Contax NDigital (ND)

[Guest]

Hi Guys. If anybody happens to have a PDF version of RAW Developer manual, could you share it please? Mine is in Japanese.

 

[Guest]

For what it's worth, here are my thoughts regarding the so-called N Digital disaster or fiasco, depending on whom you listem to. I have owned the camera since July, buying it on the assumption that Carl Zeiss would never put their name on an inferior product. This, in spite of negative postings on internet forums, and a nearly complete brush-off by equipment reviewers. It certainly didn't help that it took almost two years for Contax to even get out of the starting blocks. One Dutch website has even profiled its potential users as "novice"--give me a break! Is it pertinent that Contax does little advertising? The preface to the instruction manual for the N Digital states that Contax builds "cameras for the creation of works of art". I don't think that a working professional, whose specialties include sports, weddings, fashion or documentary, would ever be happy with this camera. It wasn't designed for them--it's not a people camera. However, speaking for those of us who put art above commerce, I don't have a problem with it. To quote Dirty Harry, it works for me. I treat it more like a fine instrument rather than a tool. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles (I turn off most of them including autofocus). My preferred subjects are places and things, esecially close-up. The great outdoors is my studio, and a tripod is used more often than not. I consider photography to be a printmaking medium, in the same class as silkscreens, lithographs and woodblocks. In both film and digital, lens quality comes first for me--I've owned a Hasselblad since the 1960's, which is why I lean toward Oberkochen. Full frame 12 and 14 megapixel SLR's have just been announced at Photokina, but a 16 megapixel digital back for the 645 is already available from Kodak (next on my shopping list). It would appear that the N Digital has already become a stepping stone to my dream system. Nirvana for me will be an untethered full frame medium format back at 22 megapixels (Sinar?) which fits the 645 (reasonably priced, of couse). When the dust settles from this game of high resolution leapfrog, I'll still put my money on Contax. If there is a disaster or fiasco (or conspiracy) pertaing to the N Digital, it has to be Kyocera's invisible marketing department. Perhaps they lack the nerve or stomach to get in the ring with the Nikon/Canon tag team. I'd like to believe they will take on the role of refiner to that of innovator. To sum up after all this rambling, I'll say that the N Digital is not as bad as some people think, but it still needs a firmware upgrade (or even a recall) to keep up with the competition. Shoehorning a full frame CCD sensor into a 35mm SLR body may exceed the design parameters. Note that Canon and Kodak (and presumably Nikon) will be using CMOS sensors.

 

[Guest]

> > > > Hi all, > Just got time to clear some ND photos took last week at southern Thailand, > Phuket, all the sunset shots made by N Digital, Vario-Sonnar 2,8/17-35 and > C-PL, original file is jpeg 1, WB set at 5500k. > http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=244704 more to come shortly. > Brgds/Kaisern > > >

 

[Guest]

Hi all, > Just got time to clear some ND photos took last week > at southern Thailand, > Phuket, all the sunset shots made by N > Digital, Vario-Sonnar 2,8/17-35 and > C-PL, original file is jpeg 1, > WB set at 5500k. > > http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=244704 more to come > shortly. > Brgds/Kaisern

Great pics. I have been following this ND thread and I am interested to see a shooter using the ND with the 17-35 too as I have read poor reviews on both products on this forum...

Does any one else have images to show 17-35mm performance. I have read that the images it produces are flat with a lot of distortion around the edge of frame. Nikon and Canon have mostly eliminated this problem and I can't believe that Carl Zeiss have produced an inferior lens...

As for the ND, well I can only say that it seems to produce good images, but it is clear that Contax are still working on it. If Contax want to stay in the professional game in 35mm, then they will have to resolve all the ND's problems and produce a modified model. Nikon dumped the D1 for the D1x quite quicly and as we all know/suspect D2 is not far away. Canon have already moved ahead with the IDs...so expect Contax to do the same.

Unless you really nneed the technology right now, I reckon it is best to sit tight and enter the dig capture market as late as you can. This way you will have a better than average chance of getting a product that will last for more than 6 months before it becmes obsolete.

Best

Andy

-- Andy Johnstone Photography Member of the Association of Photographers (UK) E: andy@focusphotos.com T: 0033 4 68 69 32 28 M: 0033 6 08 63 75 35 F: 0044 870 133 9149 W: http://www.focusphotos.com

 

[dirk]

Hi guys, please post your comments in the appropriate thread. ND for ND comment, G for G comments etc. I moved the last two ones now in the right thread.

Regarding ND pictures, I have seen that Irakly has posted some of his ND pictures in our new Photo Gallery of Contaxinfo.com. But as far as I remember no 17-35 pic among them.

dirk

 

[Guest]

I Hate to appear Ignorant, but could somebody please tell me how to find the mirror lock-up function on the contax n-digital???

Also, does anybody know if contax plans to release a new version of the raw developer or maybe a photoshop plug-in (similar to Nikon) to manipulate the raw format???

The contax people are completely silent and do not respond to e-mails...I plan on being in New York for the Photo Expo Oct31-Nov2 and tell them face to face that their support is simply not addecuate given the high price of their products.

A company in its league (Hasselblad,Leica,Mamiya,etc.) should give support to its loyal customer base and not remain silent. It is plain bad for business.

I think they should redesign the battery carriage to hold Li-Ion rechargable batteries as does every other competitor have and finish once for all this nonsense problem with the batteries.

I am sorry for this post, but my frustation is getting me.

 

[Guest]

Martin, I hate to ruin your hope, but there is no such thing as mirror lockup un ND.
Speaking of RAW Developer, I wrote two days ago that I got a letter from Blake Ziegler about a new release of RAW Developer coming out shortly.

 

[Guest]

Martin, I am afraid that making the camera take Li-ion rechargables would take extensive redesigning not just a battery insert, but a whole camera guts because Li-ion cell has voltage of 3.4V as opposed to NiMH, which has voltage 1.2V. Four NiMH cells give a combined voltage of 4.8V, and it is impossible to recreate it with Li-ions. BTW, I tried my friend's D100, and with its Li-ion cells it lasts for about 150 shots - not many more than Contax ND in RAW mode.

 

[Guest]

Well, after reading one of the above posts, I loaded my Raw developer and camera profile and took some test shots. Same dingy initial images as Tiff files in need of extensive PhotoShop work., plus no review capability on the LED screen, plus a much longer download ordeal. I wonder what improvements are planned for the Raw devloper?

A question...I seem to be only able to get 3 shots in a row before the camera freezes up while the buffer loads. This can't be right. What am I doing wrong?
(this is with any card...IBM 1 gig, 16X and 12X CF cards and freshly charged NiMH batteries).

Not related to the above, I experimented with 4 Energizer Lithium e2 batteries recommended by the Battery Store people. They are 1.5 volt as opposed to 1.2 volt Nickel Metal Hydride. I don't know why, but they worked fine. They last a loooong time, but are not rechargable.

In response to an e-mail from contax service about my initial inquiry, I ordered 3 battery carrages from Contax and sent my AMEX # to them per their request (Crystal) for payment of $58.00 each.
Two days later they e-mailed me saying the part was such and such # and was $58.00 each., please send credit card info and quanity. ( ARRRGGGH !!!) I e-mailed them back saying I had ALREADY responded. I've heard nothing from them since.

A camera that barely works, and a non-existant support team...hey what do you expect for $7,000.

 

[Guest]

marc, here is how i shoot with nt ND, after trying a lot of different ways and playing with all the controls, i have learned to just shoot with everything in std, is the best way. i do over expose between 1/3 to 2/3 normally and a lot more when back lit, cz even when i am using spot the lightmeter does not do a good job., i shoot in jpeg1, my post processing involves converting to tiff , applying usm in PS (150) and auto level. the pics come our very good with very little tweaking afterward. i do more tweaking on the fuji s2 or d1x. my pics are noticeably better with this camera. on the flash, i have given up!! about freezing, it happens to me also. i also feel a little extra shutter lag in between shots as though it is running out of steam or something. i am not sure, there is a problem with the camera or something. this one is more finicky than the other dslre i have used (a lot more), less keepers (pics) than others but like the keepers a lot.

I also ordered three extra battery clips last monday via phone that i asked to be shipped second day and a week later no sign.