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WTB: Contax 645 IQ180/280 digital back

Steve Hendrix

Steve Hendrix

Well-known member
B L said:
I saw OP's post on day one and since than I have been looking for one to help him.So far no chance. The day I see anyone with it, I am gonna ask him/her to contact OP immidiately or else....
But seriously its a challenge for Phase one. Its not impossible to put one together and not at skyhigh cost either.
Mr Hendrix,hats off to your team's interaction whenever your input is expected.Phase One sold Contax mount back in the past so they have the knowledge and resources.
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No, if nothing else, it is a diversion for Phase One, whether they can put the pieces together or not. They are a river flowing in one directon and the odd Contax user who wants a newer digital back is a distracting tributary from the flow. Based on the number of Contax mount sales in recent years, I won't hold it against them. It's a shame, though.


Steve Hendrix/CI
 
N

nikesteam

Member
Thank you B L. I tried to post in the FB group for Contax 645 users, but my post was pretty much immediately deleted. If anyone here is a member, I'd definitely appreciate a post in the group to test the waters.
 
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drevil

drevil

Well-known member
Staff member
nikesteam said:
Hey guys. Just doing my monthly check here to see if anyone has heard anything. *fingers crossed*.
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man i feel your pain ;)

i know someone who has an iq180 for c645 but i doubt he even remotely would consider to part with it, as the price went too low already, and it simply is a great back, i know i wouldnt want to sell my iq180 another time
 
B

B L

Well-known member
I am bumping for you.
I wish I was a robot called Phase One for a day to assemble one back for you.:)
 
N

nikesteam

Member
Submitting my mandatory two-week bump. Hellllooooo... ellloooooo... llloooo... ooooo.... Is anyone out there? ... thhhheeerrreee... hhhheeerreeee... eeeerrrree.. eee...

(those are echos)
 
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nikesteam

Member
Happy New Year bump incoming. Wow. It's been almost two years since I originally posted this. Just for record-keeping purposes, I want to say that I have:

- gotten married
- am having my first child
- purchased two different digital backs
- my wife has gotten her masters degree
- moved house

Haha. All of this in that time.

Anyways, I figured I would put something interesting here instead of just saying, 'bump'. Keep me updated friends.
 
Digitalcameraman

Digitalcameraman

Active member
Sending backs to Phase One to get a mount swap used to be pretty easy. Well it is still very easy for most mounts except the Contax. We have had orders placed at Phase One for a very long time for Contax mounts and none in sight. There are just so very few that were produced, the people that buy them, keep them. I am only explaining this because we get calls every week for people wanting to buy used Phase One backs and they want to have that mount converted. The way this takes place is that you send the back to P1 and the swap it with one of similar condition. That works great but Phase One does not have any Contax mounts to swap, sell or replace. Good Luck.
 
A

anyone

Well-known member
Digitalcameraman said:
Sending backs to Phase One to get a mount swap used to be pretty easy. Well it is still very easy for most mounts except the Contax. We have had orders placed at Phase One for a very long time for Contax mounts and none in sight. There are just so very few that were produced, the people that buy them, keep them. I am only explaining this because we get calls every week for people wanting to buy used Phase One backs and they want to have that mount converted. The way this takes place is that you send the back to P1 and the swap it with one of similar condition. That works great but Phase One does not have any Contax mounts to swap, sell or replace. Good Luck.
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Contax and to a certain extent also Hasselblad V Phase One backs seem to be rare. What I don't understand is that if there is demand for these mounts, why does P1 not produce the appropriate parts?
 
N

nikesteam

Member
Digitalcameraman said:
Sending backs to Phase One to get a mount swap used to be pretty easy. Well it is still very easy for most mounts except the Contax. We have had orders placed at Phase One for a very long time for Contax mounts and none in sight. There are just so very few that were produced, the people that buy them, keep them. I am only explaining this because we get calls every week for people wanting to buy used Phase One backs and they want to have that mount converted. The way this takes place is that you send the back to P1 and the swap it with one of similar condition. That works great but Phase One does not have any Contax mounts to swap, sell or replace. Good Luck.
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It's a shame! I did call just to be sure, and they said that there are no parts... anywhere (!) for a mount replacement currently. If you hear of anything Chris, let me know!
 
Digitalcameraman

Digitalcameraman

Active member
nikesteam said:
It's a shame! I did call just to be sure, and they said that there are no parts... anywhere (!) for a mount replacement currently. If you hear of anything Chris, let me know!
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We have been telling Phase One that for more than three years. We had sold a lot of those Contax backs but it seems to be the most elusive mount to get. And not many people give them up for upgrades since P1 discontinued that too. The lenses were good for the Contax system but unless you have a lot of time to manual focus with view view, Auto Focus and manual focusing can be hit or miss. Very similar to the results most had with Hasselblad V system. The film plane is not always true to the viewfinder, so it was easy or miss on focus.
 
drevil

drevil

Well-known member
Staff member
Digitalcameraman said:
The lenses were good for the Contax system but unless you have a lot of time to manual focus with view view, Auto Focus and manual focusing can be hit or miss. Very similar to the results most had with Hasselblad V system. The film plane is not always true to the viewfinder, so it was easy or miss on focus.
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I just recently acquired a P65+ on the chinese market, it has 2 dings unfortunately but it works just well. manual focusing isnt bad on the contax, except shooting the 80/2 wide open, i also have the split screen which is very helpful, for landscape, just turn the focus to the far end, 35mm and 80mm do not go beyond infinity and you have a nicely focused image.

as for the general problem, phase says there are no parts? JUST PRODUCE THEM, how difficult or expensive can it be? they just DONT WANT TO. to protect their system.
if rumors are correct, they were interested in acquiring the contax brand instead the mamiya, that would have solved things haha. but i guess zeiss just wasn't interested enough.

I dont think more is necessary than, exchange the mount plate and maybe a change of firmware. done in 20 minutes, and they could still charge 1000+ dollars for that.

I will definitely not let go of my P65+, even if my GFX100 and contax lenses produce "better" images. next goal would be a achromatic+ for my contax, but if color digital backs are rare, getting a achromatic+ will be nearly impossible.
 
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