interesting.... A lot of people here have complained about focus problems with the V system and a digital back.
Are you shooting film or on a digital back.
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Dont go Alpa, Arca, Cambo etc and zone focus - this will be a disaster for you with portraits.
I see. May be I should try and practice manual focus in Contax, with focus confirmation indicator in viewfinder. Will it be faster than AF.. I really tired losing some very good captures of moving children. Then, after I press shutter release, the camera doesn't always response. I agree Nikon is much easier, but I don't consider it now.
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I see. May be I should try and practice manual focus in Contax, with focus confirmation indicator in viewfinder. Will it be faster than AF.. I really tired losing some very good captures of moving children. Then, after I press shutter release, the camera not always response. I agree that Nikon is much easier.
I sometimes use Pentax 67 lensen on the Contax - I have a feeling I focus easier with the pentax 67 lenses (I shoot mostly wide open)
The Hasselblad 110/2 on the Contax is a beauty for portraits.
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I simply can't fathom anyone going with the concept of zone focusing for moving portraits unless shooting at F16.
Unless you are a dealer ;)
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I don't know about that. I'm a dealer, and while I have a great respect for Rod and Arca I have to agree an rm3di is a fantastic tool but not at all a tool I'd recommend for your kids/portrait needs.
Yes the df is a big step from the afd3, but I mirror yair's advice; try the h2 and df and THEN change platforms if convinced.
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I wouldn't consider myself an expert on autofocus, but use the Contax, Canons, Nikon, etc.
I have compared them briefly to the Hasselblad H1/2 and the older Mamiyas 1,2 and 3.
The difference between all the medium format is very small and more dependent on subject, lens, contrast than anything else.
The only exception might be the Pentax 645 which I used briefly in the film days and I thought had good autofocus.
For 35mm the Nikon wins hans down compared to the Canon, but does have a very small focus range in regards to the format so you can almost think of it as a single center focus more than a broad cover the frame focus point camera, though the Nikon's autofocus is amazingly accurate.
cowboy_film (http://www.russellrutherford.com/russellrutherford_films_cowboy.mov)
Though given all of that I find the contax good. I've shot Ronaldhino kicking a ball at me at full speed in a dark studio and hit every frame, though I was working in a small area.
I've also shot a lot of very fast moving subject with little issue.
A lot of this depends on the contrast range and before I'd junk the system I'd rent a small light panel lcd, set the rheostat down low and to one side to add contrast and try that. I think you'll see a world of improvement. If that doesn't work I'd have the lenses looked at.
The two issues of the contax are slow sync speed, which usually isn't a problem for my work, but 1/90th to 1/60th is rather slow if their is a lot of ambient in the room, though once again not that big of an issue as I usually light for it or have learned how to mix light and not have a problem.
The real issue of the Contax is a non autofocus lens in the 100 to 120 mm range. That requires the macro which is manual focus.
I hit that most of the time, but sometimes autofocus at that mm would be nice and is one of the main reasons I consider the hasselblad because they have a very fast 2.2 autofocus 100 mm (or something) lens.
Try the lightpanel thing and see how it works for you, at least that's my thought.
IMO
BC
(http://ishotit.com/focus.jpg)
These are all tiny thumbnails so you can't tell, but it was all contax 645 and all focus down to the thread count.
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The difference between all the medium format is very small
+1
(Having owned H2, Phase One/Mamiya camera, Sinar Hy6 (f/w 2.1), Contax 645 and Leaf AFi (f/w 3.0)).
But Yair's advice is good advice to see your yourself.
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If you already have Contax and Sinar M then is not the obvious solution Leica S2?
I would like to know more about the "light tab thing" and if it could be hooked up to a sinarback via firewire?
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Well, performance of AF in my Contax is acceptable in studio, I use 300W modeling lights. But in outdoors, with polarizing filter on lens to remove reflections, the AF is too slow for moving children.
By the way, Sinar M has a very fast and precise AF, similar to Nikon AF. But it must be on tripod due to weight and size, and my 54H must be tethered to Mac.
Anyway, you help me to make an order in my mind.
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I'v never used autofocus feature on my Contax. I was quite surprised, reading that a lot of people use it - maybe it deserve a second chance.. For fast and precise manual focus, I'm using one of these Bill Maxwell's enhanced screens. Did you though about screen improvement?
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Sell it. Get a Leica M9.
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Interesting.... A lot of people here have complained about focus problems with the V system and a digital back.
Are you shooting film or on a digital back.
P65+. While focusing certainly is a very involved task, it's not impossible. I came from dSLR's and while I admit the first shoot with this setup was a challenge, by the end of the shoot I had my process worked out. In most situations I would actually say it's far more accurate. Firstly as you are using your brain to focus rather than a computer which needs calibrating on the production line (I find auto focus hit and miss for this - and it gets worse with time) and secondly because you're not forever focusing then recomposing, shifting focus in the process.
The larger chip and longer lower depth of field does certainly up your concentration requirements though but I think that's a good thing for photography personally.
The body is a new 555ELD and the lenses are all new, which helps. The WLF certainly make it easier but the Prism works fine too, albiet a little harder to discriminate sharp focus. The action is alot more free on the newer lenses than the older style which helps a lot also.
The only thing that irks me somewhat mildly is having to take the back off to rotate to landscape format. But it's fine.
For me, it's the ultimate system and am completely content with it. I will never return to a dSLR unless the job specifically, for some reason, requires it.
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I have started with Contax too some years ago.
I have been using Hasselblad v and h and also the Sinar m.
Still most of the time I use the Contax with a Phase one p20 back and the 55mm or the zoom.
It's more fun to use, lighter and image-quality is nothing short of the newer systems.
It has a crispiness that I don't experience with the Hasselblad h lenses.
I have waisted a lot of money only to return to were I started :D
The Hasselblad h is great to hold and work with, but the lenses is not as good (my feeling) as the good old Zeiss from V and Contax.
I have not used the newest Schneider lenses for Phase. They are supposed to be great... But the camera just don't feel good (or maybe the last verion is better?)
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I have tried the Contax 645 and have a H3DII
H3DII focuses faster
but not fast enough to chase Children or any moving objects in general
get a Nikon D3, I use it and I love it