View allAll Photos Tagged ContaxAX,
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Shot on Rollei Vario Chrome at EI 400.
Color reversal (slide) film in 35mm format.
Exposure bracketing test
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Large version at: emulsive.org/photography/35mm-format/fallen-bougainvillea...
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Filed under: #35mm_format, #Photography, #2017_August, #35Mm_Format_Film, #Color_Reversal_Slide_Film, #Contax_AX, #EI_200, #EI_400, #EMULSIVE_Daily_Photo, #Helios_443_MC, #Macodirect, #Rollei, #Rollei_Vario_Chrome
Blessing of the Cars - Hansen Dam Recreation Area - Lake View Terrace, California - July 2006
any details on any of the vehicles pictured are welcome
The AX is the first autofocus Contax SLR produced by Kyocera. The AX achieves autofocus capability with the standard manual focus Carl Zeiss lenses by utilizing a specially-developed automatic back focusing system. With this system, the fixed mirror box, pentaprism assembly and film plane move as a unit along a ceramic rail to achieve focus. Contax later introduced the N1/NX series of autofocus film SLRs that used a new generation of autofocus Carl Zeiss lenses. The later model N1 and NX are not compatible with manual focus Contax/Yashica mount Carl Zeiss and Yashica lenses.
Being a long-time manual focus SLR user when the AX first came out, I at first did not know how to react to this camera. Recall at the time that many photographers were still shooting manual focus SLRs, such as the Nikon F3, Contax ST,etc. The AX generated a lot of commentary in the press and especially on the Internet soon after its release. Some thought it was great that Contax took this approach to finally develop an autofocus SLR. Others though this was an admission of defeat by a camera maker that waited far too long to get onto the autofocus SLR bandwagon. Looking back from a historical standpoint, the AX was a brilliant solution by Kyocera to try to compete in the autofocus SLR market while maintaining compatibility with their existing base of Contax line Carl Zeiss lenses. In a way, the RX and AX were stepping stones by Kyocera on their way from traditional manual focus to a complete autofocus system with the N1/NX.
For those who are used to the image of sleek, thin SLRs such as the RX and the ST, the AX does not immediately appear to be beautiful. The camera has the cosmetics of an RX, but the AX body is much thicker from front to back to make room for the moving focus assembly within the camera. However, once one gets used to the camera's bulky image, at least for a 35mm SLR, one realizes that it is packed with useful technology and really does combine the best features of automatic focus capabilities and compatibility with Carl Zeiss manual focus lenses.
The AX continued the tradition of providing the tank-like over-engineered feel common to most Contax bodies. The camera has a titanium top cover and an aluminum alloy die-cast chassis, and is made with the same attention to detail and finely-machined parts for which Contax cameras are renowned. All of the controls are consistent with the design of other high-end Contax cameras, employing the switches and knobs representative of a traditional analog user interface but which are actually electronic controls connected to state-of-the-are electronic circuitry within the camera. The camera weighs in at 1,080 grams without battery, so it is no lightweight. However, its weight is still acceptable when compared with certain other contemporaneous professional-level bodies from Contax (RTSIII), Nikon (F4 and F5) and others, especially after battery weight is factored in.
Let's check out the various features of this fascinating camera. Basically, the designers have successfully combined the best and most important features of the RX, ST and RTSIII, and then gone a step further by adding autofocus. The AX has a shutter speed dial positioned at the standard Contax location on the top left of the camera. While shutter speed can only be set from 4 sec. to 1/4000 sec. in manual and shutter priority mode, the shutter has an increased range from 32 sec. to 1/6000 sec. in Av and P modes. Surrounding the shutter speed dial is an exposure mode selector lever, which permits selection of the following metering modes: Av, Tv, P, M, X and B. The same lever is also used for selecting modes to directly adjust film ISO and to modify the custom functions of the camera. Custom functions such as film leader out on rewind are actually set using the two adjustment buttons on the top right of the camera. The AX has the standard Contax exposure compensation dial on the top right of the camera, which allows very easy and quick adjustment of exposure compensation in the range of +-2 EV. The exposure compensation dial is surrounded by the automatic bracketing control ("ABC") lever, which permits a series of three photographs to be taken with +- 0.5 or 1.0 EV exposure compensation. The ABC function works either by making one exposure with each press of the shutter release button, or a continuous burst of three frames as long as the shutter release button is held down, depending on how the drive mode selector dial is set (single or continuous exposure). The top-mounted drive mode selector dial allows adjustment for single frame exposure, continuous exposure (at 3 or 5 fps), multiple exposure, and self timer (2 or 10 second delay). Surrounding the drive mode selector dial is the focus mode selector lever. This lever allows rapid selection among manual focus, single autofocus, continuous autofocus, and a macro setting. A combination button/dial just under the thumb position on the back right of the camera body works with the focus mode selector lever to adjust the operation of the focus system. The main switch surrounding the shutter release button has the usual Contax autoexposure lock functionality. However, the AX adopts the RTSIII's very convenient placement of the exposure meter selection switch to the left side of the lens mount. Other controls include the standard Contax exposure check button and electronic depth-of-field preview button on the right front of the camera. The exposure check button activates the viewfinder information without the risk of tripping the shutter when trying to press the shutter release button down only half-way. The camera also provides built-it dioptric adjustment and a shutter for the viewfinder eyepiece.
The viewfinder of the AX is very good. The camera uses an oversized prism, providing a very bright view of the subject and a 95% field of view. While it is an autofocus camera, the AX, like the RX, also sports the traditional horizontal split image, microprism collar, and of course matte field optical focusing aids. All of the viewfinder readouts are located on a LCD display below the viewfinder image. This display includes an exposure frame counter, spot/average metering indicator, exposure compensation indicator (+ or -, as well as a numerical readout of the amount of compensation), flash indicator, back focus position indicator, in-focus indicator, aperture indicator, over/under exposure warning, and shutter speed indicator. Because of the packed real estate on the viewfinder LCD readout, there is unfortunately no room for a graphical indication of the exact amount of exposure compensation, or any indication of the amount of over/under exposure when setting exposure in M mode. Metering patterns are a 5 mm spot meter, which includes the area within the microprism focusing collar, and a wide area center-weighted average pattern. In addition to the standard FW-1 focusing screen, Contax also provides four other selections of focusing screens for various applications.
The flash functionality of the AX combines the best features of both the RX and the ST, but does not offer the pre-flash spot meter found on the RTSIII. Flash synch is at a fastest speed of 1/200 second. Among Contax electronic cameras, only the RTSIII offers a faster maximum synch speed (1/250 second). This speed should be fast enough for fill flash in most available light conditions. TTL flash appears to be based on a fairly narrow center-weighted pattern. The AX shares the RX's five-point flash contact on the accessory shoe, providing enhanced camera to flash communication, as well as a locking slot to keep the flash unit from falling off. With this improved communication, the Contax TLA flash readout panel will automatically reflect the film ISO and lens aperture, as well as activate the direct flash exposure compensation functionality on the flash unit itself. With this system, balanced fill flash is implemented by setting the appropriate negative flash compensation on the flash unit.
The AX can be fit with an optional multi-functional data back (D-8). This highly advanced data back allows the recording of data (such as shutter speed and aperture, date, time or exposure mode) between the film frames or on frames one and two at the beginning of the roll. Somewhat uniquely in its class, the D-8 also provides an intervalometer that can be set to trigger exposures from every two seconds to 99 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds.
The AX works on one 6V lithium 2CR5 battery. The battery is inserted on one side of the camera base, allowing the tripod mount of this relatively weighty camera to be placed at the body's center of balance. Kyocera claims that the battery has a capacity of about 50 rolls of 36-exposure film under their test conditions. The automatic back focusing system of the AX appears to be relatively energy-efficient. As I mentioned in my separate review for the RX, I prefer the use of lithium batteries in Contax cameras, which provides for longer time between battery changes, better cold weather performance, and lighter travelling weight.
The autofocus system of the AX utilizes an AF-assist beam, which is emitted from the right front of the camera. The camera’s autofocus capability is relatively fast and accurate for general use, especially for the time when the AX was released. It was not as fast as the autofocus systems on high-end sports-oriented cameras, such as the Nikon F5 or the Canon EOS 1n. Nevertheless, the AX's focusing speed and accuracy compared very favorably with other autofocus bodies offered by the competition. A very nice feature of the AX's autofocus system is its ability to turn almost any lens into a macro lens (by eliminating the need to use extension tubes). In normal (non-macro) autofocus mode, some care must be taken when focusing floating element/group lenses at relatively close distances.
Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 28-85/3.3-4.0
The Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonar T* 28-85mm f/3.3-4 (MMJ) is an amazing precision work of metal and glass. This lens provides one of the most popular zoom ranges with photographers, and is also my favorite zoom range in the 35mm film world. I use this lens when I only want to carry one Carl Zeiss lens on a trip or outing and the 50/1.4 by itself won't do. The 29-75 degree angular field will cover you in most everyday situations. The f/3.3-4 maximum aperture range is not the greatest, but it is acceptable for normal use. (I generally won't use a zoom lens if the maximum aperture is smaller than f/4.) Anyway, this lens is already about maximum acceptable size and weight for hand-held use, and that is the purpose for which this lens was designed. Imagine how big and heavy the lens would be if it had larger maximum aperture! The lens is engineered in two parts; the rear barrel is fixed to the camera and includes the aperture ring. The front barrel twists for focus and slides in and out for zoom. The lens is at maximum length when it is zoomed to 28mm.
If you are using a Contax AX, you even get autofocus with all of your CZ lenses. Normally, you just set the lens focus to infinity and the AX autofocus function takes it from there. However, this lens if one of a few CZ lenses where you need to move the lens off of infinity to autofocus at the minimum end of the range, which is not a big deal. The focus/zoom movement is silky smooth.
The CZ 28-85/3.3-4 does have some disadvantages. It does not work well on a tripod, with the single ring design and lack of a tripod socket. It can be used on a sturdy-tripod with a heavier Contax body to support and balance the lens, but however irrationally, I would avoid doing it too much to avoid stressing the bayonet and mount on the lens and camera. (As mentioned in the introduction to the Carl Zeiss lens section, the metal mounting ring on the lens is relatively thin compared with the weight of CZ lenses and can be damaged if stressed too much. Indeed, I once damaged the mount of this lens by twisting it on while it wasn't exactly perpendicular to the camera body. Another disadvantage of the single ring design is that it is difficult to adjust the focus without nudging the zoom and vice versa. When carried over your shoulder while attached to the a camera body, the lens will always zoom out to maximum wide angle due to the weight of the front barrel. I have a habit of zooming the lens all the way out before slinging the camera over my shoulder. (Don't sling it around your neck, especially when attached to an RTSIII or you may cut off all blood flow to your brain! Still, its size and weight is about the same as a modern large-aperture autofocus zoom lens.)
I once had the infinity focus of this lens go out of adjustment. I couldn't turn the focusing ring far enough to focus at infinity. A trip to the authorized repair shop solved the focusing problem and above bent bayonet ring problem about 15 years ago, and the lens still appears fine to this day. One other quirk I noticed is that this zoom lens does not communicate the current value of the variable aperture to the camera. Thus if you zoom the lens all the way to telephoto while the lens is set to maximum aperture, for example, the aperture setting displayed in the viewfinder does not change to reflect the actual aperture value. Actually, it does not matter because the light meter still exposes the film properly; only the displayed value is slightly misleading.
How to carry this lens and body combination? As mentioned above, I usually use this lens when it is the only lens that I carry. For this purpose, I have a camera bag that is designed for a modern digital SLR body with a large zoom lens. I can attach this lens to any full-size Contax body and the combination fits in the bag like a glove.
The 28-85/3.3-4 lens takes large screw-in 82mm filters. Contax provided a very nice W-1 metal lens hood, which is matched to the zoom range of the lens and screws right on top of your filter. Also, Contax made a matching metal 99mm K-94 lens cap that snugly fit right on top of the W-1 lens hood. There is never any need to remove the filter and hood from the lens for storage or to use the smaller original lens cap.
Copyright © 1997-2015 Timothy A. Rogers. All rights reserved.
(DSC_5699al1br+6cl1br+15cl2cl3 Rev1)
My latest film camera purchase is the Contax Aria which I found in a dealer's at what I thought was a great price, complete with 6 month's warranty. To be honest the last thing I need is another film camera but I just can't resist when I find a "bargain".
I have some fantastic cameras which I couldn't afford when they were current but which now can be bought comparatively cheaply, although prices are beginning to creep up again as more people are experimenting with shooting film. I have never stopped shooting film but it's not the cheapest way to do things nowadays, particularly if you don't do your own processing.
My other Contax camera is the AX and the contrast in size between the two models is dramatic. For those that don't know, the AX is a camera which can autofocus with manual focus lenses. To focus, the lens to film distance has to change and in the AX it is the whole film box and prism which moves backwards and forwards inside the camera. That is the reason the camera is so thick. It is not the fastest way to focus but it works well in good light and is not as slow as you would think. In my experience it is very accurate and as you have a split image rangefinder in the viewfinder, you can clearly see if the image is sharp or not.
There are advantages and disadvantages. Wide angle lenses become almost like macro lenses because you can focus so closely. On the other hand the camera does not have enough internal movement to focus long telephotos. What you have to do is roughly manually focus first and the camera will do the fine focusing for you. Not very elegant but it works.
It remains to be seen how good the Aria is. It is obviously not built to the same standard as the AX but, as it is much lighter, it's easier to carry around.
or "mad chestnut", in Italian.
A study on shape.
Contax AX / Carl Zeiss S-Planar 60mm f2,8 Macro /
Agfaphoto APX100 / R09 1+25 7,5min
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Shot on Fujicolor C200 at EI 200
Color negative film in 35mm format
Contax AX + Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm f/2.8
View the full-size version at: emulsive.org/photography/35mm-format/sheaves-shot-on-fuji...
Filed under: #35mmformat, #Photography, #2018October, #35MmFormatFilm, #CarlZeissSonnarT135MmF28, #Contax, #ContaxAX, #EI200, #EMULSIVEDailyPhoto, #Fuji, #FujifilmFujicolorC200, #ISO200
#shootfilmbenice #filmphotography #believeinfilm