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Contax 645, your thoughts please?

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DougDolde

Guest
Ebay is the place to get Contax 645 gear. KEH.com is good too. I just got a very nice Zeiss 140mm for $610 on Ebay.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/atcace/cameras/=CONTAX/=645/_MG_6438.jpg

I am building a new Contax kit. I sold the previous one a couple years ago mostly because I didn't like the Kodak Pro back files enough over 4x5 film. This time I am going to get a better back. That said the Kodak back is still pretty darn good.

Yes I am a gearholic too.
 
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RayM

Member
Victor, thank you, yes, I really do want to get on the MF bus, but the route isn't clear for me. I'm completely confident I'll eventually choose something, sooner than later. After sleeping on it overnight, I'm basically trying to choose between picking up a Contax 645 for what I think is a pretty good price and getting a back for it in the next few months, or just holding out for awhile until we see some new offerings. Last night I was leaning to just waiting awhile longer, this morning I'm leaning to the Contax now and build-it-over-time option.

Doug, thanks for the advice on ebay too, I'll check it out. And, which specific back do you think you will be adding for your Contax 645?

And, there's always the shoot film and scan method too, annoyances and all.
 
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DougDolde

Guest
I haven't decided which back yet. Leaf or Phase.

Scanning 645 film is not worth the bother. I already shoot 4x5 and get it a high quality scan. In fact just finding an affordable digital back that will satisfy me after 4x5 is the issue.
 

RayM

Member
Hi Doug, Uncle! I'm going to get the Contax 645 and take my time figuring out which back to get for it and then save up for it. Ok, now I feel better! Thank you for your help.
 
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DougDolde

Guest
A tip for Ebay buying...use snipeswipe.com

Put in your maximum price and it will bid for you in the last 10-12 seconds. Don't go too high, there will always be another one coming. Patience will get you the best deals.

An excellent body can be had for under $600, a prism for under $300, etc. A kit is good if you don't bid too high. Beware of TMR's stuff, its good but they always want top dollar. $2000 for a kit w/ 80mm is more than you need to pay.
 

gogopix

Subscriber
Or watch the ads in several sites;
For me I went to one of the Photo stores; KEH, KOH, B&H, Adorama, Samy's, Henry's (CA) etc. Lots of them. I have never had a bad purchase from a syore and they will take it back.

Also try Kurland. A little more but Eli has the best stuff.

regards
Victor
 

RayM

Member
Doug and Victor, good news, just found one for well under $2K, in like new condition. Should have it later this week.

And, thanks so much too for the tip on the auto-bidding service. Amazing stuff. Now I'll start the hunt for a nice wide angle, something in the 24/28mm (in 35mm terms) and eventually a good macro, and maybe that 140 too. Thanks again. Ray
 
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DougDolde

Guest
Here's another tip. If you only search on Ebay for "Contax 645" you may miss a few items. Looks like everybody missed this one (because of a quirky title) and it would have been a steal at the opening price.

http://tinyurl.com/5bh79f

Watch for it. They will probably relist it and I bet use the same title !
 

gogopix

Subscriber
just call henry's and offewr the opening price
i have done this when I have missed an auction and all have just sold to me at the price opening without auction. Many take credit cards directly
Henrty's is a good source
and the 35mm is a great lens (it is actually my 'walk around' other than the 80mm

Victor
 

RayM

Member
Were you able to get the lens? I went out to his website last night right after I read your earlier auction note and it wasn't listed. Ray
 

lance_schad

Workshop Member
A tip for Ebay buying...use snipeswipe.com

Put in your maximum price and it will bid for you in the last 10-12 seconds. Don't go too high, there will always be another one coming. Patience will get you the best deals.

An excellent body can be had for under $600, a prism for under $300, etc. A kit is good if you don't bid too high. Beware of TMR's stuff, its good but they always want top dollar. $2000 for a kit w/ 80mm is more than you need to pay.

I have had good experience with www.auctionsniper.com . Have been using it for a few years and rarely have lost an auciton.
Lance Schad
Capture Integration - Miami/Atlanta
305-394-3196 cell | 305-534-5702 office
Capture Integration
[email protected]
Lance
 

RayM

Member
Thanks Victor, I think it's already gone. That's ok though. Need money first!

And, Lance, thank you. Great tip. When I get ready to grow the lens collection, I'll certainly dig into this one. And, a question for you, specifically, how often does your company receive items such as digital backs (like when they're coming off-lease or coming in on a trade-in, that kind of thing? Is it fairly often? Thank you.
 

irakly

New member
So, my questions:
1 Is the Contax 645 a camera that I should be worried about related to long term support or "fixability?"
2 Do you feel there is a compelling reason to NOT buy a used Contax 645
3 If you have experience with the zeiss 120, have you used it successfully for portraiture?
4 If you have or have had experience with a digital back on the Contax 645, which one would you recommend as a good all-around choice?
5 I will likely develop BW film myself, but I will likely send the negatives out for scanning. Can you recommend a vendor who provides quality negative scanning?

Thank you in advance for any wisdom you're willing to share.
1. Well, you know... At least now if you need to fix a body it is cheaper to by a used one for $500 or so. most problems with lenses can be fixed, unless you drop it. ToCad seems to be decent, at least faster than Contax USA used to be :)
2. No reason whatsoever.
3. I use 120 a few times a week, this lens is absolutely unfit for portraiture. All C645 lenses are highly specialized. 4/120 is for product work and nothing else. 2/80 and 2.8/140 are the best for portraiture. In fact, 2/80 is THE BEST for portraiture if you use a digital back with 1.5 crop. 3.5/35 is great for interiors, 2.8/45 for landscapes. 3.5/55 is absolutely great for environmental portraiture. 4/210 is not very impressive.
4. Shooting with a digital back since 2002. Always used Kodak DCS ProBack 645C. Recently bought PhaseOne P25. So, if you want my backup Kodak, let me know cuz I am going to put it on eBay tomorrow. I am absolutely convinced that Kodak sports the best price/performance ratio right now, and if you like square format, this is it. Files can be printed 6x6 feet with such quality that one can look at the image with a magnifying glass and be hard-pressed to tell it from film.
5. I scan film myself with Polaroid 120. Only on very rare occasions, mainly if a transparency is slightly underexposed, I have a need for something more advanced like Imacon.
 
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DougDolde

Guest
Irakly how do you find the P25 over the Kodak? Is it hugely better?
 

gogopix

Subscriber
I would be curious too. In my switch from Kodak to P25 I actually missed some of the color and film-like look of the Kodak. The resolution of the P25 was there, but only noticable in blowuos.

I am actually considering a Kodak back as backuo (I have an extra COntax body), but Ray, why don't you get youyrs settled first. They regularly come on the market and Midwest will service them for the forseeable future.

good luck.

Victor

PS there is another on ebay Kodak Contax back ending in 2 days. Now at $2100

PPS: Dear Ray; get a kadak back quickly! I am starting to like it aagain, a lot! LOL

[PPPS Let me know which one's you bid on so I will NOT compete!]

PPPPS take a look at some of the images on the other C645 thread,
 
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RayM

Member
Irakly, thank you very much for your assistance on this. If it's not too terribly much trouble, would you please post a photo taken with the 120 of either/both a person and a thing (a flower, a detail of some kind). I'd really appreciate seeing with my own eyes what the 120 can do. I have already started to shift my thinking on this whole 120 macro-for-two-purposes thought, and I'm onto thinking about the 140 in addition to the 80. Frankly, the lens I will probably pursue once I familiarize myself with the camera is a wide angle. I have the Contax 21 f2.8 Distagon that I use with my Canon, and I'm actually thinking of leaning more towards the 45 rather than the 35. And, if it were a few months from now, I would be very interested in the Kodak back that you'll be putting up on ebay. By the way, what do you anticipate that you'll get for the item when it's all over. I'm very curious about this.

And, Victor, thank you too, you're exactly right, I'm going to settle in for some time and get to know the camera. I'll run film through it, have it developed and scanned, and see what she can do, as they say. So, feel free to bid on those items!
 

irakly

New member
there is more than one reason not to use 120 for portraiture. it is f/4, so it's not that easy to focus in the dark. moreover, it has a very long throw -- not very practical for people photography.
the thing is, i do not shoot flowers that often :) let me see...
i expect to get $5500 for it. it has as little as 1200 actuations, three chargers and five batteries.
 

RayM

Member
Irakly, thank you for posting the photos. Really nice. I'm beginning to see what everybody is acknowledging as the fine quality of the lens, and of course, the photographers who use it (!). Really, very nice work. As with any of these lenses, I was hoping to get some "double duty" from them, as in macro and portraits, but yes, I see your point, especially in darker circumstances and the challenge that proper focusing would be, like on a subject's eyes. So, it looks like the 140 it shall be. And, some day, I'm sure I'll pick up a used 120 for the macro work I enjoy so much.

Thanks too for the info on the back. Ray
 
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