Digital BW, The Print

> That was shown by the mess of the focus-plane AF camera the Contax AX.

Derek,

Why do you say mess?  The AX is a phenomenal camera!  I use it as my primary
35mm SLR right now, and find it absolutely fantastic.  I can use all my very
expensive, very exceptional Zeiss glass (that I bought for my RTS III, which
I still have and use), and it has even some interesting features...like the
10mm built-in extension for pseudo-macro photography.  If you've never used
one, please don't call it a "mess", it doesn't deserve that.  It is truly a
revolutionary camera.

The AX has only two downsides in my book, one is size, but it is very well
balanced, and the size issue, though I thought it would bother me, doesn't
now...and second, floating element lenses have to be sort of pre-focused.
It also has a phenomenal datA back that records the exposure information
either between the frames, or on the first 2 or three frames of the roll.

Regards,

Austin

I'm glad that someone likes it!

I admit my impression of the camera is all second-hand, but the reviews were 
lukewarm to say the least, and it certainly didn't sell enough to save 
Kyocera from having to develop an AF lens range.

And as you point out, moving the focal plane sometimes just isn't enough!

On Thursday 31 Jan 2002 7:05 pm, Austin Franklin wrote:

> Why do you say mess?  The AX is a phenomenal camera!  I use it as my
> primary 35mm SLR right now, and find it absolutely fantastic.

Hi Derek,

> I'm glad that someone likes it!

I know about a dozen people who own it, and everyone of them love it!  I
have only run into one person who actually "used" one, and didn't like
it...but he fussed about most everything, and he had a reason for not liking
it...he didn't buy it, he bought an RX and was trying to justify why he
bought the RX over the AX (mind you, he used the AX after the fact...).

> I admit my impression of the camera is all second-hand, but the
> reviews were
> lukewarm to say the least,

Really?  Check the reviews on photo.net...they are hardly lukewarm!

http://www.photo.net/photo/contax/ax

> and it certainly didn't sell enough to save
> Kyocera from having to develop an AF lens range.

It IS an expensive camera...and I also believe not many people really know
what it really is capable of.

> And as you point out, moving the focal plane sometimes just isn't enough!

I didn't point that out...enough for what?  It IS slower, and if you want
FAST autofocus, Canon is surely a better choice, but for someone who has
$10k+ of Zeiss lenses, and wants an AF camera, and if the AX suits your
needs (and it certainly does mine!), it is a fantastic camera!

Regards,

Austin

Er you did - if you have to "prefocus" internal focus lenses, then clearly 
just moving the focal plane isn't enough for those lenses!

On Friday 01 Feb 2002 3:21 pm, Austin Franklin wrote:
> >\ufffdAnd as you point out, moving the focal plane sometimes just isn't enough!
>
> I didn't point that out...enough for what?

Derek,

Yes, I see what you were talking about.  For me, it hasn't been an issue at
all, as it only matters at close focus and for certain WA mostly lenses.

> Er you did - if you have to "prefocus" internal focus lenses,
> then clearly
> just moving the focal plane isn't enough for those lenses!
>
> On Friday 01 Feb 2002 3:21 pm, Austin Franklin wrote:
> > >\ufffdAnd as you point out, moving the focal plane sometimes just
> isn't enough!
> >
> > I didn't point that out...enough for what?

Austin