Hi,

I'm thinking of switching to Contax. I'm currently using a Nikon FM2 body. I was considering up-grading it to a FE2, since it offers Aperature Priority Mode & AE Lock. The specs of FE2 actually looks very similar to the Contax RTSII, except FE2 has higher shutter speeds, i.e. 1/250s flash sync & 1/4000s top speed. What draws me to Contax is the quality of their Carl Zeiss lenses. My only hesitation on switching to Contax is the reliability of RTSII. I couldn't find anything relating to the reliability issues of Contax RTSII body on the net. Now Nikon bodies like FM2 and FE2 are famed for their reliability. Does anybody have any experience with Contax RTSII camera? I need some insight before I decide whether to switch or not. Thank you.

-- A Law (kbgmi5@yahoo.com), June 15, 1999

Answers

I don't have an answer, but another question. I thought the FE2 was out of production. I guess you are thinking about getting a used one? If new ones are available, I'd be interested also.

-- Jim Meyer (jim_meyer@compusa.com), June 15, 1999.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about contax. This is just a thought based on my familiarity with Nikon equipment. I have an FE and I am very happy with it. I don't think you can go wrong with one of these bodies (or the FE2). For a more complete review, check out at http://photo.net/photo/nikon/nikon-fe.html

Since you already have a Nikon body, I'm assuming that you have glass to put on it. Shouldn't that be enough of an argument to stay with the Nikon system? To get an FE2 body would cost a LOT less than having to get rid of all your current stuff and then repurchase new contax gear.

If you have the time and the money, by all means go for it. If you want to sell any Nikon stuff cheap, keep me in mind ;-)

-- Daryl Hiebert (dhiebe@po-box.mcgill.ca), June 15, 1999.

The RTSII is also out of production. I'd agree that investing in a totally new system(if U already have a large investment in one) would not be cost effective. The differences in optical quality bet the Nikkor and CZ lenses for most instances would be minimal.

-- Shannon (shong@lhc.qld.edu.au), June 18, 1999.

The differences bet the FM2n and FE2 are

1. Aperture Priority. 2. TTL flash. 3. AE lock. 4. exposure compensation. 5. electronic shutter.

Apart from the above - both cameras are almost identical.

FE2s are highly sought after on the used market and usu. go for more than their original price new. Perhaps keeping yr FM2 as a backup and getting a used N2000, N6000, N6006, N8008, N8008s or N90 as yr primary would be a better option.

-- Shannon (shong@lhc.qld.edu.au), June 18, 1999.

This reply is somewhat outdated but it might be of interest neverless. I am using the RTSII since 6 years and I am sure its one of the most robust and reliable cameras around. As someone who is on the field with camera gear quite often I can give you some examples: I threw a geologist hammer into the camera accidentally, but after hammering the resulting bulge of the pentaprisme back into place the camera worked as if nothing had happened. I was realy surprised. The mechanical shutter speed of the RTSii is slow (1/50) but it did help to get some slides under worse conditions when my batteries went flat (-20 degrees C). So I can very much recommend the RTSii but you should take into consideration that tele lenses are a weak point in the Contax system (as long as you are not very rich). Stick with your Nikon gear but buy a RTSii for Sundays!

Regards

Sören Hese

-- Sören Hese (soeren.hese@surfeu.de), November 08, 2001.