5 Reasons to Buy a Contax T2

I recently went on short vacation in Italy. Visiting La Spezia was the perfect opportunity for me to finally try out the famous Contax T2 that I got recently. I hit the streets of La Spezia with the camera loaded with Kodak TX400 film.

Here are 5 reasons you should consider buying a Contax T2:

#1. The Lens is Amazing

As soon as you have the 38mm f/2.8 Sonar lens from Carl Zeiss pull its head out when you switch on the camera, you know it’s not here to fool around. This is some serious glass.

The aperture ring is located on the lens is one of the smoothest things to manipulate. The clicks between each stop are subtle but firm, and you do not feel like the lens is going to break down in your hands.

#2. You Will Want to Shoot More

With the T2 you’re going to burn some film, I guarantee it! There are some cameras that have a special aura and this is one of them. Every time I hold it, I instantly feel like shooting. This may be explained by the fact that it packs probably one of the best lenses that can be found on a point-and-shoot camera. The build quality is also outstanding and you can tell that this camera was made with professional photographers in mind.

#3. You Can Bring It Everywhere

Even though its bit chunky, the T2’s compact size and collapsible lens make it the perfect camera to carry around. It’s always ready to shoot and capture the moment. You switch it on with a simple push and it’s set to shoot in autofocus. This makes it the perfect companion for travel, street photography, or everyday life when you want to freeze the time with an easy to use camera and without fiddling with settings and focusing. I usually leave it on f/5.6 and let it take care of the rest.

#4. They Are Getting Rare

Most electronic point and shoot cameras have a major drawback: they tend to break down at some point. The lack of spare parts makes it difficult and expensive to get fixed (if not impossible). So grab one while you still can to have fun with this piece of history.

At the moment, the camera is selling used for about $700 to $800 on eBay, so grab one before they become too rare!

#5. It’s Made for Everyone

Even though it was geared toward pro photographers, the T2 is very accessible and everyone can shoot with it — another reason to bring one everywhere with you.

While having most of the controls an experienced photographer would expect, the Contax T2 can be put in the hands of your family and friends without having to explain the fundamentals of photography! Set it to P mode (at f/2.8) and the camera will do its best to capture the best images it can get.

I hope you will give this camera a try. In case you are not entirely sold, there are great alternatives to the Contax T2 and if you are looking for other premium point and shoot film cameras, including the Leica Minilux, Nikon 35Ti, Fujifilm Klasse W, Ricoh GR1, and Minolta TC-1.

All of them offer some serious performance and will not disappoint you if they have their flaws at some point.


About the author: Vincent Moschetti is an Ireland-based photographer who is in the middle of a year-long experiment where he’s shooting only film photography. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. You can find more of his work or follow along on this adventure by visiting his website or following him on Facebook and Instagram. This post was also published here.

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