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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

The amazing Contax SL300RT* (1 Viewer)

Sorry I missed you at the birdfair, Graham. Someone mentioned you'd been around in the optics marquee but I did demo the contax to a few guys who know you quite well.

I took delivery of the Contax external battery pack at the show, seems very well made with a cable that isn't going to suffer from the rough and tumble you get in the field. It's slighlty different in shape to what i expected, being long and slim, so it tends to fit better on your tripod or scope than the dumpy dual force pro for Nikons. It does recharge the internal battery when the camera is switched off and connected to the battery pack. When purchased, it comes supplied with 2350mah nimh batteries and a fan cooled AA charger (fan cooled??!!)
regards,
Andy
 
Hi Andy

Any chance of listing the required settings for this/these cameras. I've just received my Kyocera and want to make sure I've set it up right. Apologies if you've already done this.

Regards

Mark
 
graham catley said:
I have been checking around the cheaper sites for the Contax but there seems to be some difference in whether a 128mb card is supplied in the price or not? Th echeapest site Pixmania appears to suggest that no memory is included inthe price which would make a £30 odd difference if a 128mb card were in the other prices---has nayone bought one from Pix and what did they get in the box as it were?---The Dane Elec cards recommended by Andy appear to come in two versions one o fthe 256mb cards is £4 more than the other but I am not sure if one is faster than the other---confused but still interested!
Graham

Graham
Check out the following for Dane elec cards.
valuedigital.co.uk.
Stan
 
Andy Bright said:
Sorry I missed you at the birdfair, Graham. Someone mentioned you'd been around in the optics marquee but I did demo the contax to a few guys who know you quite well.

I took delivery of the Contax external battery pack at the show, seems very well made with a cable that isn't going to suffer from the rough and tumble you get in the field. It's slighlty different in shape to what i expected, being long and slim, so it tends to fit better on your tripod or scope than the dumpy dual force pro for Nikons. It does recharge the internal battery when the camera is switched off and connected to the battery pack. When purchased, it comes supplied with 2350mah nimh batteries and a fan cooled AA charger (fan cooled??!!)
regards,
Andy
sounds very high tech--is the price similarly high?
 
graham catley said:
sounds very high tech--is the price similarly high?
The actual battery pack is fairly simple, the battery charger is probably overkill having a fan. The total price is £59, which I didn't think was too bad in the scheme of things and considering that it's a genuine Contax accessory... expensive cameras have equally expensive accessories as a rule, and Contax film cameras are very expensive.
 
M N Reeder said:
Hi Andy

Any chance of listing the required settings for this/these cameras. I've just received my Kyocera and want to make sure I've set it up right. Apologies if you've already done this.

Regards

Mark
Hi Mark,
There's not a great deal to do.
in Setup:
AF mode @ SAF
AF method @ Speed

in settings (accessed by menu when you're in a shooting mode):
AE mode @ F2.8
Focusing @ Spot AF
Metering @ dependant upon size of subject in view but Centre or Spot is usually a safe bet.

Switch the flash off and away you go.

regards,
Andy
 
Hi Andy - after seeing the Contax at the Bird Fair am very tempted but having spent a fortune over the past 12 months on the 4500 and the new Swarovski adaptor am feeling a bit groggy about another large outlay!! Is there room for two - or should one concentrate on getting the Nikon photography right first!!!!!?
Am rather "miffed" that the 4500 seems to gave gone out of favour - or am getting the wrong signals here.
Do you feel it was worth the extra outlay Christine?
Cheers
Kim
 
Andy Bright said:
Hi Mark,
There's not a great deal to do.
in Setup:
AF mode @ SAF
AF method @ Speed

in settings (accessed by menu when you're in a shooting mode):
AE mode @ F2.8
Focusing @ Spot AF
Metering @ dependant upon size of subject in view but Centre or Spot is usually a safe bet.

Switch the flash off and away you go.

regards,
Andy

Thanks Andy

I am using pretty much the same settings, though I can't find AF Method.
Managed a few successful shots last night despite the awful light. First impressions are that this is a very good digiscoping camera, focussing is much more forgiving than the Coolpix and the shutter speeds seem quicker.
Hopefully will be able to compare my SL400 with the Contax this weekend so might post some comparison shots.
Incidentally I've made my own cable release clamp (which works well most of the time) out of a small piece of alluminium and a plastic screw (see attached).

Thanks again

Mark
 

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Kim,I am not sure.I have not yet had a chance to try any serious digiscoping,with the Contax,due mainly to the atrocious weather.I have now the remote cable ,and am waiting for the adaptor.The 4500 is a different camera altogether from the Contax.I have tried using the Contax on the Macro settings and results were pretty dismal,but the Contax is such a small ,compact unit,it is great for slipping in ones pocket whils't out walking etc.Unfortunately,I am one of the world's worst photographers,so cannot really give an expert opinion on this camera.Once I have had a serious try with the digiscoping will be able to say more,but no,I do not regret buying the camera,it is a good little unit.On the day it arrived I took a couple of pics through my binoculars with it,now I have not been able to do that with any other camera,so yes,I was favourably impressed.
 
Hi Christine - thanks for the response. Well I have ordered the Contax - and a spare battery. - also the cable release. Don't know what to do about a charger - will probably wait a while until they produce a long life battery. These batteries must be better than the 4500?!(although) I managed to get a battery pack for that What adaptor are you waiting for - I already have a Eagle Eye so I am hoping that will do. Incidentally I bought the Swarovski adaptor for the Coolpix and it is brilliant.What do you mean "world's worst photographer" Play fair - have seen some great shots in your
gallery.
I await the Contax - and just hope it isn't raining again tomorrow!!
Many thanks
 
Andy Bright said:
Hi Mark,
There's not a great deal to do.
in Setup:
AF mode @ SAF
AF method @ Speed

in settings (accessed by menu when you're in a shooting mode):
AE mode @ F2.8
Focusing @ Spot AF
Metering @ dependant upon size of subject in view but Centre or Spot is usually a safe bet.

Switch the flash off and away you go.

regards,
Andy

If you want to retain the flash off setting you need to set mode lock to on in the setup menu, I have also turned off those annoying beeps and switched off the start up screen.
 
peteg said:
If you want to retain the flash off setting you need to set mode lock to on in the setup menu, I have also turned off those annoying beeps and switched off the start up screen.

Many thanks Peteg

I was going to ask if that was possible.

Mark
 
Kim, I purchased a battery charger from Euro batteries .com.It charges the genuine Kyocera ones ,but the eurobattery equivalents do not seem to fit.Yes I do have the Eagle optics adaptor,although I do prefer the LCE ,which I use with the 4500,but unfortunately it is not compatible with the Contax.There is supposed to be another adaptor unit being produced by Pennine photography,with eliminates the need for the small plastic filter ring.I have broken 2 so far!!.
Kim,thankyou for your kind words re my photos,but honestly ,any decent ones I produce really are more by good luck than skill.I honestly do not understand any camera settings at all.I have tried and I have read the books,but all to no avail.It is only the patience of BF members who help with any queries I have ,that I manage to produce anything reasonable.
 
M N Reeder said:
Sorry Graham I should have made it clearer that I have the Kyocera SL400. AF Method does not appear to be on the set up menu.

Mark
I presume you mean 'macro' or 'infinity/landscape' ....use the 'Scene' button and scroll down. Standard AF seems as good as any to me, so far.
Regards,
Andy
 
kim said:
Hi Andy - after seeing the Contax at the Bird Fair am very tempted but having spent a fortune over the past 12 months on the 4500 and the new Swarovski adaptor am feeling a bit groggy about another large outlay!! Is there room for two - or should one concentrate on getting the Nikon photography right first!!!!!?
Am rather "miffed" that the 4500 seems to gave gone out of favour - or am getting the wrong signals here.

Kim
Hi Kim,
The cp4500 in the right hands is a brilliant tool for digiscoping.... unfortunately it does seems as if a lot of people struggle to get acceptable results (focus), even after prolonged used. Even though I am fairly succesful with the Nikons, I do find it far simpler to get decent results on a more consistant basis with the Contax, it does seem as if this is also the case with other users.

If you wish to pop over and have a try, e-mail me and we can sort something out.

The cp4500 hasn't gone out of favour, just production, but with the cp4500 becoming harder to find the little Contax/Kyocera is the next best thing for the birder... and it's speed/size may make it better to many in any case.
cheers,
Andy
 
Question about AF Method:
On the Contax there is something called "AF MODE" at the top of the set Up options (use the < button just below the line of symbols, of which the first is SET UP to get SET UP to light up in red, and then find AF MODE at the top of SET UP (1/3)).

PS - somebody didn't think much of the Macro setting on these. If anybody has one and is keen, it might be worth using the filter holder to attach a +2 dioptre close-up filter.
 
Kyocera finecam SL300R

Andy Bright said:
Nikon are supposed to have something in the pipeline, though i'm sure it can't be the cp5200.
The Contax may not get Nikon owners throwing away their cameras but it's certainly a very good choice for anyone starting out, especially the genuine birder... it's so easy to get sharp images.
Here are a few photos to show how 'pocketable' this camera is compared to the cp4500 (and I raved about that camera's compact size when it was released!)

Andy, I've just purchased this fantastic camera. The first use seems very promising...BUT it doesn't come with the 28mm adaptor, do you know were I can get hold of one???, Thanks Nic.
 
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