Contax G system

G

Gianluke

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Hello every body..
I'm coming to buy G2 with 28-45-90 Contax TLA 200 flash for light travel shooting instead of my Mamiya 7 rangefinder system which I use when I can travel with more kilos.
I have Nikon Coolscan 9000 ED for film scanning. Is meaningless to buy G2 today? Should I buy a digital reflex instead of G system?
 
I bought one 2 years ago and am shooting very contently with it. Your personal choice.... excellent system if you are willing to learn. Lenses are the tops all around. For me it is just the man (= I) behind the camera that is the G's limit.
 
I owned a G1 for quite a while.
Some people have issues with the viewfinder on the G as it is a bit smaller than some other rangefinders. However if you intend to use all three differnt focal lenghs quite a lot then the zooming ability of the viewfinder is pretty neat.
A DSLR with a single zoom lens and a buit in flash would probably be more portable and adaptable, but it's personal choice really. I have a DSLR and never use it.
 
Like any rangefinder I'd have thought you would be okay down to shutter speed of 1/30th though perhaps not with the 90mm lens. Depends how steady your hands are. 😉

Edited to add - The lenses really are brilliant.
 
I'm very confused if I should buy it. I found a good price. G2, 28-45-90 with lenshood, filter and soft case, + Flash TLA 200 in excellent condition at about 1100 $.
 
That sounds like a good price. Do you have any idea what these cameras used to cost new? ($$$$$$$$$$$!!)

The reason I haven't sold my DSLR is because it's now worth nothing after two years.

Prices for G system gear have pretty much bottomed out. If you buy a G2 kit and don't get along with it you should be able to sell it for what you paid, so there's very little risk.
 
A lot of people knock the Fuji Folder for not being robust enough. I've never had any problems with mine. It only has the fixed 75mm lens (the 645W has something wider) so you are limited in choice.

It weighs roughly the same as a normal rangefinder (with a lens on) and is perhaps a tiny bit heavier than my DSLR.

I can fit it into my pocket (folded) far easier than a Rangefinder or DSLR. I have often chose the Fuji and my Ricoh 28mm (GR1) as my travel combo in the past and it has worked well. Fuji for the nice stuff and the GR1 for the snaps.

The Fuji also has a nice viewfinder.
 
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That depends.

I have been a G used for almost 10 years now, and the pictures you can take on a good day are second to none. The 45 mm, the 21 mm and the 16 mm are as good as they come.

On the other hand I also own a Canon DSLR and often shoot in parallel with the two systems. There are pictures I can do with the G, that the Canon would never be able to deliver, and vice versa.

So it is a question of what you want to shoot. Even if the G comes cheap nowadays, it is getting more and more costly to buy and process film not to mention the pain of scanning 20 plus rolls. It might be personally more rewarding if you have time enough.

And, don't think about buying the G1 unless you are a collector. Go for the G2 straight. That and the 45 mm will get you far.

Here are two pictures, that you may want to look at. One G shot and the other one taken with the Canon. None of these could have been managed by substituting cameras:

Contax G: http://www.contaxg.com/document.php?id=32214

Canon 40 D: http://not.contaxg.com/document.php?id=22233&full=1

My2P
 
There's no question about how good the G system is. The only issue is whether you want a film camera or not. Personally I would go for it -- the quality of the pictures from those lenses is as good as you can get in 35mm.

(I must take issue with Knut, though, about the G1 -- while focusing isn't as advanced as with the G2, it's fine. And the slightly smaller size of the G1 compared with the G2 is nice.)
 
Nick, I don't disagree, but please remember that not all the G1's take the 21 mm and the 16 mm. I am not sure they even take the 35 mm. The difference in size is, imho, more than made up for in better functionality. I use to have a G1 as well, but traded it in for a G2 many years ago. Focus is more difficult with the G1 (and the G2 looks better) 🙂.

I am sure that the G2 will hold a certain price level. I am not sure that the G1 will 🙂.
 
The G1 will hold it's price for as long as the G2 does.
It will always be cheaper than the G2 due to the G2 being the later model.

If you get a green label G1 (label inside film compartment) it will work with the later lenses.

I also think that the G1 is a nicer size than the G2.
But if you want to focus manually then there are better cameras to buy.
 
I've had a G2 for seven years and a G1 for six. I find I pick the G1 over the G2 just about every time. The G1 just a bit lighter and just a bit smaller, yet it does everything the G2 does.

However I must add that my primary camera is a Mamiya 7. And I shoot it just like a 35mm rangefinder, always hand held, and just about always in fast moving situations. I don't use a strap or bag, just carry it in my hand with a pocket full of film the same as I do with a 35mm RF.

But everyone has their own preferences.
 
All three of those lenses are top notch- and the AF is darn good with the G2. I just replaced the ZM21 with a G2 and the G21, I liked the prints better from films shot with the G21, and handling was easier.
 
Everything good that was said is right on. Great lenses and the G2 worked well for me. Loved the images I got from the system.
The viewfinder is what made me finally sell my kit. It's tunnel vision to the max.
I wear glasses and it was a tough go.
Spend some time with it if you can before you buy and if the viewfinder works for you, you will love the rest. I still miss mine
 
I never felt the viewfinder was a problem because I have an XA, contax II and IIa and Nikon S, etc., where you actually have to use the tiny viewfinder to focus. In fact the only decent rangefinder camera viewfinder I have is the Bessa R2S.
 
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