Obviously, the lens. Great color rendition, 3-dimentionality of image, some pictures shot with NPC may rival medium format in tonality (I also shoot Mamiya 7). Nearly silent operation, manual focus, exposure compensation, availability of filters. Flash is weak but why would you want to use it in the first place? Just use built-in flash as optical trigger for a slaved Vivitar 283, set aperture to f8 and shoot away. AF lock feature is great, gives you ability to separate focusing from exposure. Exposure times up to 3 minutes. I''m giving this camera 5 stars for value mostly based on the lens quality which gives my 35/2.0 AF-D Nikkor run for the money.

As other reviewers mentioned before, poor interface for exposure compensation and manual focusing. More importantly, I found light meter to be fairly inacurate for *low light* shooting - tends to underexposre severely. Low light focusing uses auxiliary AF-assist light which is annoyingly bright and can''t be switched off. Lens cover is flimsy and does not provide adequate protection. Shutter trigger is too sensitive and takes some time to get used to.

Hardly possible to add more than other reviewers have already said. See strenghts and weaknesses below. One thing to add here, I use my T3 with the optional semi-hard case. It allows me to carry T3 the same way as any other camera, hanging from the neck and ready to shoot.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

Ricoh GR1, had to sell for poor AF and noisy operation. Olympus Stylus Epic, great value and quality but not up to T3, still use it a lot in places where I can''t risk a $700 P&S camera.

Carl Zeiss lense,Titanium body,light meter,compact size,expensive looking,easy film loading and well known CONTAX name

need stronger flashes

This is a good looking camera,I put a lot of worked into it in the first 3 weeks and 15 rools of films,pictures come out ver nice,sharp and colorful.I have several P/S cameras but this one will be my go anywhere and every day use.I got the black one I do like it very much,the saleman let me have it the same price as the white one. the view finder looks brite and clear,the leather case is also nice and soft (real leather not plastic) I might get the filters and lense hood later..This is one of the best P/S camera that I owe

Customer Service

They''re very good,they fixed and tuned up my TVS in short period of time

Similar Products Used:

Number 1 in my book Konica Hexar (get one) Number 2 go to Contax T3 Number 3 Contax TVS Number 4 Fuji mini zoom (get one)Number 5 Nikon Ti35 I have all of hese cameras,but T3 will go with me anywhere

very, very flexible

About my only complaint is that setting the exposure compensation requires a button press that I think is unnecessary (you press the mode button, then rotate the dial, whereas I think the dial should default to exposure compensation mode. a minor nuiscance) expensive. (compared to other high-end P&S I think the price is dead-on, but I don''t understand why this kind of control can''t be put in a cheaper (perhaps less ergonomic), plastic camera)

After putting about a dozen rolls through the T3, I could not be more pleased with the results. The pictures are sharp, contrast is excellent, and colors are well rendered. It really does a fantastic job. (Plus, the camera itself is jewel-like in construction.) I really agonized trying to decide between the minilux and the T3. I chose the T3 because I felt it had much more flexibility, and it was smaller and easier to carry (plus I really like the perspective a 35mm lens gives - normal with just a hint of wide-angle). Also, the viewfinder of the T3 is vastly superior to that of the minilux. If you wear eyeglasses as I do, this alone is enough of a reason to choose the T3 over the minilux. (Even so, I will probably buy a minilux someday when I have some money burning a hole in my pocket and Leica makes a few improvements.) I am extremely pleased with the camera (it is the best photographic purchase I''ve made in a couple of years). After dragging a bunch of equipment around Manhattan back in July, I had begun thinking that having one small, flexible, high-quality camera would be a better option than worrying about what to take with me. After using the T3 for a month and a half, I am convinced that I have found that camera and that it will suffice for 95% of my photographic needs. I cannot recommend the camera highly enough.

Customer Service

not needed

Similar Products Used:

Yashica T4 (get one of these)

Full control without compromising portability and lens quality

Weak built-in flash

Lens quality? I have some pictures of the Great Wall taken in the twilights which were scanned and printed to Super A3 (13" by 19") with edge to edge sharpness, full colour and light gradients, brick textures ... the whole gamut extremely well rendered! What more can you ask for from a point & shoot?

Similar Products Used:

Ricoh GR1, Rollei 35, Nikon

Great optics, small size, terrific build quality, good control over functions.

Too small?? Shutter button is too touchy (easy to take inadvertant photos of your feet).

I have owned many good SLR, rangefinder and P&S cameras. I bought the T3 in search for a suitable, portable replacement for my Contax G1 equipment. I won''t ramble on about how much better this camera is than the Minilux I have, but it is a better camera. It''s easier to use, very compact and light, and just has a better "feel" than other P&S cameras I have owned. It''s just as easy to use as my Yashica T4 if I want it to be with more control if I want. It''s build quality is superb and the controls, despite the small size, are reasonably ergonomically placed. Yes, the pictures are great and I think perhaps better exposed than those from my Minilux or T2. If the majority of the photos you take are with a 35mm focal length, this camera could probably be your only camera. That''s high praise from me. Unlike someone else''s review, my case was made of leather and so far has not suffered the peeling problem he mentioned. We''ll see.

Customer Service

N/A so far

Similar Products Used:

T2, Minilux, Minilux Zoom

Finally, a high-end P&S that caters to what I need - fast, exceptional lens; auto with extensive manual overrides; great build quality and handling; custom functions (a first for P&S ?).
As small as the Contax TVSIII APS camera and fits snugly into a jacket pocket. Supposedly a wonderful lens, but have not gotten any shots developed yet - will update later.

Still going thru the first roll of film - no objective or subjective performance data yet.
Price is high but ultimately worth it.

Wow! A P&S that will simply blow you away. I bought this camera on an impulse - knew it was coming, wanted to find out more about it. Went to the camera shop to get more details, and was pleasantly surprised to see the T3 already in stock (they had received 2 units, and sold one almost immediately). Had a good, long discussion with the sales guy and finally went for it. So far, no regrets as it has met my every expectations of a high-end P&S. Will update when I get some shots thru it.

Customer Service

Not tried yet - hopefully don't have to experience

Similar Products Used:

Pentax Espio (long time ago, died)
Contax T2
Minolta TC1
Leica Minilux

The lens is simply the best I've ever seen in any compact camera. Tremendous reproduction of detail right to the edge of the frame, vivid colors, No distortion or flare, or noticeable light fall off on the edges. Even excellent wide open. Images just pop off the page.Also has a perfectly round aperture that aids in lovely out of focus highlights. I A/B'd some shots against a Leica Summicron and couldn't tell which lens took which under a 10 power lube. Easy settings for aperture on a dial, not an up/ down button. approx shutter speed shown in the finder, focus confirmation with distance read out on top. User changeable default settings, like having the lens focus at stage one on button instead of right before picture is snapped to reduce lag time. I also set mine to not flash unless I tell it to, and it will remember these settings even when the camera is switched off. Exposures and focus have been excellent in the first few rolls I've shot. Camera is tiny--almost as small as some of the APS cameras and way smaller than a Leica Minilux. It is only 1.2 inches wide. Chrystal clear finder with bright lines and Parralax marks. Focuses to 12 inches. Fairly quiet to shoot with, and very quiet on the rewind. Comes with perfect fitting leather case. 1/1250 shutter speed, but only at smaller apertures, otherwise 1/500 is top speed. More info at http://www.kyocera.co.jp/news/2001/0102/0001-e.asp

Flash isn't too strong, but does cover the 35mm lens fairly well. The price is steep and makes you think twice about taking it on a rough outing.

To me, this camera is now the one to measure other high end point and shoots against. It has it all, from advanced user inputs, a lens to die for, great exposure ans AF accuracy, terrific build quality, and a super compact size. If you're in the market for ahigh end compact 35mm camera and can justify shelling out 7 bills, you won't be disapointed.

Customer Service

I emailed Contax USA with a question and got an answer within a day or so.

Similar Products Used:

Rollei 35, Minox 35, Yashica T4, Rollei prego 90.

Listed in the previous review

Listed in the previous review

Continuing what I was writing this morning, I am sharing comments about the actual printout.

I like using Fujifilm Reala in the recent year, and I like setting it to ISO64 when using it with my F100, when I tested the Contax T3 with Reala, I couldn't adjust the ISO so I set the camera to +1.0 in nearly all pictures. (am I mad!?)

The outcome?

Good things:
color is good, resolution is high

Bad things:
hard to know where I am shooting when in marco mode; depth of view is rather short when in marco mode; metering is not as accurate as my F100

Of course, it's my very first roll and I believe it will feel better after several more rolls are taken. Up to now I can say it's the very best P&S camera I have ever used, but I know my F100 is more promising.

More reviews might follow.

Customer Service

Listed below

Similar Products Used:

Ricoh GR1

1. Compact
2. Carl Zeiss, man!
3. Very long shutter release time is possible
4. The AF distance display is also useful

1. A little bit too heavy for the size
2. The dial and the buttons are a bit too small
3. Internal flash is not powerful enough, while the external one with the adaptor is too expensive for me
4. Quite difficult to know what I am shooting at when I am in macro mode

I bought my Ricoh GR1 about a year ago, liked it very much (except for the easiness in turning on the camera by accident), then about a week ago I saw this great camera from Contax in the camera shop, my first impression was it looked smart and it's a Contax!

I never experienced any non-Japanese camera before, but turning my optical glasses (for short-sightness) to Carl Zeiss about half a year ago, I found the lenses really clearer and brighter and sharper than any optical glasses I have ever worn on my face! That was my first experience with the expensive Zeiss!

Then I spent some days thinking about if I should sell the GR1 to turn to this attractive product (at the same time I was also thinking about buying a F65 body to be a spare camera in office), and of course my final decision was - no F65, no GR1 (well.. I can't sell it out from the news group yet...), and I turned to this T3!

I have just finished one roll and it's still in the printing shop, I think I will be collecting the photos in this evening, meanwhile I can just share my comment about the interface of this product:

1. Control is easy
2. It looks small and compact, but it's a bit heavy
3. The custom settings are useful
4. One strange thing, after setting the custom menu, my default flash mode is set to "no flash" when I turn on the machine every time, any one can help?
5. The 180 sec long shutter time is really interesting! I had 3 pictures shot at this speed and I am expecting to see the outcoming product!
6. the buttons and the dial are too small, but can you expect big buttons on a small camera like that?

Okok... review of the optical performance will follow when I have my printings collected, that's all for now.

Customer Service

Not for this product yet, and just once with my Nikkor 85 1.8 and I think I should really need one for the F100 when I have time.

Similar Products Used:

Ricoh GR1

Zeiss!
Very compact
Looks like an everyday point and shoot
Custom Functions

Finder only gives an approximate shutter speed. If you shoot primarily slide you will need to bracket. If you care about flash, this ones not too powerful.

I would have to agree that this new jewel from Contax is remarkable. In my opinion, this lens beats out the 35mm planar for the G1/G2 in fine line resolution. I have always been very pleased with the performance of the 21 and 90 but somehow the 35planar was not up to the standards of the other two lenses. Contrast in this new 35mm sonnar, like all Zeiss glass, is also remarkable. I have sold the 35mm planar and plan on taking the T3 with me at all times. It is akin to having two bodies. The controls are easy to use and the entire construction screams quality. If you are in the market for a hi-end point and shoot or if you are looking for an improvement of the 35mm planar, this is your camera.

Customer Service

Haven't needed any yet

Similar Products Used:

My first high-end point and shoot
G1 with 21,35 and 90
Previous shot Nikon 8008