Buying a Contax G2, what to test on the spot?

[Kai.jpg]

Hi all,

I was really hoping that my post would be about being convinced why I really don't need a Contax G2, but I guess the GAS was too strong.

I'm picking up a Contax G2 kit tomorrow from a private seller. The kit includes the 21/28/45/90 Zeiss lenses plus TLA140, all boxed, in a hard case. Seller is a photographer but says he bought it more as a collector's item and didn't use it much.

Unit looks great in photos and seller says everything works, but since this is a private sale I likely won't have the option to return it or test it with a roll before committing.

What should I be checking on the spot to make sure I'm not walking away with a lemon? Any known failure points, red flags, or things that would make you walk away?

 

[jaredangle]

Ask if you can bring a test roll of film and use it. Check that it loads correctly, and snap close/medium/far shots with each lens to check that focusing is working (on the lens and on the body). Also make sure rewind is working at the end of the roll. Check shutter curtains visually for damage, and give the camera a slight jiggle to make sure viewfinder elements are not loose. Aside from that, I’d just make sure that all dials work correctly.

Good luck and enjoy! I have the G1 with the 45mm and 90mm and it’s a wonderful camera.

 

[Kai.jpg]

Ask if you can bring a test roll of film and use it. Check that it loads correctly, and snap close/medium/far shots with each lens to check that focusing is working (on the lens and on the body). Also make sure rewind is working at the end of the roll. Check shutter curtains visually for damage, and give the camera a slight jiggle to make sure viewfinder elements are not loose. Aside from that, I’d just make sure that all dials work correctly.

Good luck and enjoy! I have the G1 with the 45mm and 90mm and it’s a wonderful camera.

This is excellent advice. Thank you so much @jaredangle 🙌

 

[1936ContaxII]

Several years ago I had bought a CLA'd G2 but after two days or so I realized that the camera drained the (new) battery far too quickly.
I have no idea why this happened, and so did the vendor, but fortunately I had got the opportunity to send it back.

 

[jaredangle]

This is excellent advice. Thank you so much @jaredangle 🙌

Happy to help! For me, it’s one of my first choices for a compact travel camera. I took it to Pakistan and Kazakhstan, and I’m taking it to the Caribbean this year as well.

 

[splitimageview]

Make sure the displays are visible, both in the viewfinder and on the top...I have had Contaxes with LCD bleed where the camera was working 100% in every way except for this, making the camera unusable...

 

[valdas]

Shoot a lot of frames without the film and listen for a failing shutter sound (it is quite distinctive and different from a normal sound). Shutter failure is quite common in G2. Normally, it develops slowly - first, you have one or two blank frames (shutter fired, film winded to another frame, but when you develop you see the blank frame because the curtains did not open). Later it gets worse. I had it on my G2 and read quite a lot stories on internet. I know one place in Poland which does repairs, but just in case - investigate the repair options close to you. Any Contax with electronics is a time bomb (as much as I love them).