Contax AX

Review Date
December 17, 2007

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.80 of 5, 5 votes

Reviewed by
Alan Hayes , Professional

Price Paid
$900.00 at B&H

Photography Experience
6-10 years , People

Summary

Ok. Very few people will probably pay attention to this review, given the fact that this is a Film Camera, AND given the fact that the Contax brand unfortunately is not sold anymore. However I still think the camera that I love still rates a review. I first purchased a Contax Aria back in 2000. I happily used the camera, purchased a few wonderful Carl Zeiss lenses and was happy. I was a bit less than happy with the speed at which I could operate it, and every so often the body just froze up. But I was shooting with Carl Zeiss lenses and with all due respect to the other lines, I could see a difference. By the time I started getting into Pro Shooting I needed speed, reliability and yes i was looking for Auto focus.

All in all, the Contax AX is a very robust body. I shoot models and weddings with it. I like the viewfinder information, the exposure lock control, bright viewfinder etc. For studio work, one advantage of the Auto focus system is the ability to turn ANY lens into a Macro lens. This is a killer app when it comes to product and model close-ups. In the studio, it is a great camera. For portraits and fashion, great as well .. and I already mentioned the 'built in Bellows" feature.
When you put on the great Carl Zeiss 85/1.4 lens, you have a true timeless image making device. My lenses will of course migrate with me when I do finally migrate to say a Digital Canon..with a lens adapter ring.

My only limitations are mostly in flash recycle speed...but this will be solved by going from a Quantum 1+ to a Turbo pack.

I also own a Contax RTS II. I mostly use this for "Leica" style natural light photography and of course as a quick change and backup to my AX. I just wished I had invested in the Contax System back in the 90's where images were really judged on quality and aesthetics rather than the speed by which you could get them to clients and publish them on MySpace :) But wait, there is always my View Camera :)

Alan
www.modimages.net

Strengths
Highly reliable. Solid feel. No Nonsense features. Even if the auto focus isn't blazing fast, it gives you visual confirmation in the viewfinder when you are spot on. Good weight balance for heavier lenses. Digital readout of exposure compensation. 2 second delay timer setting for studio shots. Quick change battery compartment. Large knobs. When you pull this camera out on a job, clients know you are serious and don't ask questions.

Weaknesses
Not the fastest auto focus, but I am not a Paparazzi either! Nor am I shooting the Indy 500 everyday. The auto focus WILL hit accurately hit it's mark. Also, the AX is not the lightest camera in the world, but this you get used to and welcome after awhile.

Similar Products Used
Contax RTS II
Carl Zeiss 25/2.8
Carl Zeiss 35/2.8
Carl Zeiss 50/1.4
Carl Zeiss 85/1.4
Carl Zeiss 135/2.8
Carl Zeiss 200/4.0
Contax Preview II
Profoto Accute 2R Studio Flash

Review Date
February 5, 2004

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
2.60 of 5, 5 votes

Reviewed by
acf0816 , Professional

Price Paid
$1699.00 at ASAP Photo & Camera

Photography Experience
6-10 years , Fine Art

Summary
I've shot Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Schneider, and Leica optics and the Carl Zeiss MM lenses perform at or beyond the level of all of these(including L-glass,ED, and APO lenses. The innovative design of the AX body not only gives you the autofocus capability, but its nifty macro function acts as a 10mm extension tube which enables pretty awesome macro work with a standard 50mm 1.7 lens, with full TTL metering I might add. The 50mm 1.7 is rated a 4.6 on photodo.com making it one of the worlds sharpest. The AX body even allows for auto-focus when using external extension tubes. The quality and craftsmenship of all Contax bodies are world reknowned and the AX is no acception, it is built like a tank. Provides high shutter speeds and a fast framing rate. I recommend this body to Zeiss lovers everywhere.

Strengths
All around performance is professional caliber, especially enjoy the macro function and of course the Zeiss MM lenses!

Weaknesses
First weakness, Good luck finding one these bad boys went out of production and are scarce on ebay, collectors are holding onto these bad boys. Secondly, Autofocus a bit slow and the body is a bit bulky. Although autofocus is very accurate once it locks on and the bulkiness is what allows for the autofocus with the MM lenses.

Similar Products Used
Nikon F5, Canon A2

Customer Service
You won't need any on Contax equipment, unless you need some cleaning done. Very well built

Review Date
August 21, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
2.50 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by
Gordon Land , Expert , from Canberra, ACT, Australia

Price Paid
$1800.00 at Fletchers Photograph

Photography Experience
21+ years , Other

Summary
Excellent product. I prefer Contax by miles to Leica and Nikon. The latter one is just a mass produced, well advertised product with wobbely lenses made from plastic and in China. :( The lenses are superb, but who tells me, the multifocal lenses of my reading glasses are made by.... Carl Zeiss. It is the best of the best.

The camera is excellent in quality and performance. I had several Contax cameras before this one, but love this one most of all. You can see some of the pictures at my website http://radioandmedia.com

Strengths
Superb quality and workmanship, excellent oprtical performace without question.

Weaknesses
A little heavy, but who cares, better than some piece of plastic that wobbels all over the place.

Similar Products Used
137 MD, 167 MT, Nikon 9000

Customer Service
Very good.

Review Date
September 12, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
SingLO , Intermediate , from London, England

Price Paid
$930.00 at London

Photography Experience
2-5 years , People

Summary
With the AX, you can have the best of both worlds: autofocus and manual focous with the excellent Carl Zeiss MM optics.
In fact the focusing method is similar to the extension bellows of the Mamiya 67. The difference is that you have the entire film, shutter and prism housed in a movable unit. The innovative focusing system is fast, quiet and accurate. I have high success rate of capturing fast moving objects. It works very well even under low light. Users must use small aperture if you focus the AX close-up with the film plane extension in the case of lenses with floating elements such as the 180/2.8 Sonnar, otherwise the edge sharpness will drop. The chunky titanium and aluminium alloy body is very solid and beautiful.
Compared to today's standard, one-point autofocusing seems to be outdated; but I have used the eye-focus system of the EOS 30/Elan 7, and I concluded that it is no big deal of problem with single-point focusing unless you are a sport photographer.

Strengths
Autofocus is fast, accurate and quiet.
Quality built like an armour tank comparable to the RTSIII and Leica R8.
It is a good choice for those who has already owned many manual MM lenses and can't afford to upgrade to the astronomically priced N1 optics.

Weaknesses
Focusing screen is a bit darker than the Aria.
Single point focusing.
AF is a bit of hassle with zoom lenses.

Similar Products Used
Contax Aria
Canon EOS 30/ Elan 7
Mimiya RZ67 Pro II
Bronica ETRsi
Contarex Bullseye
Canon EOS 1000FN
Minox ECX 1

Review Date
August 6, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Visitors rate this review
3.50 of 5, 6 votes

Reviewed by
wo , Intermediate , from hongkong

Price Paid
$1300.00 at japan

Photography Experience
11-20 years , People

Summary
1. this is not for fast AF photography.
2. use fast lenses e.g. f/2.8
3. try to avoid tele side of zoom lenses. e.g. for 100-300/4.5-5.6 , avoid using AF for 300mm

Strengths
MF Zeiss lenses including those discontinued models; extra macro function;

Weaknesses
quiet AF but not fast when low light or slow lenses (especially tele zooms)

Similar Products Used
all nikon bodies; G1 & G2