graham catley
Well-known member
Coolpix is on the left and Contax the right--at present I still think the Coolpix has the edge but both have some points which are better than the otherkim said:
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The amazing Contax SL300RT* (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Andy Bright
- Start date
Paul Hackett
Well-known member
Pie Face
Well-known member
Excellent photos chaps, I still haven't had the chance to get out with the Kyocera in decent light.
I came across www.camerashed.co.uk the other day, whilst looking at the D.I.Y battery pack mentioned in this thread earlier. Also there was a design for a removable cable release adaptor. I have made one of these and adapted it to work with the Kyocera/Contax. Having tested it, in poor light, I have been very pleased with ithe results. Despite it covering some of the controls they can still be used due to the softness of the velcro strap.
Mark
I came across www.camerashed.co.uk the other day, whilst looking at the D.I.Y battery pack mentioned in this thread earlier. Also there was a design for a removable cable release adaptor. I have made one of these and adapted it to work with the Kyocera/Contax. Having tested it, in poor light, I have been very pleased with ithe results. Despite it covering some of the controls they can still be used due to the softness of the velcro strap.
Mark
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IanF
Moderator
I had my first outing with the Contax SL300RT this evening after charging the battery. Not too many birds about to get a photo of though this Redshank posed quite nicely at around 50+ yards.
I am really impressed with this camera for it's speed and ease of operation. I haven't had time to even adjust the settings, yet it produced decent results straight off, just hand releasing the shutter - until the cable release bracket arrives.
I strongly suspect that it will become my main digiscoping camera very soon!
I am really impressed with this camera for it's speed and ease of operation. I haven't had time to even adjust the settings, yet it produced decent results straight off, just hand releasing the shutter - until the cable release bracket arrives.
I strongly suspect that it will become my main digiscoping camera very soon!
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ashrich
Registered , should be certified .......
For those of you actually with the Contax or the Kyocera equivelent I have found a charger unit that can also be used in the car at ( hope the mods don't mind this , it's nothing to do with me !! ) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=15215&item=3838989533 , reasonable price and you can charge it in the car while having lunch !!
Ashley.
Ashley.
John Fleet
Finally reached 300!
In fact if you check the parallel Kyocera post (sorry I don't know how to insert cross thread link!), you'll see that what appears to be the same charger is available complete with spare battery from a Hong Kong company for £24.99 delivered....
So we just need someone to buy one and post a review!
John Fleet
So we just need someone to buy one and post a review!
John Fleet
Contax SL300 does it work with Nikon Fieldscopes
I travel a great deal on business and try to fit in birding if I have a few hours or a weekend free. This can be Europe, the USA, or Asia. Consequently, my choice of optics has been biased towards being small and light and what I can fit into a bag that goes as hand luggage or is easily carried.
Until now I have avoided digiscoping as the cameras plus adaptors looked too bulky and clumsy. Plus whenever I saw other people using them in bright daylight conditions, I had the impression that it was difficult to see what the camera was recording. Some setups also have vigneting problems.
The Contax SL300 or SL400 appear to have overcome some of these drawbacks and its small size is attractive to me.
I have a Nikon 60 mm Fieldscope with the 30X wide-angle objective. Does anyone have any experience of using the Nikon with the SL300? Is connecting the two as simple as using the Nikon adaptor to screw into the filter thread of the camera lens?
I have not experienced any depth of focus issues with the scope but I have seen comments that say it is very shallow. Is this a problem for the camera? What about vigneting?
:bounce:
I travel a great deal on business and try to fit in birding if I have a few hours or a weekend free. This can be Europe, the USA, or Asia. Consequently, my choice of optics has been biased towards being small and light and what I can fit into a bag that goes as hand luggage or is easily carried.
Until now I have avoided digiscoping as the cameras plus adaptors looked too bulky and clumsy. Plus whenever I saw other people using them in bright daylight conditions, I had the impression that it was difficult to see what the camera was recording. Some setups also have vigneting problems.
The Contax SL300 or SL400 appear to have overcome some of these drawbacks and its small size is attractive to me.
I have a Nikon 60 mm Fieldscope with the 30X wide-angle objective. Does anyone have any experience of using the Nikon with the SL300? Is connecting the two as simple as using the Nikon adaptor to screw into the filter thread of the camera lens?
I have not experienced any depth of focus issues with the scope but I have seen comments that say it is very shallow. Is this a problem for the camera? What about vigneting?
:bounce:
ashrich
Registered , should be certified .......
John Fleet said:
Only trouble I have found with ordering from abroad is that there is a good chance of having to pay import duty and VAT that can add quite a lot to the price , plus the wait for it to arrive ......have got stung by HM Customs and Excise before ...ouch! :eek!:
Ashley
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
Bill,if you go to the digiscoping threads you will find lots of info re adaptors which are compatible with the various scopes.Most of them have rings which do fit the different eyepieces.No,vignetting is not a problem ,one just zooms a little to eliminate it.I used the LCE adaptor with the Contax,and produced a full image.As to the problem of not being able to see the lcd screen,Eagle optics have a small magnifying piece which fits onto the screen with velcro strips.
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
Just a couple of images taken with the Contax yesterday,with one 4500 for comparison.I don't know whether my settings on the Contax are incorrect,but the Contax ones do seem grainy compare to the Nikon.The Nikon one will be the 3rd.Taken on the same tree with the red berries.
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Pie Face
Well-known member
christineredgate said:
Hi Christine
Do you have your camera set at 100 ISO or at auto?
Here are a few shots that I took last night with the Kyocera SL400 fitted with the camera shed diy cable release. The Hare was about 60yds away and shaded, the first pic' is taken at 200 ISO at 1/30 and the second at 100 ISO at 1/15. The only noise reduction that I have used is despeckle in photo shop. The Woodpigeon was at 200 ISO at 1/180. I find that there is more noise with the Kyocera but this is easily solved in photoshop. The general sharpness and the low light capabilities out way the noise problem though. My 995 just could not cope with the Hare at 1/4 of a second. i do still take them both out but I can see the day when the Nikon will be staying in the boot of the car. After nearly 3 years with the Nikon I feel like a cheating husband whose gone off with a younger slimmer better looker, not that I know what that feels like.
Mark
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kim
Well-known member
Hi Mark Hi Christine -
I am inclined to agree with your comments Mark about the Nikon in the boot. I just got my battery pack today from Contax and have taken a couple of long tailed tits at haste in the garden with it - as I took them in great haste I was pleased with the results. Incidentally the first battery pack I got I put into it Duracell Batteriesrather than re-chargeable ones - and it would not work - it also then prevented the battery charger from working also. Contax were brilliant. They posted off a new camera and battery pack yesterday - straight after a phoned them - and an expert called Fraser also phoned to give advice. They arrived this morning - and after dealing with Nikon Customer service - what a contrast. The two people at Contax Caroline and Denise are really great - so any problems do ring them. Christine I do prefer your Nikon Heron - but it could just be luck with that photo - as Mark said - did you use Andy's settings? Needless to say I took 70 photos to get 2 passable ones!!!]
Kim
I am inclined to agree with your comments Mark about the Nikon in the boot. I just got my battery pack today from Contax and have taken a couple of long tailed tits at haste in the garden with it - as I took them in great haste I was pleased with the results. Incidentally the first battery pack I got I put into it Duracell Batteriesrather than re-chargeable ones - and it would not work - it also then prevented the battery charger from working also. Contax were brilliant. They posted off a new camera and battery pack yesterday - straight after a phoned them - and an expert called Fraser also phoned to give advice. They arrived this morning - and after dealing with Nikon Customer service - what a contrast. The two people at Contax Caroline and Denise are really great - so any problems do ring them. Christine I do prefer your Nikon Heron - but it could just be luck with that photo - as Mark said - did you use Andy's settings? Needless to say I took 70 photos to get 2 passable ones!!!]
Kim
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kim
Well-known member
John - thankyou
I attached the Contax to my Swaro AT60HD with Eagle Eye adapter. As it was so close it was rather difficult to focus. I am useless at hand holding because my hand shakes too much!! I was pleased because the tits don't hang around long - just a dashed visit and off again.
This little camera - because the monitor is so good and you don't need a shade - is very quick to get on to what you are wanting to take a photo of.
Cheers
Kim
I attached the Contax to my Swaro AT60HD with Eagle Eye adapter. As it was so close it was rather difficult to focus. I am useless at hand holding because my hand shakes too much!! I was pleased because the tits don't hang around long - just a dashed visit and off again.
This little camera - because the monitor is so good and you don't need a shade - is very quick to get on to what you are wanting to take a photo of.
Cheers
Kim
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
Kim,yes they are very good,esp as you say it was a rush job,and also I wholly agree with your comments re Contax service,excellent.Yes the colours re the Contax do not seem to be as the Nikon .I was looking at a couple of pics in the Gallery last night submitted by Ian(F) and he said (hope you do not mind me passing on your comments, Ian)something re colour saturation,eg Chroma at -1,and sharpness at +1.I have not found or altered these settings yet,far too wet today!!.
John,yes as Kim says the lcd screen is very clear,much clearer than the Nikon,but if the sun is behind you and shining onto the screen,you may have problems.This did happen to me on Thursday.But I am rather reluctant to stick pieces of velcro everywhere.
John,yes as Kim says the lcd screen is very clear,much clearer than the Nikon,but if the sun is behind you and shining onto the screen,you may have problems.This did happen to me on Thursday.But I am rather reluctant to stick pieces of velcro everywhere.
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Ghostly Vision
Well-known member
Hi all,
There are a lot of posts on this subject, so I have not read every one - sorry for any repetition!
I bought a Contax SL300 RT and after a few field trials, sent it back in favour of the CP4500.
I have found the CP4500 superior in every respect, other than the size (so what, when all is said and done?), and that it is painfully slow on continuous.
If the CP had the same speed as the Contax, it would be perfect in my opinion.
Like others, I also want to use the camera for insects, flowers, and holiday pics, and don't have the cash to buy three different cameras. I also do not get freebies from manufacturers!!! As such, the Coolpix wins hands down.
The CP4500 also cost me £50+ less than the Contax, so a bargain in my opinion.
Conversely, if Contax produced a 4mp camera with a 2cm macro, then I would buy it.
With regard to memory cards, I have found Ebay the place to buy - you get a choice of manufacturer, sizes and prices. I bought two 256mb SanDisk cards for £30 total.
Sean Cole,
Staffs
There are a lot of posts on this subject, so I have not read every one - sorry for any repetition!
I bought a Contax SL300 RT and after a few field trials, sent it back in favour of the CP4500.
I have found the CP4500 superior in every respect, other than the size (so what, when all is said and done?), and that it is painfully slow on continuous.
If the CP had the same speed as the Contax, it would be perfect in my opinion.
Like others, I also want to use the camera for insects, flowers, and holiday pics, and don't have the cash to buy three different cameras. I also do not get freebies from manufacturers!!! As such, the Coolpix wins hands down.
The CP4500 also cost me £50+ less than the Contax, so a bargain in my opinion.
Conversely, if Contax produced a 4mp camera with a 2cm macro, then I would buy it.
With regard to memory cards, I have found Ebay the place to buy - you get a choice of manufacturer, sizes and prices. I bought two 256mb SanDisk cards for £30 total.
Sean Cole,
Staffs
Richard Ford
BF Member
Interesting to hear an opposing opinion Sean.
I am not sure if anyone is really saying the Contax is better then to 4500 in terms of image quality, you can’t really make a direct comparison due to the different spec, but there seem to be several excellent features, speed, ease of use etc. I think the average digiscopers want convenience and the ability to take ‘quick’ record shots as an addition to there birding, a half decent 10x8 print is good enough for most people and from what I have read this camera is capable of that. In terms of simple web shots Paul and others images are great. If its 4 MP and a 2cm Macro (I wouldn’t trade in the Coolpix for that reason either) you want, who knows what’s round the corner, the big plus point with Contax is that they do seem to be listening. There will hopefully be even more improvements made to this already decent camera. I am itching to get my hands on one and I don’t expect to be disappointed.
I am not sure if anyone is really saying the Contax is better then to 4500 in terms of image quality, you can’t really make a direct comparison due to the different spec, but there seem to be several excellent features, speed, ease of use etc. I think the average digiscopers want convenience and the ability to take ‘quick’ record shots as an addition to there birding, a half decent 10x8 print is good enough for most people and from what I have read this camera is capable of that. In terms of simple web shots Paul and others images are great. If its 4 MP and a 2cm Macro (I wouldn’t trade in the Coolpix for that reason either) you want, who knows what’s round the corner, the big plus point with Contax is that they do seem to be listening. There will hopefully be even more improvements made to this already decent camera. I am itching to get my hands on one and I don’t expect to be disappointed.
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Pie Face
Well-known member
OK here goes 2 pics to look at both taken at the same time with the same settings but which was taken with the Kyocera and which was taken with the Contax.
Sorry they're not birds or digiscoped.
Mark
Just noticed that the one on the right was taken at 200 ISO, the one the left is at 100 ISO.
Sorry they're not birds or digiscoped.
Mark
Just noticed that the one on the right was taken at 200 ISO, the one the left is at 100 ISO.
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christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
I cannot see any difference,Mark.
