Contax G1 Intermittent shutter failure

[dovi]

Any tips?

My g1 sometimes fails to respond when I Press the shutter.

It was working fine until I started switching lenses. I've had it since last November and I only recently started using it daily.

It started happening when I tried out a used 90mm lens that turned out to be defective and would not focus at all.

Once I put my 45 and 28 back on it started becoming unresponsive.
I changed the batteries and it was fine. I left it alone for two days with the power switched on, by mistake, and it is now once again becoming unresponsive at times.

After fumbling around, removing and reataching any lens, it starts to work.

Does this sound familiar? Any tips.

 

[morback]

I have no G, but given it's electronic nature i would look into cleaning contacts between body & lenses.

I had a similar problem with my Mamiya6 and that did the trick.

 

[cidereye]

I concur with morback as this being the most likely cause of your problem.

I was using my G2 last weekend and had the same problem, wiped over the contacts with a cloth and hey presto sorted. Kept coming back though so probably needs a clean with some lighter fluid or similar to get it perfect.

 

[dovi]

Maybe Moisture issue

Maybe Moisture issue

Thanks for the tips, I used electrical contact cleaner on a qtip and the issue seems to have gone , for now.

I remember that it was raining lightly one day while I was shooting. It started happening after that. Maybe moisture causes this?

 

[Rangefinder 35]

I alwys carry a pencil eraser in my camera bag for cleaning those contacts. Try the same trick with the semingly faulty 90mm Sonnar. See if it works after contacts cleaning.

 

[Bob Michaels]

<snip> I left it alone for two days with the power switched on, by mistake, and it is now once again becoming unresponsive at times. <snip>

I never turned off a G1 or G2 in the 6-7 years that I used the ContaxG system. I am not sure why Contax even put the switch on there because it certainly has no effect to leave them on. Whatever your problem is, it is just a coincidence that the camera was left on at the same time as one of the failures.

 

[dovi]

switch

switch

Glad to hear that the power switch is not a factor.
I am leaning towards moisture. I cleaned the contacts and it looks good now but I am spooked because I do like to shoot in rain and that may not be good for this camera...

I never turned off a G1 or G2 in the 6-7 years that I used the ContaxG system. I am not sure why Contax even put the switch on there because it certainly has no effect to leave them on. Whatever your problem is, it is just a coincidence that the camera was left on at the same time as one of the failures.

 

[dovi]

have you used it in wet weather?

have you used it in wet weather?

Ill try the eraser thing. I realize that it occurred after shooting in light rain.

I alwys carry a pencil eraser in my camera bag for cleaning those contacts. Try the same trick with the semingly faulty 90mm Sonnar. See if it works after contacts cleaning.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Probably not the best camera for shooting in the rain. Electronics don't like water.

 

[dovi]

Agreed

Agreed

Probably not the best camera for shooting in the rain. Electronics don't like water.

I recall that it rained lightly.lol It raises a few doubts about reliability/dependability although I love the results.

 

[marduk]

Hey, that does sound familiar, as my wife's G2 is becoming unresponsive at times too, esp. if you leave it turned on. Removing and putting the lens back helps. I'll look into contacts now.

But there is even more troublesome thing - it has a noticeable lag when pressing shutter release button. I think it's not supposed to be that way. Maybe shutter release contacts need cleaning too. Have heard of a similar problem in Hexar AF.

Would you recommend against unskilled disassembly? We don't have a Contax G tech here in Ukraine 🙁 Any tips are appreciated.

 

[marduk]

Well, I fiddled around with Contax and I think that sometimes perceived shutter release button lag could have something to do with bluish oxidizing on the mount of 28mm Biogon. Though the contacts themselves (7 copper pins at the bottom of the mount - dovi, is it where you cleaned with electrical contact cleaner?) are clean and I don't think dirt on the mount could affect the electric contact, I will get some lighter fluid and meanwhile will use it more with the 45mm Planar. In the most cases I think shutter lag is normal for these cameras, go figure.