Contax T2 vs Olympus XA | Which Compact Film Camera is Right for You?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 มิ.ย. 2024
- Point and shoot film cameras have become the obsession of many photographers because of their convenience and the unique look that they provide. The Contax T2 and the Olympus XA have become two of my favorite 35mm point and shoot cameras over the past year. Now when it comes down to it these cameras have more in common than you might think, but the biggest difference between them is the price. In this video we will go over some of the other differences and similarities between these two cameras as well as compare photos side by side so you can see some real life examples of how these cameras compare to each other. The goal of this video is to help you determine which point and shoot film camera would be right for you. I hope you enjoy!
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Intro: 00:00 - 1:40
Key Differences: 1:40 - 5:20
Key Similarities: 5:20 - 8:20
Conclusion: 8:20 - 10:02
I've never owned a T2 but the XA isn't a "point & shoot" camera. The definition of P&S cameras is exactly that, you point the camera and shoot, with either 'focus free' or AF lens and auto exposure program mode where the camera sets both shutter speed and aperture.
The XA is an aperture priority rangefinder camera where the user needs to manually set the aperture and focus using the rangefinder patch.
I'm pointing this out because people might buy the XA thinking they can just load film and start clicking away ?
However I'm just after developing a roll of film taken with the XA and if used properly the results are excellent, but people need to also be aware that these are both consumer cameras with 30-40 year old electrics which cannot be repaired if they fail.
If you buy a T2 today and the electrics fail tomorrow, you've just spent a grand on a very expensive paperweight.
Yes. If one wants to compare an Olympus camera to the Contax, they should take the mju II, which actually is a point and shoot, and similarly hyped as the Contax.
On the XA I see that setting the aperture to F5.6 or smaller and pre focus at 3 meters. Everything from 3 meters to infinity is in focus. Perfect for quick street shooting. Plus it is has a vey sharp 35mm lens and doesn't cost an arm and a Leg.
Always wondered why F5.6 and 3m are marked in red. Thanks for pointing that out!
Thank you. I’m going to try this. I just ordered an XA
I'm owners of 2 Olympus XA. I lwould like to that's wrong. Go check Olympus XA official manual and check focus chart. f/5.6 and 3meters (or 8feet), everything from 2meters to 5,60meters is in focus. Only at f/16, from 1,31meters to infinity is in focus ;)
@@kriXoff75 I picked up an Olympus point and shoot. And love it very sharp lens and AF :)
Beautiful video man, always liked the appeal of Olympus XA, might have to try it out sometime
Thank you brother. It certainly warrants a try considering the beautiful results that the camera can achieve!
The exposure compensation lever helps with the lighting those situations
Great vid. Made me want to pick up my XA and use it, but my Contax t2 is just so much more convenient.
Glad you enjoyed it! An absolutely fair point as well lol
Xa2 is a stealthy beast. It literally sounds like a pen click great for street photography.
Great video mate. They are both the 'it' point and shoot cameras at the moment!
Stunning shots, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed
@@ThomasBocage my pleasure! I'll check some more of your videos out soon!
Great video! Nice work.
Glad you liked it!
Nice video. Love the comparison. I love both cameras as well. If you like thes you might enjoy the Rollei 35
I’m glad you enjoyed the video! I definitely have seen a lot good stuff about the Rollie. Glad there are many options to choose from!
I feel bad for anyone who buys a 1k film camera because of a celeb. The contax trend is really crazy to me
Certainly way overpriced. Those buying now are probably close to the peak unfortunately
Great vid! Lovely shots by the way. May I ask what film stocks did you use for both cameras?
Thank you for the kind words my friend! I believe I used portra 400 for these photos!
Two fairer comparisons would have been 1) the Contax T vs. the Olympus XA and 2) the Contax T2 vs. the Olympus mju ii tbh.
Can't disagree. would love to snag the mju ii
@@ThomasBocage I was lucky enough to get hand-me-downs of all the above from grandparents on either side and the mju ii from my mother which I grew up playing with! Never had to pay a dime for my little collection of film cameras 🙈
The Olympus is a GREAT beginner film camera. I use it a lot to practice and get more familiar with aperture priority and manual focusing.
Glad you enjoy using it 😘
More pros use this camera than beginners😊
best way to test camera is in bright daylight scene, Contax T2 is very noticeable overall renders finer images, not just terms of sharpness, no vignetting
Was definitely pleased with the results that I got in the comparison. Close, but the Contax does edge out the Olympus
Xa is a wonderful camera. There are a couple places that service it still, but the viewfinder meter is not repairable. I don’t think i will ever own the contax, too pricy for a camera that’s difficult to repair. I’d rather buy a large/medium format camera for that price.
Love the XA. Great points as well!
If you want a point and shoot you should get the XA2, which is zone focus and re-sets to medium distance automatically.
Both it and the xa have excellent lenses. I'd compare them favorably to a Leitz lens in some regards.
For what the Contax is going for, why not go buy yourself a Leica? You can pick up a couple of the solid working Barnack Leicas -- IIIF -- with a lens for what a single T2 will set you back.
All great points! I ended up getting a M6 earlier this year. Been absolutely loving it. Certainly miss the point and shoot tho
The price of the Contax is 80% celebrity endorsement. I’ve had three and all have broken. The electrics are brittle and will inevitably shit the bed, but all my XAs are running, and you can get ten XAs for one Contax.
If Beyoncé busted out an XA they would cost $2k each too.
Thanks for watching my friend. And yes couldn't agree more lol
The answer to the title question is for any photographer: Neither. We can quibble over a few errors or lack of clarity in the comparisons here. For example, while both cameras do allow the user to set lens aperture with aperture priority auto exposure, a big overlooked difference is that the T2 allows a reasonable measure of user control of exposure through adjustable compensation, whereas the XA allows no user control over exposure. (I don't count the 1.5 stop backlight switch - normally useless.) The viewfinder/rangefinder of the XA was close to useless when new, partly because the rangefinder base is too short to work accurately. Age has dimmed the components to useless on many units. Worst of all, the lens on the XA is just terrible for more than snapshots. It has visible distortion. It vignettes terribly. It's resolution is so poor that when it was tested on a photo resolution chart, the results were so bad that you couldn't tell from the image that it was a chart, much less measure resolution. It's cheaper brother, the XA2 has a less complex lens system, which runs optical rings around the XA. It has no rangefinder, but then for all practical purposes, neither does the XA. Likewise, you have no exposure control, but's what you get in nearly all medium to less expensive P-n-S cameras. The T2 is a fine camera for a P-n-S. It is optically very good, but not the best. It's lens may have the Zeiss name, but it vignettes noticeably at wider apertures. Almost any of the late 1970-early 80s SLRs, like the Pentax M series or the Nikon FG, with their normal lenses will kick the optical crap out of a T2 for less than $125. So, you do not buy these cameras to take serious photos. You buy them for casual snapshots, vacation pics of the kids to send to grandma, and such. Spending more than $1,000 on such a camera is insane. If you must go upscale in quality for a P-n-S, the Konica Big Mini is a great alternative. The Yashica T3/4 cameras would be as well, but for being hyped up in price like the T2. (Yes, I own and have used both a T2 which I love and an XA which I regretted.)
Thanks for your input Rantall
T2 is overrated
I applaud your forthrightness my friend