Black Contax G2 Kit or Hasselblad XPAN

[flipflop]

Hi,
Wondering what you guys would prefer to have? I have an xpan and A g1 + 35mm lens. Someone offered me a Black G2 kit 28mm 45mm 90mm all minty hoods filters and metal caps.

Also how do you like the Black G2, does the paint flake easily?

I like my Xpan but I think it would be nice to have one complete system. I think 2 bodies would really be nice. Then again I could just buy another green lable G1 + another lens and save some cash...

tough choices...help me out what are your thoughts. I like the long neg and viewfinder on the xpan...

 

[david b]

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Pan

 

[flipflop]

anyone have expierience with the black g2? How nicely is it finished....does it flake off like the xpan?

 

[Doug]

I've wondered the same; it's said to be black lacquer, and I don't know how tough that is. But I think the outfit LOOKs tough! I have a pair of non-black G2 bodies and like the system a lot. Might be cool to have an XPan though... 😉

 

[david b]

Paint schmaint!!!!

Plan on using the camera or setting in on a shelf?

The xpan is every bit as good as the G2 but, actually a BIG BUT, is that you can use it in either pano or 35mm. That kicks BUTT.

 

[flipflop]

David,
Thanks for the input...do you use any other lenses besides the 45mm...also what other cameras do you use?

 

[MP Guy]

the ONLY drawback to the xpan is the slower lenses and then slowing it even more with a center filter. Good for bright sunny shots and landscapes, but action is a different story.

 

[flipflop]

I have the 45mm and 90mm never noticed a need for the center...my buddy has the 30mm...you definetly need it for that

 

[david b]

I currently own the following:

xpan 1 with 45 and 90
xpan 2 with 45 and 90
hasselblad 503 with 50 - 80 - 150
hasselblad flexbody
pentax 67 with 105
canon ae-1 with 50
yashica d
polaroid 100

as for the center filter on the xpan...i own one and i never use it. NEVER. but i only shoot black and white and I've never had a problem.

And saying the center filter slows it down even further is lame. try putting a red filter on it and then we'll talk about slow.

 

[flipflop]

nice gear...if you could have one camera which would it be and why?

Also, is the xpan 2 that much better than the 1...the only thing I could find was better paint and shutterspeeds in the viewfinder

 

[david b]

I only bought the xpan 2 because some college kid who bought it on the HERO plan had to sell it and sold it to me for $1100, with the lens and all the accessories.

If I had to only have one, it would be the 503. It makes great negs and if hell froze over and I had to use digital, I could get a digital back for it.

But I love the xpan.

 

[flipflop]

Good to hear...what are you scanning your xpan negs with?

 

[david b]

I don't do any scanning. I am a darkroom guy but I have used my old Epson 2450 to scan them and they come out fine for proofing and other minor things.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I currently own the following:

xpan 1 with 45 and 90
xpan 2 with 45 and 90
hasselblad 503 with 50 - 80 - 150
hasselblad flexbody
pentax 67 with 105
canon ae-1 with 50
yashica d
polaroid 100

Behold. I bow before thee.
Impressive. Very impressive. 😎

 

[david b]

Gabriel,
the canon ae-1 was my first camera and I still have it.

the rest were purchased on ebay for very, very good prices. if you learn how to use it and what to look for, you can do very well on ebay.

 

[flipflop]

Hmm...My collection is not as impressive!
Pentax K1000
Contax G1 + 35mm
Yashica G ....120 format
Xpan 1 + 45mm + 90mm
Yashica fx-2
Konica TC + 40mm...

 

[BigSteveG]

G2 Balck finish

G2 Balck finish

anyone have expierience with the black g2? How nicely is it finished....does it flake off like the xpan?

I have the Black G2 and 28,45, 90 lenses (soon to have 21). I do not currently own any other rangefinders (except a Yashica Lynx, which I rarely use because it's weight). The finsish is exceptional. I take the system hiking and will put it down on a hard surface (usually a rock) for stability. There is no evidence of scratching or paint flaking!. I also take the camera to clubs at night to shoot musicians playing live and while I'm obviously careful with it, I have no fear of dings or dents. I had another black body at one time and dropped it while hiking. There was a small dent and the shooting mode dial became stuck, but still the finish appeared to hold up. I sometimes wish I had started with a standard silver finish because of the price, but the black is great looking and handling. As long as you don't mind paying a little extra for it, I recommend it highly.

 

[GeroV]

Those of you who have an Xpan with the 45 and 90mm lenses - how often do you use the 90mm lens and is it worth getting?

thanks,
Gero

 

[bobofish]

I don't own either camera, but I've lusted after both of them thoroughly. And I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once....

The Xpan seems like a bit of a different animal than other 35mm cameras...indeed it's a panoramic camera that CAN shoot 35, but that's not its reason for being.

As such, I really don't feel the need for two Xpan bodies, especially since there are only 3 available lenses. You probablly will only really ever use the 30 in 30 situations, and so on. There won't be much overlap, unless that happens to be your only camera.

With the G2, you have a few more lenses, and they are noticeably faster. That it's really not a rangefinder, but a p 'n' s with interchangeable lenses does not take away from how awesome the pictures are.

I would say then in the interest of being able to take more pictures, and more effective pictures, get the G2. The lenses are great, and the camera is infinitely more useable in normal situations. But, do try to get the 30 for the Xpan, I've seen some amazing pics taken with that hunk.

Also, that 28/45/90 combo covers just about everything you'd want, and covers it very well. The 90 for the Xpan seems a touch silly to me, except for novelty portraits. (not to knock it, but it wouldn't be my personal priority)

And as far as I'm concerned, the center filter is not absolutely necessary even on the 30...such a wide format in a landscape seems to me to want to fall off at the corners anyway, and with modern color negative films, it's no biggy to get an exposure.
Sometimes I look at those even, spot-on exposures of wide vistas, and it seems unnatural to me. The way the human eye sees I think is something like vignetting....at least something to think about.

 

[flipflop]

yeah a black G kit would be really nice, but I like to be able to swap between 35mm and pano and with the 45mm lens it goes from a normal lens to a wide lens in small package, super versitile.

The G system is alot faster, the viewfinder is not as nice, the black finish is better than the xpan 1, the xpan 2 supposedly fixed it.

I dont have plans of owning the 30mm, although it is nice, for the amount I would use it would not be worth it. I mean hell its worth more than my car, seriously!

I used to own the 21mm for the G system and it was nice! the best wide I have used, but I didnt like having to use the external finder and being a student I couldnt justify keeping the lens, because I didnt use it as much as others. Its more special purpose lens.

I also use about the same amount of film with the xpan as I would with the G, even though it is slower, but shooting pano uses extra film.

Thanks for help!