Contax T3 User manual

CONTAX
11

Thank you for purchasing this Contax product. The
Contax T3 has been designed according to the basic
philosophy of providing the user with pleasure in
handling, and use, as well as the production of fine
photographs. Simple enough for casual use, it provides
the controls needed for doing justice to those special
occasions. The Contax T3 is a 35mm lens-shutter
camera equipped with both automatic and manual
focusing controls, programmed automatic and
aperture-priority automatic exposure modes, long-time
exposure mode, exposure compensation and a focus-
lock feature.
Before using this camera, please read the instructions
thoroughly to gain a correct understanding of camera features.
In addition to its standard features, this
camera is equipped with “Custom Functions”
which may be set manually if desired. See
page 47 for further details. Cus tom Functions
are indicated in the text by the mark.
2

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The Picture Area Frame ©, Close-up Parallax Frame ® and Focus frame @
are always visible in the viewfinder, but other indicators appear only under
the conditions indicated below, and automatically disappear after 8 sec to
save battery power:
1) When the camera is turned ON.
2) With the camera is turned on, whenever the shutter reiease button Is
depressed halfway. (Also, when the “ i " or “AFL” buttons are
depressed).
® Picture area frame
These marks indicate the outer borders of the image that will be
recorded on film under normal conditions, (p. 24)
(2) Close-up Parallax Frame
These marks indicate the outer borders of the image that will be
recorded on film when shooting at very close distances (approx.
0.8 m - 0.35 m). When shooting close-ups, be sure the subject
fits within these marks.
(D Close-up (macro) indicator “ ft ”
Lights; When camera-to-subject distance is between approx.
0.8 m and 0.35 m.
Blinks: When camera-to-subject distance is too close (outside
of focusing range).

@ Focus Frame
Indicates the part of the viewfinder used by the autofocus.
(p. 24)
(D Exposure compensation indicator “ ± ”
Lights when exposure compensation is set (p. 38).
d) Focusing indicator (indicates focusing status)
<Autofocus>
Lighted: Subject in focus
Blinks quickly (4 times/sec): Out of focus
Blinks slowly (once/sec): Focus locked via AFL button
<Manual Focus>
Blinks slowly (once/sec): Focusing distance set manually
@ Flash indicator “ ^ ”
Lighted: Flash will fire
Blinks quickly (4 times/sec): Outside the range of the built-in
flash (image will be under-exposed)
Blinks slowly (once/sec): Flash is recharging
d) Shutter speed
Indicates the current shutter speed, as follows:
- %Ku(t«r^ed
500 blinking
Over-exposure
1/1200 sec
500 lighted
i
1 /350 sec
500 and 125 lighted
i
1/180 sec
125 lighted
<
1/90 sec
125 and 30 lighted
i
1/45 sec
30 lighted
(
1/20 sec
LT lighted
i
16 sec
LT blinking
Long Time exposure mode (p. 42)
9

(For purposes of explanation all indicators are shown here; the actual
display contents differ depending on photographic conditions.)
(D Flash Mode (p, 1 6 , 26)
Automatic Flash Mode; ”
Red-Eye Reduction Flash Mode: “ % ”
No-Flash Mode: ”
Fill-in flash Mode: “ ^ ”
Night Portrait Flash Mode: “ t ® ° ”
® Display of battery capacity (P. 13)
O Mode Indicators and Settings (p. 38-46)
Exposure compensation mode:
“ g| ” or “ g ” and compensation value
Selftimer mode: “ ^ ” and timer setting
Long-time mode; “LT” and shutter setting
Focus setting mode: “ P,f ” or “MF,” and setting distance
® Exposure counter
(also displays remaining time for selftimer and long-time
exposure).
® Custom function mode; “CF” and setting item
(Example: “ J ”) (p. 47)
10

I

■ J Open battery
compartment cover
Using the hand strap adjuster
as shown, turn the battery
compartment cover counter¬
clockwise, so that its mark
is aligned with the mark on
the camera body.
2 Insert new battery
Be sure the battery poles are
oriented correctly as indicated
inside the battery compartment.
A single 3V lithium battery (type
CR2) is required.
O Close the battery
^ compartment by
aligning the mark on
the cover with the
mark on the camera body
and rotating the cover
clockwise.
<Battery Check>
After inserting a new battery,
operate the camera once; the
battery charge indicator “
should appear in the display

Display of battery capacity
' llBattery is full
IS^ battery will
'shortly
{BlinkingJj,
as soon as
possible
(Bl'r King):
cm Battery is eipty
<Battery Replacement>
The battery should be replaced
when the battery charge
indicator “ csi ” blinks in the
display panel. Turn off the
camera before replacing the
battery.
• Photographs can still be taken
even when the remaining battery
power indicator “ cai" begins
to blink, but the battery should
nonetheless be changed as soon
as possible. If the remaining
battery power falls below a
certain point, the “ (zzi ” mark on
the display panel will blink and
the camera will not operate.
• Due to individual manufacturing
characteristics, some batteries
may cause the battery power
indicator “ cai ” to blink
temporarily after the battery is
changed. If this occurs
immediately after changing a
battery, turn the power switch
OFF and then ON again; if the full
battery power indicator “ iMl ”
appears when the camera is
turned on again, the battery can
be used without problems.
13

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n
Shutter Helease Button
i , H--',:-'
! ■
Halfway Fully
Halfway dapreseed Fully depressea
The shutter release button is designed to be pressed in two stages,
the “halfway depressed” position, and the “fully depressed”
position. In the two positions, the shutter release button operates
as follows:
Halfway depressed:
Lens is focused and light on subject is metered.
Fully depressed:
Lens is extended to focusing position, shutter released, picture
taken and the film is wound to next frame.
^ To prevent camera shake, press the shutter release button
gently with the pad of your index finger. Be sure to oserve how
to hold the camera correctly as well (see p. 15).
If desired, the camera may be set so that the lens will extend to the
focus position when the shutter release button is in the halfway
depressed position (p. 47).
14

3. How to Hold the Cameia Correctly.
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(t-Nsase button:
The Main Switch/Aperture Dial is
used to turn the camera ON/OFF,
and for setting the aperture value
when using the aperture-priority
automatic exposure mode.
When the main switch is turned
from “ © ” to “P”, the camera is
turned ON and ready for use in the
programmed automatic exposure
mode (p. 23, 35). By holding the
dial lock-release button depressed
and turning the dial to one of the
aperture values in the range “2.8-
16,” the camera will be set for
aperture-priority automatic
exposure (p. 36).
Example display during
aitomatio flash mode.
The flash mode button is used to
select the flash mode.
After the camera is switched ON,
each time you press the flash mode
button the flash mode is changed
in the order shown below; the
corresponding mode is indicated
on the display (p. 26).
© Automatic Flash mode ''u ™ ”
® Red-eye-reduction Flash mode
M L AUTO >1
> «®>
@ No-flash mode ”
® Fill-in Flash mode “ ^ ”
® Night Portrait Flash Mode
• The default flash mode (the mode
set automatically when the camera is
turned on) can be changed if desired
P-

Using the mode button and mode dial allows the use of a wide
variety of photographic techniques. For details, see p. 38-46.
The mode button is used to switch between the modes shown in
the accompanying table, and the mode dial is used to change the
set values in each mode.
Setting Contents
Compensation
value: -2EV - +2EV
S) or B
Exposure
compensation (p. 38)
CD
Selftimer (p. 40)
Delay time: 10 sec or 2 sec
@
LT
Long-time
exposure (p. 42)
Shutter time: 1-180 sec
@
S F or MF
Focus mode select
and distance set.
Distance: 0.4m-infinity, AF
17

Use DX-coded 35mm film. The
film speed is automatically set
by the camera.
• Non-DX-coded film is
automatically set to ISO 100.
1 Open the camera back.
-*• Open the camera back by
pushing down the camera back
release knob.
• Load and unload film away from
direct sunlight.
2 Insert a new film
Insert the cartridge diagonally
as shown in the illustration.
• Take care not to handle the DX
contacts excessively, or allow
them to become soiled.
18

V’*. ' .r'*. I «
O Pull out the film leader
from the cartridge until
it reaches the orange
colored “ “• ” (film leader
mark), and lay the film
leader on top of the take-
up spool.
When pulling out the film
leader, do not puli out too much
so that the film buckles.
• If you accidentally pull out too
much film, adjust the length
before continuing.
A Close the camera back
securely.
When the camera back is
closed, the film automatically
advances to the first frame and
stops with the expos,jre
counter at “01”.
If the exposure counter displays
a blinking “00", the film is not
advancing properly; the shutter
will not operate in this
condition. Open the camera
back and load the film correctly.
19

When the final frame of a
roll has been exposed, the
camera automatically
rewinds the film into the
cartridge.
During rewinding, the exposure
counter displays decreasing
numbers until rewind is
complete, at which point the
motor stops and the exposure
counter shows a blinking “00”.
When rewind is compiete, open
the camera back and remove
the film cartridge.
Never attempt to open the
camera back until rewinding is
complete.
• After film is rewound, the camera will not operate again until the camera
back is opened.
• To manually rewind film mid-way through a roil, use the tip of the
adjuster on the accessory strap (or other pointed object) to depress the
rewind button “R”. (Do not use an awl, needle, or other very sharp
instrument).
^3^ If desired, the camera can be set to leave the film leader outside the
film cartridge after rewind is completed (p. 47).
20

<Aperture>
The aperture in the lens controls the amount of light going through
the lens by becoming smaller or larger. The size of the opening is
called aperture value. The larger the aperture value the smaller the
opening.
<Shutter speed>
By varying the amount of time it remains open, the camera’s
shutter controls the amount of light reaching the film. The length of
time the shutter remains open is called the shutter speed.
<Exposure>
“Exposure” means to expose the film to light. The amount of light
allowed to strike the film is controlled by the combination of
aperture and shutter speed.
<Film speed> (ISO value)
The film speed refers to a given film’s sensitivity to light, measured
according to numerical values established by the International
Standards Organization (ISO). The smaller the ISO value, the lower
the film's sensitivity to light.
The larger the ISO value, the higher the film’s sensitivity to light (the
film is sensitive to lower levels of light).
<Depth-of-field>
In general, when the lens is focused on a given subject, not only
the subject itself, but a certain area in front of and behind the
subject will also be in focus.The range between the nearest and the
farthest point that is sharp is the “depth-of-field.” The depth-of-
field on any given lens will change in the following way:
® As the aperture is closed, the depth-of-field becomes larger, and as the
aperture is opened, the depth-of-field becomes smaller.
(D The depth of field becomes larger as distance to the subject increases,
smaller at closer distances.
@ The depth of field is larger behind than in front of the subject in focus.
21

22

Turn the main switch from
“G ” to “P”.
The camera is turned on, the
lens barrier automatically
opens, and the lens extends to
its shooting position. The
camera automatically defaults
to the following modes:
1. Focusing - ♦ automatic focus
The camera lens automatically focuses whenever the shutter
release button is depressed halfway.
2. Exposure - ► Programmed automatic exposure “P”
The camera automatically selects the optimum combination of
shutter speed and aperture for the ambient lighting conditions.
This mode is ideal for snapshots.
3. F lash mode - ► automatic flash mode “ J ''“ ™ ”
in this mode, the flash fires automatically when shooting in dark or
strongly backlit situations. When the shutter release button is
depressed halfway, the viewfinder display will show the “ ^ ’’ mark
if the flash is going to fire.
• Whenever you do not intend to use the camera immediately, turn off the
main switch to prevent accidental tripping of the shutter.
23

"I Point the viewfinder’s
focus frame at the
subject and depress the
shutter haifway.
The camera will focus, and
when the subject is in focus,
the mark will appear inside
the viewfinder, together with the
automatically selected shutter
speed.
• lfthe“kt’’ mark lights, compose
your subject inside the close-up
parallax frame before shooting
(P- 8).
O Gentiy press the
^ shutter reiease button
the rest of the way to take
the photograph.
This camera focuses by means
of an external, passive-type
multi-autofocus. As a result,
the subject should remain in
focus even if it leaves the
focusing frame slightly.
2 ^