I wounldn't do anything until the *istD comes out. You will like it (everybody who has handled it so far does).
Then I would get the body and keep everything else. All your Pentax gear is compatable. But the psuedo RF Contax is different enough that it fills a different photographic niche. Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bo-Ming Tong" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 3:14 AM Subject: I need a lot of counselling... please help > Background: I have a Pentax Z1p with FA*24/2.0, FA28-105/4-5.6PZ, > F*300/4.5, and a Tamron Adaptall mount 180/2.5 SP LD 35th anniversay > edition. I also have a Contax G2 with 21/28/45/90. Contax is my main > camera, Pentax is mainly for telephotos only. My girlfriend uses Canon > (Elan 7E, 28-105, 75-300). No need for digital right now, but prepared > to get it in the 2004/2005 time frame. She burns the most films on > portraiture. I do indoor flash (bounce) a lot. Both of us like to travel > and take a lot of travel pictures. > > Dilemma: I wish to streamline from 2 systems to 1, and sell the other. > Clearly I have the too-much-gear syndrome incommensurate with the number > of pictures I take in a year. Or I can sell both system and go to Canon. > Even though I like the Contax more and shoot with it more, I am leaning > towards getting rid of it because it has no digital future. > > Problems: > > 1, my girlfriend likes the look of the Contax. We think the > photographers' image is very important to our models/clients. The cute > looking G2 with the Zeiss name wins hands down in the image department. > She also thinks the Contax is the camera I want to show to my children > and grandchildren when I get old. A die-hard film advocate, she has not > realized that digital will rule over film very soon. Few if any analog > technologies survived digitization: vinyl->CD, laser disc->DVD. Not > necessarily quality, but cost, convenience and market forces. I think > film is heading towards that direction. I like film too but I think I > have to admit defeat now instead of falling into self-deception. But it > is hard to use this argument to convince her that the Contax G has no > future. > > 2, Zeiss is leading by a large margin in image quality - color > rendition, contrast, three-dimensionality, bokeh, everything. I have > been spoiled. I need to get the Limited lenses to match Zeiss in optical > quality. But I can't justify to myself, financially, that any of the > Limited lenses make sense. I wouldn't be able to sleep well because > charging 3 times that of Zeiss for a product more or less the same > quality is boutique pricing. Given Zeiss' better fame it should have > been the other way around ! Pentax can charge Leica prices if they want > but they are no Leica. If I can go through this hurdle I will buy a > 77/1.8 but no more (no $) because it has the best reputation of the 3. > > 3, if there is a digital Contax G no brainer I would sell the Pentax > setup to finance its purchase but unfortunately it does not seem to be > possible. I measured the 28/2.8 Biogon to be only 10mm away from the > film plane. The very same advantage they bragged about is now the > obstacle to create a digital version. > > 4, I can also sell everything and go to Canon ? They always have cheaper > camera bodies (like the 300D) and maybe I'll save money in the long run > for more lenses... Previously I hated the fact that their L zooms were > expensive and heavy but now the latest f/4L zooms are reasonable. My > girlfriend will also be able to use the Canon stuff I buy. I would need > one zoom only and that will be the 17-40/4L. Or I can wait until the > Pentax DA 16-45 to come out - but I don't even know it is supposed to be > a cheap lens, a middle-of-the-road-lens or a really sharp lens. I wish > it is the latter even if it means it will be expensive. I don't need > digital now, but I need to sell some stuff off now while there are still > die hard film advocates to create the very last bit of market demand, so > that I can unload some stuff to them. > > 5, I can stick out and just say no to digital, and continue to pay for > film and processing. "I am the photographer and I won't change the way I > shoot." Digital is the biggest paradigm change since autofocus (in fact, > bigger). I am not sure if I can make it through by just being stubborn. > > I wish to hear your comments. Thanks in advance ! This has troubled me > over the last few days... I am at a crossroad and I must solve this problem. > > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.512 / Virus Database: 309 - Release Date: 8/19/03
