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Need advice on buying a Contax ND

John,

I shoot an ND and get perfect daylight color balance every time. You do need to take the tongue out of your cheek
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The comment was made because unlike film, that are a (marvelous) one-trick-pony as far as color balance is concerned, you can vary the color balance much like using a filter, but without losing an F-stop or more. He wishes he could do so in a continuous fashion, rather than steps as with filters. These danged consumers, give them a pound and they want a ton ...

BTW, scanning has its own color balance problems, as in calibrating for a specific film emulsion.

Cheers,

DJ
 
DJ,

> BTW, scanning has its own color balance problems, as in calibrating > for a specific film emulsion.

It's not only the emulsion you calibrate for, it's the development, exposure and lighting. Only calibrating for the emulsion will get you in the "ball part". The only way to get "correct" color is to calibrate they entire system (including your camera/scanner, monitor and your printer). Most people don't, they simply adjust to what "looks right"...and there's nothing really wrong with that, unless you're doing commercial work. If I want "perfect" color, I shoot the first frame of a McBeth color chart...and then scan that frame, and adjust the color until it matches the known values for the chart...and apply that curve to the rest of the roll...and that works quite well, as long as the lighting hasn't changed significantly, in which I simply shoot another chart... You have to do the exact same with a digital image, if you want "perfect" color, or as with film, simply adjust it as you see fit... It's really no different.

Regards,

Austin
 
Austin,

You're absolutely on the money - I wanted to make the point but took the lazy way out - I'm pooped and just thinking about shoveling snow tomorrow is draining me even more! Thanks for expanding. Thinking about my darkroom days balancing for film and paper emulsions is getting me even more tired ...

Good Night all!

DJ
 
I thought this camera was discontinued. I called today Contax Thailand, and asked if they happened to have any remaining items in stock, hoping to get a bargain. They said that the ND is not discontinued but available on order only. Delivery takes 3 months and the price is 180,000 thai bahts or 4500 us$ approximately.
 
I like the idea of using filters without losing stops and without actually having to carry and physically screw on filters which is always a bind. I don't suppose it's possible to do a virtual polariser with it is it? We have just bought a point and shoot type digital and I think it's great. I noticed the white balance adjustment but from the small amount we've used it so far, it seems fine on automatic. My wife wanted it to take pictures of flowers when we are out, to store the pictures in the computer and then check what they are against references and perhaps plant them herself.
Cheers,
John
 
What's up with the sudden proliferation of NDs on eBay? Are these grey market units? Or are the fabled NDs stolen from the Contax warehouse starting to make their way to market?
 
Looks as if someone stumbled across a load fallen off a truck somewhere. Before bidding, I would ask for the serial number and verify it with Kyocera USA just to make sure. I sure would be cautious no matter what their eBay feedback record tells us.
 
To keep track on those ND on eBay, I placed a small bid on one ND on sale rather than using the tracking option. A big mistake! I've since been bombarded by no less than 12 emails starting with "Sir, I noticed your bid on ND...I have the same camera at a lower price..." and so forth. Most of them were from yahoo.co.uk, probably as a pretext to force me to use Western Union.

I should think most of them are just scammers with no ND, but I wonder if some of those were trying to sell me one of those stolen NDs.
 
Hi,

I am looking to buy a digital SLR camera, and I do not know if the Contax N is one. Because in the Contax web site I can not find it.
Is it a good choice? How is the comparaison with the Canon 10D? Where can I buy it?

Regards

Georges
 
Georges:

I would recommend you read the previous post about the ND before you try to purchase one as they have been discontinued.

Regards:

Gilbert
 
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