Contax G1 price and reliability

[Jonas Adolfsen]

I have a while ago decided to get a Bessa R4M with a 28mm f2, but i'm waiting to save up money. But in the mean time i have now found a slightly used Contax G1 with 28mm f2.8, 45mm f2, 90mm f2.8 and TLA140 flash for $700.

I do not know the Contax and i have never held one, but considering the price and that it is Zeiss glass i'm considering buying it.

But first i'll ask: what is the downside to the Contax compared to a Bessa R4m or a Leica M6? Does it have 28mm framelines? Is it possible to turn off AF? And last but not least, will the shutter last (since it's out of production now...).

Jonas

 

[sniki]

According my experience the Zeiss G mount glass are gems; there are even 28 frame lines and you can disable AF as well. My only concern is about the viewfinder, pretty small compared with G2.

 

[historicist]

It's quite a different kind of camera - it has no rangefinder, the finder is a zoom finder so no framelines (it just zooms to cover the appropriate field of view). It's not as big or clear as a M/Bessa

The lenses are very good, and you don't hear a lot about the shutter failing. To be honest, the bodies are so cheap now it wouldn't be a very big deal if it did.

Anyway, the manual is here, gives you quite a good idea how it works in manual focus mode etc:

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/contax/contax_g1/contax_g1.htm

 

[Jonas Adolfsen]

So it has a small viewfinder making it hard to focus manually? Thats good to know, because i worry a little for the AF after some years use. Or i would rather say that i generally worry about electronics when it gets some years old.

How long will the batteries last while shooting?

 

[historicist]

Look at the manual - the camera is totally electronic. When you are manually focussing, it still needs the electronics to work. If the electronics go, nothing will work at all.

But it's not too much to worry about because they are not known to be unreliable, and they are pretty cheap that if it breaks it doesn't really matter very much. The only problem you see fairly often is the top LCD bleeding.

More the style of camera is quite different to a Leica/Bessa - maybe think of it as a really, really advanced point and shoot with a lot of manual overrides. It is probably best to see if you can play with one in a shop or wherever to see if you like it or not.

 

[mcgrattan]

There's no point in thinking in terms of using the camera manually. It's an autofocus camera. When you manually focus you use the camera's controls to adjust the focus on the lens, and you get focus confirmation in the finder. If the autofocus mechanism breaks, the camera is dead. The lenses have no manual focusing capability, the only control on the lens is aperture. There's no focus ring on the lens and no mechanism through which to focus them.

The G1 isn't really a rangefinder in the sense that there's no optical rangefinder mechanism [it's done electronically and the user either uses autofocus or the electronic focus indication in the finder].

That said, I really like mine, and I've had very good results. I've had the odd missed focus shot, but those are all clearly user error. The general consensus seems to be that focusing with the 90mm lens, close-up and wide-open, can be a bit hit and miss but I've not really had a lot of problems with it. Just be careful to check the finder to see where the camera is focusing.

I'm not 100% convinced yet by the lenses. They are wonderfully sharp but I'm not quite sure it's _my_ personal 'look', but I've not experimented enough yet to be certain.

The body is very solidly made. They aren't cheap rubbish.

 

[veraikon]

If you decide to buy a G1 , look at a green sticker (mostly inside the Film camber). Cameras marked with a green stricker have a software update which allows to use the 21 and 35 mm lens.
Otherwise you have to send your Camera to Contax Service to make this update, if you want to use the 21mm (or 35mm) .
The 21mm Contax has an excellent reputation (after Puts better than the corresponding L lens )

 

[ReeRay]

I have both the G1 and G2. 21mm, 28mm, 45mm and 90mm. Totally reliable, great lenses, batteries last forever, light and easy to use. Basically, idiot proof!

You won't be disappointed believe me. And if you don't like it, at the price you mention you'll sell it overnight.

Good luck

 

[Cron]

So it has a small viewfinder making it hard to focus manually? Thats good to know, because i worry a little for the AF after some years use. Or i would rather say that i generally worry about electronics when it gets some years old.

How long will the batteries last while shooting?

reliable AF, no problems whether with G1 nor G2, no need for manual focus and also there you would have electronic help, finder is always sharp.
Really great lenses and great cameras.
Price is ok.

 

[robbo]

I think that those who get on best with these cameras are those who have used af almost exclusively, probably an slr. I've owned both models and preferred the G2 for its easier adjustability. The lenses are excellent. However, I missed the total control that a mechanical rf gives and therefore sold it all to get an M6. I agree with the above remark that the G1/G2 could be looked on as a very sophisticated and high quality point and shoot.
Reliability was never a consideration and they are still repairable I believe by Alpha(?)

 

[kbg32]

I find people either hate the Contax Gs or love them. I happened to love mine . I have never had a problem with them at all. They have always performed flawlessly. And those lenses! Superb! As soon as you can, get a G2 body. Better viewfinder and autofocusing.

I find the G2 to be an excellent street shooter.

 

[Jonas Adolfsen]

Thank you.

I will see if i can try it, and it seems like the price is adjustable. If i were to buy it elsewhere it might be cheaper, but i would have to pay additional 25% tax when having it sendt to Norway, so i prefer to shop here at home.

I really want a rangefinder for street photography, with 28mm lens, so it will take some thinking to decide.

 

[djonesii]

I have a G1 w/ 45mm, and an M6 w/ CV 40mm, so about as apples to apples as possible. I find that the G1 is not as good a street shooter. I always seem to have trouble getting it set into hyperfocal mode. I know it can be done, but it takes a while for my neurons to click, therefore, I often just leave it in auto.

In the studio, the G1 is much better than the M6, the M6 flash sycn is 1/60, I have heard it described as anemic, and that is a bit of an understatement.

As for battery life, the engineers at Contax figured out how to conserve battery power, the folks at Solms seem to keep the meter on at all times when the shutter is cocked, even after a few hours of sitting in you bag with the lever just moved a bit. That said, after about a year of use, the G1 batteries did need replaced. I get about 4 months from the M6, when I remember to put in B mode for storage!

As for the sensors, the both just take the standard black and white or color ones, Fuji, Kodak, or even the off brand home loads that I do ...... Getting the film into the M6 at the start of using one is a lot more hit and miss than the G1.

The CV 40 SC is known as a sharp contrasty lens from what I have read, and that suits me. Much the same for the G1. If you are a lover of the colapsable 50mm chron or any of the older elmars, this is probably not the kit for you!

For the moment, I forturnte enough to be able to affort both, and for me, even though they can be direclty compared, they are in no way replacements. The M6 is full manual always, and the G1 is set exposure manunally and auto foucs almost all the time for me.

Dave

 

[mfunnell]

I have a Contax G2 system with 28, 45 and 90mm lenses. It is a very nice system. I have only 2.5 problems with it.

Problem one is that the viewfinder is very "pokey" and small, and I (personally) like a big, wide viewfinder. But aside from small, the VF is nice in that it is (a) purely optical (I hate EVFs); and (b)shows framing and corrects for parallax very well.

Problem two is that I find the AF system somewhat hit-and-miss. That's not a problem with the AF, it's a problem with me. On manual RF systems (assuming the RF is aligned correctly) and with SLR systems, AF confirmation is also backed up by visual confirmation that you're focused on what you think you're focused on (either by RF patch alignment or on the SLR focus screen). AF confirmation from the G system tells you you've focused on "something" but sometimes it's what the camera "thinks it should be focused on" rather than my intended focus point, and I sometimes think we agree when the negatives show we don't.

The final 1/2 problem is that the Contax G 45mm lens is just so damned nice that I rarely use the also-nice 28mm or 90mm lenses.

...Mike