Contax T3

[Guest]

David I would load the roll again in the camera.

set the camera to manual focus.

disable the flash. set it at f 2.8.

shoot off the frames in a film changing bag.

The unfoutunate part is that this will stress the electromagnetic shutter for as many frames as it takes to get to were you can shoot again.


Very long exposures are not a good thing on a leaf shuter controled electronically.

I would love if the t-3 would allow manual shutter contral. That would solve the problem. I'd set it at 1/500 and f/16 and fire away.


hope that was helpful.

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Using a combination of the custom settings you should be able to fire off the exposed frames without resorting to long exposures. I cannot remember which of the custom features you need to change but one will allow you to lock both exposure and focusing with the AFL button and another custom setting will hold this AFL setting until you switch off the camera.

If I have this right, you will make those changes to the settings, point the camera at a bright source, press the AFL button to lock in a high shutter speed and then find a dark room to take the exposures. I have never tried it and I am not sure if I remember the custom features.

Jim Hully Dorchester, MA

 

[Guest]

I'll toss in a different approach: simply cover the *lens only* and fire away. Remember that the light meter is body-mounted, not TTL, so you'll be able to get to your frame quickly w/o long exposure times or the need for a changing bag or the proverbial dark closet. You can also set it for 2-stop underexposure for an extra margin of safety.

Regards,

--Rick

 

[Guest]

Rick's right. You don't need a changing bag or dark closet. I've done mid-roll changes a few times in daylight using these steps...

1. Set focus to Manual and aperture to f16.
2. Cover lens with the liner side of the camera case flap-cover. (A 30.5mm screw-in lens cap is also handy.)
3. Point the camera towards a source of light to obtain a fast shutter speed.
4. Fire away to desired frame.

Niki

 

[brnd]

I have bought my T3 for 3 months. Fooling around with it during my spare time. Astonished by the sharp, saturated and crispy photo prints. However, like other users, I have to try out the AF numerous times before realizing the AFL could solve most of my problems.

There's one question that I wonder if any user has the answer...

What is the metering area when I custom function 5 to simultaneously lock both AF and AE? Will the AE lock and return the exposure within the center oval area? Or return the normal exposure under its passive metering, that is, say around 5 oval areas?

Do you think it would be fine if I lock both AF and AE on a strong backlit object without exposure compensation?

Thanks
-- Bernard

 

[niki]

Bernard wrote: "What is the metering area when I custom function 5 to simultaneously lock both AF and AE? Will the AE lock and return the exposure within the center oval area? Or return the normal exposure under its passive metering, that is, say around 5 oval areas?

Do you think it would be fine if I lock both AF and AE on a strong backlit object without exposure compensation?"

Bernard -

The T3's light meter is very simple. First, it is NOT through-the-lens (TTL) like on SLR cameras; rather, it uses SPD sensors. Second, those SPD sensors are located on the front side of the camera body, behind one of the glass windows. (Your manual can show you which.) SPD sensors are permanent averaging meters. Therefore, the T3 CANNOT zero down to a smaller focus area like the AF-Lock button. Not 5 ovals or 1 oval but over all average metering within in the frame of the view finder. Though you may find that it's biased towards the lower half of the view finder, but not much.

Custom Function 5 allows the user to lock in both FOCUS & EXPOSURE using the AF-Lock button.

Strong backlit lighting: Compensate +1 to +2 to capture detail... or use fill-in flash.

Hope that helps... Niki

 

[brnd]

> Thanks Niki! Your info helps a lot. If that is the case I could only compensate the exposure by rule-of-thumb or by experience! Or I need to carry my old exposure meter along in order to get the best exposure. The latter way could probably be the only viable choice if I want to shoot slides using T3. But then it seems to defy the enormous advantage of use brought by T3's excellent form factor.

Any comments in using T3 to get accurate exposures by following any rules of thumb in shooting slides without using an exposure meter?

Thanks -- Bernard >

 

[brnd]

Niki:

Thanks! Your info helps a lot. If that is the case I could only compensate the exposure by rule-of-thumb or by experience! Or I need to carry my old exposure meter along in order to get the best exposure. The latter way could probably be the only viable choice if I want to shoot slides using T3. But then it seems to defy the enormous advantage of use brought by T3's excellent form factor.

Any comments in using T3 to get accurate exposures by following any rules of thumb in shooting slides without using an exposure meter?

Thanks -- Bernard

 

[niki]

Bernard wrote: "Thanks Niki! Your info helps a lot. If that is the case I could only compensate the exposure by rule-of-thumb or by experience! Or I need to carry my old exposure meter along in order to get the best exposure. The latter way could probably be the only viable choice if I want to shoot slides using T3. But then it seems to defy the enormous advantage of use brought by T3's excellent form factor.

Any comments in using T3 to get accurate exposures by following any rules of thumb in shooting slides without using an exposure meter?"

You're welcome!

Slide films have have a narrow latitude, so I'd would bracket in tricky lighting situations. Bracketing must be done manually with the T3, so it's slow.

Another option you may want to try if carrying a light meter is not an option. I learned the method below using the old Rollei 35, which also has SPD sensors.

Since the T3 can be set to focus lock using the AFL button, you can fool its light meter by walking up to subject and fill the view finder with the subject. Press and hold the shutter release button to lock the shutter speed. Move back to your original position, reframe, shoot. There's the hassle of knowing exactly where you stood so not to mess up focus, especially when wide apertures are used.

Of course, you can't use this method if the subject can't be approach... like animals, etc.

Have fun... Niki

 

[jimbo02]

>Frankly, I find my T3's ability to meter exposure in most situations to be >superb, but I do find myself taking full advantage of bracketing with the >exposure compensation option.