The body is a unique box shape, deeper than wide, unlike SLRs. (The newer 645N even has the auto focus mechanism added to the mount system) It rivals the modern DSLR mounts that have contacts for aperture auto mode. It uses the Pentax 645 lens mount system, which upon my examination, is quite an advance mount. The operation of the camera is excellent too. It is quite heavy (lighter than my 67ii), solid construction and clean lines make the appearance very appealing. The construction of the camera is top notch. If I had bought it without any sort of buyer protection, I could have been out, at the very least, several hundred dollars in repairs.Having owned modern digital SLR cameras, going back to this is like re-discovering the good old days. This sort of protection was great, especially since I did have to return the first Contax 645 I purchased due to several issues.
When I bought mine, it included a 30-day return policy on eBay, plus the coverage I have through eBay and Paypal's buyer protection. So, do your due research and consider buying a Contax with a warranty and/or return policy of some sort. If you buy it for that reason, you'll be satisfied.unless you get a lemon! Though not perfect, the Contax 645 does what it's designed to do-take great images. In terms of reliability and cost, though, the Contax 645 tends to possess a few more cons when compared to the Pentax, Hasselblad, or Mamiya options. These are all fair alternatives that each have their own set of pros and cons.Īmong the alternatives, the particularly strong suit of the Contax 645 is the amazing quality of the native Zeiss 80mm f/2.
The most common alternatives are the Pentax 645n (or nii), the Hasselblad H1 or H2, or the Mamiya Pro 645. Since I've written about Contax 645 alternatives in another article, I'll only briefly touch on it here. I talk a little more about the problems with reliability in my article on Contax 645 vs Pentax 67. However, the first Contax 645 I purchased in "excellent condition" apparently had a broken autofocus. My personal experience with mine is that it keeps on working, even in high-humidity environments. Yet, others will tell you that they've had their body for 10 years and never had a hiccup. Others tell horror stories of broken shutters, messed up auto-focus, so on and so forth. Some report that it just stops working in high-humidity areas. The Contax 645 has developed a reputation for being finicky. Having a self-timer is also great for taking pictures that you'd like to be in as well! Reliability Enough said.Īnother option I employ when taking slow shutter speeds on a tripod is to use a self-timer. The Contax 645's mirror-up option is conveniently accessible and just works. But, to retain that extra stability, I like to frame my shot, focus, and get that mirror up so it doesn't create any shake. When I need lots of light, I go to a slow-shutter speed and mount the Contax 645 on a tripod. I love being able to have the mirror-up function on a camera. However, there are a few that I make use of, and those I will speak on. That's because I probably don't need or use them. I know there's a lot of features that I'm not going to delve into here. It may sound like a silly thing to derive pleasure from, but it just sounds and feels nice. One thing I love about using the Contax 645 is the sound of the shutter. Its weight is similar to other options you'll find in the medium format camera world, so that's pretty average. To learn a little more about those, check out the comparison I did with the Maxwell Screen on a Pentax 67.
And, for those that may need a little extra clarity, there's the Maxwell Precision Optics Screens that you can have installed. I've had really good success with manually focusing the Contax 645.
I don't find it to be quite as clear as my Pentax 645s or quite as clear as the Hasselblad H2.īut, that doesn't make it unusable for manual focusing.
It's not incredibly bright and clear, but it's not too bad either. The Contax 645's viewfinder is "alright". Now, here is where manual focusing can come in very handy, which leads us to our next topic.