Contax T2 Altenatives - 3rd most popular film camera of 2019

[@ceruleofotografia4106]

Incredible how many people are still buying the much hyped up Contax T2/3. I know the lens is good and all... but the price and the difficulty of proper repair / CLA is just so off-putting.

[@jctalk18]

same as the Xpan.

[@shonenwill447]

What do you recommend for beginner??

[@labradorhund7769]

Thank you for not making it sound like the Contax sucks! Much prefer it over the other "alternative" episodes. Really enjoyed this one. That being said. I do own a T2 and I love that thing!

[@thedondeluxe6941]

Shhhh, don't tell celebrities about this: The Contax TVS is just about as good but a lot cheaper. Fabulous camera!

[@mugmushrooms9845]

No, you are not supposed to say that.

[@TheChrisNong]

it's a great camera but the lens far from being as sharp as t2

[@janjasiewicz9851]

@@TheChrisNong I would argue it's marginal..i don't think you can tell from a photo if either is significantly shaper.

[@TheChrisNong]

@@janjasiewicz9851 nah, man. I've owned a TVS for a couple of years and the difference is there, especially at the open aperture. TVS is still a great camera

[@LA-bq6hf]

I dont think a zoom lens is good. Just get the G1

[@RK-rf8rc]

Have the Contax T2 as well as several other point and shoots and, clearly, the T2 is my favourite and most used, but I’d also recommend the Mju II and Leica Mini II. The mini 2 is less than half the price of the T2 as well

[@Amyisreallymad]

thank you for a straight forward explanation! I am new to film photography and this video was amazing. Much appreciated!

[@randallstewart175]

I've used a T2 for years. My only issue with it that the lens, while excellent for the specific requirements of an auto exposure camera, visibly vignettes at its largest apertures. In most situations/subjects it's not a problem, but since the exposure program favors large apertures, you will run into it. My personal usage is to lock the aperture around 5.6-8.0 and let the camera pick a shutter speed. I tend to use it during daylight hours, so speed isn't normally an issue.

[@NHK696]

yes

[@DavidSk2683]

Yashica t4 or Rollei AFM. I know the Rollei feels more durable but wondering which one takes better photos

[@DeliriumDayz]

most people don't realize that the contax T manual focus from T2 and TVS III onward is actually pretty damn good. it is not guesstimating at all. you have focus indication by arrows in the finder and the wheel turns smooth and fast. it's a lot faster than a SLR or rangefinder.

[@mikegindling4236]

I recommend the Olympus XA. 35mm f2.8 lens, removable flash unit, aperture priority, manual focus. A great little camera.

[@nakedexposure964]

Picked one up last week for £50 with the A16 flash and box, really nice condition. Absolutely in love with the rangefinder patch, aperture selection and when you want it zone focusing. Couldn't live without one now!

[@randallstewart175]

One issue with the XA is the lens, which in terms of sharpness and contrast is vastly inferior to the class of cameras discussed here. It is a snap shooter's camera, and is superb for that purpose or for low res scans to put on computer screen, but projected slides or enlargements, not at all.

[@jonlouis2582]

This is a great series, and very interesting. I have bought and sold several of those cameras. I'm glad everyone likes something different, I would never pay serious money for any of those cameras.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks Jon! Many on the list have a price that reflects the demand, but we wanted to share a few other alternatives. The best part of the video series is the comment section!

[@randallstewart175]

I bought and still have a T@, long before the hype and price increases. At the time. I carefully compared it to the Nikon 35Ti. I kept the T2 because I found the controls on the Nikon to be a bit confusing and physically hard to manage. However, overall I wish I had gotten a Konica HexarAF. I did not get the Hexar at the time because it was bulkier and it cost significantly more.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Oh, the Hexar AF is on my list, but the max shutter speed of 1/250 is hard if you dont shoot lots of lower ISO film stocks.

[@ribsy]

some great cameras on this list

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Thanks!

[@DANVIIL]

I love the Contax 137MA that I bought in 1983 and the lenses, the 28mm, 50mm and a 90mm. Sadly, the camera died a couple of years ago because of the electronics but the lenses are still awesome on my Fuji X-E3 with an adapter. I'd like to buy a new body to use these Zeiss-Contax lenses that was for film. I need to research what film bodies are the least electronic, maybe a Yaschica body would work. Any ideas?

[@yorkieinnz4648]

I used to have a Konica Big Mini.... now that did take sharp images.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Still have to test one, good reminder.

[@nakedexposure964]

If you don't have a big mini anymore I'd highly recommend the Konica A4, it's considered the first Big Mini in the series. Same quality lens, 35mm 3.5 with close up mode. But is a lot cheaper than the big minis, me and 4 of my friends all own one. Great camera and under the radar. You can't go wrong, lens is stunning

[@TheLeiPol]

Next to the Leica Minilux, an alternative in Leica is the Leica CM. It hit the market somewhere in 2003. There are a lot of flash settings, accepts external flashes and the flash can be set permanent to the off position, has aperture priority setting and also also capability of manual focussing that’s visible in the viewfinder by means of arrows. There’s also exposure compensation etc.. The 40 mm lens is fabulous. Prices are now super crazy.

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Tremendous lens. Horrific viewfinder.

[@mugmushrooms9845]

You missed Nikon 35i, which is also crazy expensive

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Very true. We covered all we remembered.

[@MamboFerido]

Used to own one. Sold it about 3 years ago. Now, I recently found out that it has doubled the price.

[@san-chil]

Where is Rollei 35 se minox 35 Olympus xa

[@Mmxxaamm]

You missed the Minolta TC-1

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Yup, and a few others. Thankfully we will recheck the list every now and then.

[@sebvz89]

Minolta TC-1 with the legendary Rokkor 28mm 3.5 G

[@slr7075]

2nd choice the Canon Ae-1, is prone to breakage with its plastic internal construction, aging 70's electronics and require a battery to operate the whole camera. People who are interested in Canon FD film cameras should look for the Professional built Canon F-1 which is a solid metal mechanical camera. The F-1 is built like a tank, doesn't require a battery, only for the built-in meter and has true simple manual mode with match needle metering.

[@tobysummers471]

Yes the AE1 can be unreliable. It was my first film SLR and for the most part they are great. Sometimes and this happened to me the shutter would not fire and the whole thing would become dead. I was out with my dad at the time who also owns an AE1 which went dead too at the same time. Spooky. It was not the battery. I left it overnight and it seemed to work the next day. I dont use it so much anymore. I use my Nikon F4 most which I got to replace my AE1.

[@oliverlison]

I have the Fujifilm Klasse W. It sits on the shelf waiting for a new owner in Europe.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Im in Europe and would love to own one...

[@oliverlison]

@@NicosPhotographyShow I will get in touch with you shortly when I am back home.

[@PhilKnall]

The only point and shoot I have is a konica genbakantoku. Compact it is not, but it shoots tack sharp images and is nigh-indestructible.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

That sounds like a good camera to have !

[@niddynoddy]

Them: "the bodies are sub 500$ so you can always replace the body" Me: "ah, should I give 90$ for a rolleiflex?"

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Its the eternal internal discussion!

[@Daiwabg]

Nikon L35AF ( Pikaichi) best of the best

[@charlespitts5901]

I'll stick with my original Contax "T". It's a proper rangefinder with the SAME lens as the T2 at 1/3rd the price and without the flash attached, SMALLER than a T2!

[@CameraRescue]

Good point.!

[@Luudite]

Yeah, I look at those from time to time. I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but it won't surprise if/when I do :)

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

Never used one, maybe I should take a look...

[@boerge0712]

I like my Contax T VS

[@eurotripx5931]

people asking why people pay so much for this camera..... -It keeps value. -you can set up manual settings, exposure compensation, hack iso -38mm lens is better for portraits than 40mm - looks nicer than the other p&s -only leica minilux looks better but sometimes leica has e02 error -Carl Zeiss lens :-) -hype, marketing, glamour, premium -not that old - well build. No plastic -not that big as a slr

[@shamikchoudhury5924]

I still cannot justify why a person should spend 500+/- to buy a premium point & shoot. I understand love for film, but .........

[@Verdoux007]

I can understand it if the camera was brand new and there was an easy way to return/fix it, but not in today's market.

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Because, _what's the alternative? _Not_ to have one? I've had the T2 and T3, twice each over the last 20 or so years. Sold them for various reasons. And now, i realize how important they were and how much i value what they do. So, i'm faced with having to pay nearly a grand for one of them. But, what's the alternative? Digital? Something like a Sony A6000? But, then there's no lens equivalent that makes a reasonably small package. Might have to consider the Fuji X100(x), but then i have to deal with sub-full frame DOF, and all the photoshop work needed to make digital look like film, and then knowing i was just 'faking it.'

[@dinodemopoulos3336]

​@@CentaurusRelax314 Great point. Same situation here. Use a lot of great digital cameras, but miss this look without having to use lightroom or VSCO filters to get it!

[@ianmcjames]

The thing that no one ever mentions with these cameras is that the autofocus is sort of trash and often back focuses, no matter how much time you give it to focus

[@markbrown1609]

silly reason to buy a camera. although it is a good lens. A great camera to take to the horse track and parties. great camera for backpacking.

[@kiwipics]

According to whom ? I don't know any analogue shooters who own one, and I know why ... Most of the over hyped cameras are just that, and not worth the prices that people put on them. I have a Yashica T4, and I paid £120 brand new when first released, but now it is found on sale (used) for between £80 and £320, and I thought it was overpriced when new. I do love my analogue gear, but would never pay the over inflated prices that some items go for.

[@NicosPhotographyShow]

It was the top list on the searched terms for Kamerastore, so we though from 10 million hits we had a good view on the market top 10. Its not by far what we all want but what most people search.

[@hans-galaxyleser1150]

You report of you ignorant and famous people. Top shutter speed 1/500 of a second. Most little to fast action will be blurry. Surprise after waiting for the development of the roll.

[@rupunzel6299]

Meh, owned and used a T2 back when they were new. The "Zeiss" lens is good but not THAT good, it is ok, not exceptional in any way. The miracle Zeiss lens is far more perception and want to believe than reality, facts and truth of what this Zeiss lens actually is. The T2 remains a Point & Shoot regardless of any current fashion-statement moniker impressed on it. It remains a 35mm film camera of limited abilities and eventually die due to the innate disposable internals and electro-mechanical parts. No amount of famed celebrity blessing will or can change this. These wretched excess Point & Shoot cameras were from a time when conspicuous consumption and over $ fashion statements were socially acceptable and it happened after a generation of Point & Shoot users demanded a camera that was perceived as being better than what were so very common point and shoot cameras from that time. Why was the Nikon 35Ti not mention in this corral of wretched excess Point & Shoot cameras?

[@DecentGatsby]

Olympus mju II > Contax t2/3, Leica minilux, Ricoh, and any other potential brick for a camera. *dont @ me* Edit: -yes, it’s plastic -yes, the flash sucks -yes, it’s not a “premium point and shoot” -yes, it’s inexpensive. That’s why I love it. -yes, it’s not titanium _Last time I checked, you don’t need a premium titanium point and shoot to take a good photograph_ If you want to pay an embarrassingly high price for a “premium point and shoot” , be my guest, who am I to stop you? *HOWEVER* You’ll never convince me a premium p&s is a better camera FOR ME than a Mju II. That’s hilarious.

[@100dollars01]

Lucifer Jones contax t2 > mju ii . They are both good cameras imo

[@EamonFeeney]

Mju ii build quality is horrible though

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Can't select the aperture on the Olympus, which makes it 'less serious' of a camera for me. If you don't care about controlling DOF, it's a nice camera, though. But, then, it also feels like a lump of plastic, which isn't so great. Also-i don't remember-can you turn the flash off as a default?