Camera Talk

This is my favorite camera. I like how it handles. I like its size. I like everything about it.

These three were with my first Contax IIa, which I had to retire. These were taken in 2001 and 2002.

First was with the postwar Biogon shot on Kodak TechPan. The second was taken with the postwar 85mm Sonnar and C41-black and white film.


Taken from inside Hong Kong's Airport Express high-speed train terminal looking toward Wan Chai.


Stanley Bay. I want to say that it was going to rain, but I can't recall. Yes, let's say rain was approaching and that's what caused the upper right area edge to be shaded.

This last one is comically typical of Hong Kong life. Always lots of disparate activity.

Here you have a taxi on the left. There is always a taxi nearby in HK. Then, you have one guy unloading a charcoal grill. Then there is another guy with baskets of miscellaneous stuff. And then a random dog runs by.

Very nice, Mike. The IIa is my favorite rangefinder. I think if I had more lenses for mine, I'd shoot it more often. It had a bad frame counter for a long time before I fixed it, so I kind of ignored it. Now I can't seem to get it back in the rotation.

PF

Nice shots. I've also had Contax frame counter problems - seems to be a weakness of that design, as is rangefinder vertical misalignment (there are a few annoyance issues with Contax bodies). The Zeiss Contax lenses are really quite amazing, and fully deserving of their reputation - the Germans seemed to be about a generation ahead of everyone else at the time. I own the Post-War Opton Biogon 3.5cm F2.8 and I can't believe how good it is optically - even by the standards of top-grade Japanese lenses made 20 years later.

Mike, I love your Hong Kong shots. I visited there 9 times when I was an operations analyst for the Navy. My most enjoyable experiences (besides buying used cameras at David Chan's) were had out on Lantau Island, where one could hike from the top of a mountain to a remote seacoast village and catch a ferry back to Kowloon. Your second shot reminds me of that seacoast village.

Good work with the Contax. The closest I've come to the Contax is owning a few Kiev 4's.

Best,
Dennis

Great camera, well used. I like that second shot, whatever the top is.