Wonderful little camera that operates pretty much like its larger sibling, the Contax G2, which I own and love. Ran a test roll through using T-max 3200 exposed at 1600 and the results were perfect. Zeiss lens is incredibly sharp and autofocus is fast and quiet. The only thing I wish the camera had: the ability to lock focus and exposure separately--focus can be locked by itself but not exposure. Size and weight are perfect for what I need. Viewfinder is bright, well-organized and easy to use. Nice to have an -onboard flash for those times when you absolutely have to have artificial light. This is the 2 teeth model of the T3 so I'm assuming that the "dental problems" the 1 tooth version had will not show up here. I thought about getting the less expensive T2, but from what I read the T3 is faster, smaller and lighter. Very glad I made this purchase.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I've owned several of these little beauties and the CONTAX T3 still has a place in my heart, even in this digital world we now live in. Unfortunately, with the exception of the Ricoh GR-Digital, no manufacturer has even tried stepping up to the plate to deliver a digital camera capable of dethroning the "King" of the posh point & shoot camera from the CONTAX T3. The Carl Zeiss T* Coated Sonnar 2.8/35 is one of the sharpest lenses I've ever shot with. Perhaps even too sharp! Does Zeiss make a Softar in 30.5mm thread filters? I'd say it rivals the Planar 2.0/45 on the G series in resolution, color, contrast, and delineation. Did I mention that the T3 can accept the widest range of accesories of any compact camera ever produced? That's what makes the T3 part of the entire Contax system. With the filter adapter you can affix a metal hood for unparalleled flare reduction (just like the old Rollei 35) and of course the whole universe of filters available in th 30.5mm thread. B+W, Heliopan, Hoya, and Contax all make several filters in this size and this greatly enhances one's capabilities in the field and expressionistically. Using the SA-2 TLA flash adapter you can use the TLA 200 TTL Flash for greater flash output and range. But, of course, you could use any TLA flash like the TLA 360 and even an off-camera shoe cord for greater flexibility, distance, and creative effects. Another great feature of the SA-2 flash adapter is that it allows you to use an electronic cable release for absolute vibration reduction and stealthier shutter release. There is also a fitted ever-ready case (CC-82) which will allow the user to protect the camera while retaining the immediate use of the hood, filters, and metal lens cap (K-34). This little sytem camera resided in many a Magnum photographer's case because it was a great back-up camera that could go anywhere. Somtimes it was their primary camera because of its size. The only 35mm camera that was smaller was the Minolta TC-1, but it was more of a copy-cat to the Contax T series design philosophy and wasn't half the camera the T3 is either. The titanium shell is also an asset in the field for its rigidity, light weight, and heat resistance. And finally the user had the choice of the lustrous Titanium finish or the stealthier Titanium Black finish. With so many options plus tiny size and optics that would make some SLR users weep, this is still a great camera for any digital or film to stand up to.Read full review
The T3 is in my opinion the best point and shoot film camera ever made. I have owned the close competition which are the Nikon 35Ti and the Leica CM. Both cameras are larger and don't fit your pocket nearly as well. They all produce close to identical color, contrast and sharpness. They all have their strong points as well, but of the three the T3 is just the best experience. You can use filters and a hood which the other two don't accept. It has full manual controls, although the manual focus takes some practice because it is done in meters. The only two small things i would change would be adding a backlight to the external display and showing the exact shutter speed in the viewfinder instead of a range between two speeds. Since these are the only two small gripes i have this camera is as close to perfect as there will ever be since nobody makes film cameras like this anymore. If you have the budget, buy the T3. If you don't have the $500+ to buy one the Nikon 35Ti is an excellent camera that produces equal images and can be bought on ebay for around $200.Read full review
As the final model in Contax's T series of point-and-shoot film cameras the T3 represents some good, and not good, developments beyond the successful T2. Here, in brief, is what I found. - The T3 is perhaps 15% smaller than the T2. That's certainly good. - The T3's controls are mostly the same as the T2. Exposure comp is relocated to the right and the timer is implemented electronically. - The T3 does away with the T2's finger grip, probably a pure visual style decision. That's not so good as it makes the smaller T3 a bit harder to hold. - The T3 does not retain the flash mode after power off. That is, each time you turn the camera on it will return to "Auto Flash" mode. This is a very disappointing, positively maddening feature and might just be a deal-breaker consideration for some buyers. It's ultimately why I retreated to the T2 for most shooting. I'm sure that Contax would have fixed this with a "T4" but, alas, the whole proposition of p&S film cameras joined buggy whips before such a model could be introduced. That aside, the T3 is a solid little film camera that produces very sharp, well-exposed frames and is conveniently sized. If size is most important to you the T3 is your buggy-whip camera!Read full review
I love this camera. It´s easy to use, and has a lot of features. The pictures turn out very good. I highly recommend it.
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