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User comments btil June 2003

Hi Danny,

at your nice 645 report, you've mentioned missing a shift/tilt lens! There is a WIESE TECHNOPLAN MC 3,5/45mm for CONTAX 645 available at a good price. The lens itself is very solid made and the optical quality does not need to hide.

Regards, Wolf Rainer
 
Hello All,
I really need your help and comment but also worry about my question since this going to be a fundamental and stupid question. I'm struggling between Contax 645(+140mm) and N1(+17~35 and 85). I usually take portrait and fashion (mostly focus on people) and normally work with 11R size and sometimes 20R. My question is, N1 with 17~35 and 85 can generate good quality of picture even with 11R or 20R size? I don't think it will be better than 645 obviously, but could it be, at least, similar and good to see?

Best Regard, Jin
 
Posted by Guy Gonyea on Monday, August 12, 2002 - 9:25 pm:

Wow! What's the story on the 645 and batteries? Seems to be a hot topic. I haven't bought yet but want to this week. I do "exotic"
travel people and places + scenics shooting and shoot in 35mm a lot of film (5 rolls of 36 Fuji - mostly Velvia/day) What can I expect in battery consumption? I have to carry batteries with me a lot as I am in remote areas often. What am I setting myself up for with the 645?
Guy
 
Hiya guy

I have only just purchased the Contax 645 but have already run into the battery problem. a new set of duracell aa`s don`t last that long at all( in the battery grip) the standard 2CR5 `s aren`t a lot better but I` have had better results with a set of Ni-Metal rechargeables and have just ordered 2 sets of 1850 mAh rechargeables and at £5.25 per set of four it will help a lot. I am amazed at the battery drain but with the quality of the results it is worth living with( some camera systems have faults that can`t be got over as easily as fresh batteries)I might well build a battery pack of my own design that can be plugged in with plenty of cells that would do any full days shoot.If you are going out in the wilds for any length of time without being able to get near a mains charger then carrying enough AA`s or precharged batteries could add quite a weight to your load. As far as I can tell so far the battery drain is the only problem with an otherwise excellent bit of kit. I`m just amazed after using a Canon D30 with a small Li-ion battery and large `L` lenses just how short the battery life is in the Contax but i would have thought that Contax would have solved it if they could have. A Ferrari does about 10 miles to the gallon but what a car!

Dave
 
Jin,

Get the 645. Same optical excellence or better, with a considerably larger neg. You can get a N1 body later and use the 645 lenses on it with the Nam-1 adapter. For what you want to do you may want 2 645 lenses, the 140 and 80 ( which is cheaper if you buy the kit ), then eventually the 45/2.8.
 
Dear Guy,

I have been shooting a 645 system for the last 2 years as a professional nature photographer. I am often in the field for long periods.

Your film consumption is moderate, and one set of batteries in the 645 should last you a couple days of shooting (220 film gives 32 exposures--expect 10-15 rolls without using AF much). Also, the 645 format probably will reduce your film consumption as you will tend concentrate more on composition as opposed to firing away with the high speed motor drive.

The 645 is a battery hog supreme! There is just no way around this. I gladly make the sacrifice for (1) the optical quality and easy handling and (2) the incredible toughness of the body and lenses (something not often mentioned). One reason for huge battery use is using AF with the heavy all-metal lenses. I rarely use AF in my line of work and so have no real explanation for the substantial battery usage.

There are several ways to address this problem.

First, you can get the vertical grip, which holds a 2CR5 lithium in the handle in the grip and 4AAs in the base. Use lithium AAs and you should see a great improvement.

Second, you can go to NiMh rechargeable batteries. These last a much longer than standard alkalines, but not quite as long as lithiums. They are, though, infinitely cheaper because they can be recharged 1000 times (and also offer excellent cold-weather performance). I simply carry 30 or so of these along with 2 8-battery chargers on trips, and can be assured of enough battery power to reach my next recharging opportunity. I would note that it is truly rare to be away from any electricity for weeks on end (see below)even at "exotic" locations (even safaries have generators nowadays).

Third, you can buy an external Contax battery pack. They make one that holds 4 "C" (or "D"?) cells and should pack quite a punch with lithiums or NiMh batteries.

Finally, if you are really going to be in the field (i.e. wilderness river rafting, backpacking, remote third-world travel, etc.) with no hope of access to electricity for weeks on end--don't take the system. Use instead your 35mm system which, for weight/space concerns would be preferred anyway.

With modern gear, carrying extra weight as batteries is just a fact of life, to me, worth it in exchange for the capabilities of electronic cameras. Given that the 645 system is HEAVY, I think that the extra weight of 30 AA batteries and a charger is, proportionately, a very small increase.

Hope this helps you with your decision. I think that all 645 AF systems are intense in their battery consumption, so I don't think for a second that this should be a deciding factor between 645 systems. It may, though, be a deciding factor in which type of system (35 vs 645) is best for extreme travel.

You can see s&les of my work with the 645 at www.guyharrisonphoto.com.

All the best,

Guy Harrison
 
Guy,

Thanks for the great comments! It really helps. Are you, or anybody out there aware of any new 645 developments coming up? Maybe at photokina?

Guy
 
I would be interested in your opinion about Contax 645 vs. Hasselblad 500C/M or 503CW vs. Rolleiflex 6008 and Mamiya 7.

I know this is a very broad range, but I am thinking every 6 months about Medium Format as an addition to my 35mm Conatx N-system, I only used rarely in the past an old Rolleiflex 2.8F Twin lens.

And now I saw today again these nice Hasselblad brochures in my shelves. So I started dreaming again: If I would have time again to take pictures, whether it would not be nice to have Medium Format, especially 6x6 (I love the square Format).

But normally it is big and heavy, except the Mamiya 7/6.

So my question are:

1. What was your reason for medium format?
2. Why Contax 645 et alii and not other brands?
3. Do you regret it?
4. Do you use it as often as you anticipated it before buying it?

Thanks

Dirk
 
Dirk, this can be a very subjective discussion. I've had several of the cameras you name. Write to me at jcasner3@comcast.net and we can discuss this a little bit. Jack Casner
 
Dirk,

There are others that use these different cameras I'm sure, But I am one who actively uses all of the ones you listed in your post above, both for commercial work and weddings.

First the question of why MF:
My assistant asked me the same question recently after seeing some B&W Leica enlargements I had done. I then showed him some 13X19 prints from a Hasselblad, and I didn't have to say another word as to why MF.

If you are going to do any bigger prints, a MF camera with quality lenses will capture beautiful tonal gradations and more detail every time. It also means more cropping can be done with less loss of quality.

As to which model:
The 645 offers the least step up in quality just because of neg size. But it is a step up for sure. 645 needs a prism finder to shoot vertical images, and is less handy for portrait orientation than the Hasselblad, which you never have to turn on its' side. The Contax 645 is easier to focus than the Hasselblad even when being used manually, let alone on AF, (the C 645 offers focus confirmation in the viewfinder). The Hasselblad flash sync's at 1/500th where the focal plane shutter of the Contax 645 is limited to 1/125th, a consideration when shooting fill flash out doors. However, any Contax 645 lenses you get can be used on the N1 or N Digital, making for a tidy little system across formats.
(P.S., you can also use Hasselblad Ziess lenses on the Contax 645 w/adapter).

The Mamiya 7II is a great camera that is easy to carry & use and produces huge 6X7 negs of excellent quality. The rangefinder is easy to focus, but you do not see the distortion produced by lenses of W/A or Telephoto types.
It's a different style of shooting like that of a Contax G or Leica ( more like the Leica). And the 7II lens line up is limited, with no really long lenses.

If you want to see a real marked, can't miss it, difference compared to Contax 35mm in prints up to 11X14, you have to step up to 6X6 or 6X7 or even 6X9. This is why the Mamiya RZ Pro II is such a popular studio camera ( which I also have and use). But it is far from portable like the Contax 645.

I'd be happy to answer any other questions, here or by direct e-mail.
 
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