contax t3 review

Have a picture of Contax T3 35mm Compact Camera?, please send it to us.
Picture courtesy of John Ritchie.

Average Ratings

Features	9.5/10
Value for Money	9.3/10
Overall rating	9.5/10

100% Recommended4 out of 4 Reviews

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By Howard. on 8th Aug 2002

Howard.'s Ratings

Features	9/10
Value for money	10/10
Overall value	9/10
Howard.'s recommendation

Good Points

small size
extremely sharp lens equal to my Nikon SLR lenses.
capable of eliminating shutter lag present in other pt and shoots.
Excellent manual overide capabilities

Bad Points

lense cover is flimsy.
Body doesn't seem as durable as Nikon 35ti or Minilux

General Comments

I was looking for a point and shoot digital camera with manual override features that would produce images comparable to those of a professional SLR.

Today I shot a roll of film in the T3 and the print quality was definitely as good as anything I have produced with Nikon SLR lenses. The auto focus and exposure systems worked flawlessly. The images from the lense were superb.

Previously I tried the much less expensive Yashica T4 super and had been dissappointed by the exposure control, the auto focus system and the awkward shutter lag (particularly when taking pictures of children).

Due to this experience with another pt and shoot with a famed Zeiss lense, I wondered if the Contax T3 would be any better. IT WAS!! In fact, comparing the two would be like comparing a Honda civic to a top of the line Mercedes. Yes, you get what you pay for.

I cannot comment on the print quality produced by the Ricoh G1, Nikon 35ti or Minilux although the bodies of the latter two seem much tougher than that of the T3. The T3 has higher shutter speeds and useful additional features than the minilux and a better rangefinder but I wonder if it will hold up for as long the Minilux or the 35ti.

Total Respect: +7