I apologize for not having more photos of the camera. but man, if you have to have an excuse for another camera, the Contax 645 is IT!! Looking back now, it was just another excuse for G.A.S. I had actually gotten the camera initially because I had done a couple of weddings, was thinking of going down the weekend weddings path, and was thinking of adding something different and unique to my wedding portraits.
I’d always say that I would only sell this camera if I had to pay the rent. I got the Contax 645 in 2008 and had the pleasure of using it for a few years, but eventually had to sell it.
#CONTAX 645 INSERT PROFESSIONAL#
It was part of their 645 system, an ambitious foray in the (then) professional portrait and wedding world where medium format was king. The Contax 645 is a Medium Format autofocus film camera introduced by Kyocera in 1999. Perhaps one of the greatest camera systems ever made? I took this shot when I had to sell this dream combo. The almighty Contax 645 and 80mm f/2 Carl Zeiss lens. Have yourselves a great weekend good people, and if you’re going to the beach, be sure to bring that camera along, but take care because the sand and water are camera killers! Anyway, take your best shots because these are the memories your family will return to again and again. But what’s “better” really comes down to personal preferences. Did it give me images with that 80mm f/2 Zeiss and Kodak film look? No, no it didn’t. Did it give me technically better, sharper, less grainy pictures? Yes, yes indeed. This year I took an Olympus OM-D EM5 with me. This also marked the last time I took such a big bulky camera to the beach and the last time took such a camera so close to the water. It was a great camera/lens combo and I do miss it! Still, the lens I think provided a distinctive look and good exposure.
The Sun was shining down brightly and while I normally aim for a fast aperture for shallow depth of field in portraits, I think I stopped down the 80mm f/2 Planar to maybe f/2.8 or f/3.5 and still got the top shutter speed of 1/4000 on the Contax 645 in AV mode. I realize these will be my kids’ memory of summers past when they are grown, so I always bring some kind of camera with me, even if my iPhone will do most of the time. The kids enjoy the beach, the pool, and the boardwalk. While I wouldn’t consider it very exciting for singles looking for a hookup, the Jersey Shore makes a quiet and relaxing getaway. The beaches are generally clean and the towns are usually family friendly. In my Contax 645 review I stated that I would be uploading pics from the camera if I found them, so here’s one from 2012 when I still had the camera.Īs with most American families, we typically start our summers on Memorial Day Weekend, which is considered the unofficial start of the summer season here.įor a quick getaway, we travel a few hours to the Jersey Shore. Contax 645, 80mm f/2 Zeiss Planar, Kodak Portra 400. Baby Z playing in the water off the beach in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey.