|
|
|
|
Navigation
|
Are Contax filters better than other brands?
Yes and No. Contax filters are high quality filters that do not detract from
the optical performances of your the G camera lenses. They are not superior to
other high quality filters such as Heliopan and B+W. Contax filters are superior
to filters whose rings are made of aluminum, which use brittle films for their
multicoatings, which are uncoated, or which use less than optical quality glass. Who makes the glass used in Contax, B+W, and Heliopan filters?
The glass is made by Schott, which is owned in turn by Carl Zeiss. Does the G camera require a circular polarizer filter?
No. A linear polarizer filter is all that is required for the G cameras. Can I use a mechanical shutter release cable on my G camera?
Contax cautions not to use a mechanical release cable as it may damage the
camera. I lost the plastic cover for the remote release socket, Contax asks a
king’s ransom for a replacement. Can I find one somewhere else?
Yes. Try Porter's Camera Store at: http://www.porters.com/
where they are inexpensively priced. Can I use an older model flash unit on my G camera?
Yes and no. Some older model flash units have discharge voltages in excess of
200 V DC across the camera's hot shoe. These units should not be used on the G
cameras as they may damage the camera's circuitry. Check the voltage with a
voltmeter before using it on your camera. I have a dedicated TTL flash for another camera system. Will it work on my G camera?Probably not. The flash foot has to conform to the Contax contact pattern and
TTL scheme. Your flash will work in manual mode. If it has an auto mode, it will
also work on your G camera in that mode. Will the Nikon SC-17 flash extension cord work on my G camera?
Yes. Will a generic flash extension cord work on my G camera?
Yes. Is the TLA 200 or is the TLA 140 most prone to producing Red Eye?
The TLA 200 is the most prone to producing Red Eye. My flash photos have strong shadows that I find unattractive. What's wrong?With the flash unit mounted directly on the camera and flashing directly
toward your subject, such shadows are difficult if not impossible to avoid. With a flash extension cord, use you flash off-camera and to one side, bounce
the flash from a wall or the ceiling, or use a soft-light accessory that fits
over your flash head. The shadows are reduced and your photos will have greater
dimensionality to them. In addition the numbers of photos with Red Eye will
decrease if not disappear. The background in flash pictures is far too dark. What's wrong?
It could be that the shutter speed selected is too fast for the available Backgrounds that are very dim or very bright are interpreted as average in
terms of brightness when metered with your camera's light meter or a hand held
meter. With an very dim background, close down your aperture or use the exposure
compensation dial to decrease the exposure by 1/2 to 1 1 /2 stops depending on
how dark the background is. With a very bright background, the reverse is
required. The shutter is my camera won't release when I am using my flash in daylight.
What's wrong?
The G cameras are interlocked so that if your camera is in AUTO mode and a shutter speed faster than 1/200 second is selected and the flash is turned on, the shutter will not release as the shutter speed is not synchronized with the flash light's duration. Use a smaller aperture or a slower film. I want to use an aperture different from those listed in my flash manual,
how do I do this?
In TTL the camera controls the flash and you may set whatever aperture you
wish. In manual mode and when you want to use a specific aperture you use the flash
unit's Guide Number. The Guide Number is equal to the physical aperture number
times the subject distance. For a physical aperture number of 5.6 with a flash
that has a guide number of 20 with ISO 100 film, you would determine the subject
distance by dividing the physical aperture number into the Guide Number; for
example, 20 divided by 5.6 gives a subject distance of 3.6 meters. I want to use an ISO number other than those listed in the flash manual, but
what is the flash Guide Number with this ISO?
In TTL you need not worry about the different ISO number, the camera controls
the flash. In manual mode and if you have an electronic calculator, it is
straightforward to determine the new Guide Number. Divide the ISO number you
want to use by the ISO number of your flash, normally ISO 100. For example, a
film with ISO 160 divided by 100 gives 1.6. Take the square root of the number;
for example, the square root of 1.6 is 1.27. Multiply your flash Guide Number by
the square root; for example, 1.27 times 40 yields the Guide Number for your
flash at ISO 160 as 51. The fluorescent lights in mixed light photos have a green cast to them. Is
there a film that will do better at handling mixed lighting?
Try Fuji Reala print film. It does a very good job with mixed lighting. Can I use my TTL flash with the 21 and 16 mm. G lenses?
In TTL mode you can use your flash with the 21-mm. lens. Be aware that the
flash in normal lens position will not completely illuminate the frame at any
distance less than 1.8 meters. With the 16-mm. lens you cannot use TTL flash. You can use a flash unit that
has an Auto mode. Be aware that the flash in normal lens position will not
completely illuminate the frame at any distance less than 2.9-meters. (Using a
flash with the 16 mm. requires a flash unit with a GN of 50 (m.) or greater with
ISO 100 film if the compensating filter is installed on the 16 mm. lens.) My flash photos have strong shadows that I find unattractive. What's wrong?With the flash unit mounted directly on the camera and flashing directly
toward your subject, such shadows are difficult if not impossible to avoid. With a flash extension cord, use you flash off-camera and to one side, bounce
the flash from a wall or the ceiling, or use a soft-light accessory that fits
over your flash head. The shadows are reduced and your photos will have greater
dimensionality to them. In addition the numbers of photos with Red Eye will
decrease if not disappear. My expensive multicoated filter has oil or grease on it, but it is brand
new. What happened?
If what you are seeing is the multicolored sheen typical of oil, it is most
probably not oil or grease. The multiple layers of very thin coatings used on
multicoated filters show birefringence that looks similar to oil sheen.
Vigorously rubbing the surface to remove the sheen only worsens it, as the first
coating surface is made uneven. I bought a hand held, spot reflected light meter. I am using a gray card
with it, but the readings from it do not agree with my old incident meter or
with my camera's meter. The hand held meter is consistently giving a reading of
1/2 stop less. Is there something wrong with my hand held light meter?
It could well be that you are incorrectly metering your gray card. Kodak
recommends holding the gray card in the same light as that falling on your
subject, but inclining the card at a 45-degree angle to the direction of light
and in the direction of the camera. The reading should be taken with the meter
aimed squarely at the card and not at an angle. From the reading returned, you
increase the exposure by 1/2 stop. Does someone make a really good gray card?
Yes and it is outrageously expensive. Sekonic makes a folding gray card that
is contained in a wallet not that much larger a credit card. When the wallet is
opened for use, the gray card is positioned at a 45-degree angle and is ready to
be metered without trying to determine the correct angle at which to hold the
card. Is there a good substitute for a gray card?
Yes, there are several. Hold the palm of your hand in the same light as that
of your subject and incline your palm at approximately 45 degrees to the light.
Meter your palm with a reflected light meter and increase the suggested exposure
conditions by one stop if your palm is pale and a half stop or not at all if
your palm is dark. This produces exposure conditions very similar if not
identical to those from a gray card. Calibrate your camera bag. For example, the sand colored canvas of a Domke
bag returns approximately the same reading as a gray card. See http://idiom.com/~elight/earthlight/photo_tech_notes/color_zone_p1.html Most film manufacturers say that color print film should be overexposed by
1/3 stop. Why?
The recommendation is made so that you can be assured that there is detail in
the shadowed areas of your print. Is there a simple test I can use in a camera store to see if a tripod is
steady enough?
Yes. Fully extend the legs of the tripod but do not raise the center column. Mount your camera equipped with its longest or heaviest lens on the tripod. With a wooden pencil or a plastic pen, repeatedly tap the approximate middle
of the uppermost leg section of one of the tripod's legs while carefully
watching the camera and lens. If you see any movement of your camera and lens
while you are tapping, the tripod is not as steady as you want it to be for the
best photo results. You can use the same test to determine how high the tripod's center column
can be raised before the camera becomes unsteady. Are tripods with leg braces that extend from the center column better than
tripods without the braces?
Not necessarily. Tripods with leg braces that extend from the center column
are more difficult to use on uneven ground. The legs of many such models are
also not adjustable outwards. This is often a disadvantage. Is it worth the extra money to buy a tripod whose legs are adjustable
outwards?
If you frequently use your tripod out of doors or frequently use a super
wide-angle lens; yes, the extra cost of outwardly adjustable legs is a good
investment. Such legs make it easier to place the tripod on uneven ground. With
a super wide-angle lens, moving the tripod down helps to avoid photographing the
tripod's legs and your shadow. The feature is also useful for low level,
close-up photography. Which is better, a ball head or a tilt and pan head? There are excellent models of both types produced by several manufacturers. In the end, your choice is a matter of personal preference. Are quick release plates for a tripod head a good investment?
Yes, if the plates are reasonably priced. Quick release plates prevent damage
to the tripod socket in the camera body. Repairing a tripod socket is an
expensive proposition. What is a spot light meter?
A reflected light spot meter is a meter that has a very narrow acceptance
angle and allows the photographer to read the brightness of specific objects in
a scene. What are the advantages of a spot light meter?
It allows the photographer to choose exposure conditions based on the
brightness of specific areas of a scene rather than the scenes average
brightness. What is an incident light meter?
An incident light meter is a meter that allows the photographer to read the
light falling on a scene. What are the advantages of an incident light meter?
The exposure conditions are based on illumination and do not require as many
compensations as do the conditions from a reflected light meter. Are there light meters that take both incident and reflected light readings?Yes. Does Contax make hand held light meters?
No. There are a number of different manufacturers including Gossen, Minolta,
Pentax, Pilot, and Sekonic among others. What are some of the important considerations in selecting a tripod?
The tripod should extend to a height that allows you to use it without you
bending and without elevating its center column. It should provide a stable
platform that will hold your camera and lens motionless while you use them
including absorbing any motion caused by the release of the shutter, mirror
movement with an SLR camera, or factors such as wind and uneven ground. Finally
it should be easy and quick to use and light enough for you to carry for
prolonged periods. What is the filter factor for a polarizing filter?
The filter factor for a polarizing filter is 2.5. Can I use a polarizing filter as a neutral density filter?
Yes. Positioning the filter on the lens so that it has no polarizing effect
allows the filter to be used as a 0.3 ND filter. Where can I buy high quality but not too expensive slip-on caps for my lens hoods?Schneider makes slip-on rubber caps that work especially well on the Contax
lens hoods. I noticed that after I lock the exposure with the AEL lever and turn my flash on, the shutter speed shown in the viewfinder is different than that which I locked-in. The shutter speed changes when I use the EC dial as well. Is this normal?Yes. The shutter speeds and over/under exposure indications shown in the viewfinder after the AEL lever is engaged do affect the locked-in exposure conditions. Can I do multiple TTL flash with my G camera?Yes. You can use up to 3 Contax TTL compatible flashes for multiple TTL flash by using the optional Contax connecting cords and connector. I noticed that Yashica offers TTL flash units for their
cameras that are much less expensive than the Contax units.
Will these Yashica TTL units work in TTL mode on my G camera?
Yes. The Yashica units are significantly less expensive. The hard part of buying one is finding the specifications for the units, as Kyocera at the Yashica site does not list them. Vendors also do not make it easy to find the specifications. |
|
|
Accessories
