Contax G2; Tell Me About

[thawkins]

I am intrigued by the Contax G2 camera and lens. Do the lens compare to an equivelant Leica lens? Can this camera be manually focused or is it all automated? While Sherry and DAG take care of the Leica line who could service a G2? As I said, I am intrigued?

 

[Neare]

I am intrigued by the Contax G2 camera and lens. Do the lens compare to an equivelant Leica lens? Can this camera be manually focused or is it all automated? While Sherry and DAG take care of the Leica line who could service a G2? As I said, I am intrigued?

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=8

That forum has heaps of details of the G2 system.

Also http://tocad.com/ does repairs I believe.


The lenses on the system are amongst the best in 35mm, you won't go wrong with any of them. They are all of Zeiss design and certainly carry their signature.
The camera in operation however is really an auto-focus camera. It has manual focus mode available, but in use it is rather tedious. Unlike an SLR, the AF doesn't have a visual confirmation of focus, only a bar that shows the rough distance. However, once you get used to the system is will be able to focus very fast and accurately nearly all the time.

It's a great camera and fast in usage. People either tend to love it or hate it. Though everyone loves the lenses.

 

[Bob Michaels]

<snip> It's a great camera and fast in usage. People either tend to love it or hate it. Though everyone loves the lenses.

That accurately sums everything up.

If you want a manual focus camera with frame lines, the ContaxG system is not for you.

Otherwise, if you want a RF with a very accurate autofocus system and great optics, nothing can beat the ContaxG.

FWIW, they are very reliable and low maintenance since there is no rangefinder to need aligning and no precision moving parts since everything is internal direct electronic motors.

 

[Rangefinder 35]

G2

G2

You can try Ken Rockwell's opinion on G system athttp://www.kenrockwell.com/contax/g-system.htm
0r: http://www.photodo.com/lens/Contax-G-Planar-45mm-f2-783

I've been using the G system for 6 years and am very impressed with the image quality of the Zeiss lenses. When I scan slides taken with Contax G system, I get about 100MB file that in PS at 100% mag. shows all the imperfection of the lens. The CZ lenses-created images are technically truly remarkable. No color-fringing, even in the corners with 21mm Biogon. Remarkable contrast. Unassailable sharpness. Of course some of Leica lenses might be better. And I just wish that one day I can afford of them.

 

[thawkins]

Thanks for your replies concerning the Contax G2 system. As I said, I am intrigued. All of the units in my RF fleet are vintage, mechanical and work very well. So a camera without a rangefinder would be a first. Thanks again for you responses.

 

[jarski]

seeing those (G1 and 2) in real life recently in Tokyo, I was surprised how large they were. almost the size of M-body. judging only from net pix, one could easily think they are smaller.

 

[Arlen]

Love my G1. But I love shooting my fully manual cameras more! If you shoot fully manual, I would think twice before picking one up.

The G system is not for everyone or every situation. The forcus can be awkward(but has been inproved in the G2). It is for the most part a fully automatic camera. You can really burn through film with one.

I use my G1 when I feel lazy, or when therre is a lot going on and I need to shoot a lot to try to capture the moment. For example I will be using it today at my sons birthday party. Sometimes, I think of it as my snap shot camera.

Great optics great build.

I am thinking of replacing it with a Ricoh GR1 to be honest.

 

[mrisney]

For me, it compliments my other rangefinder - my Mamiya 6. 35mm should be fast and convenient IMO. I spent some time with an M series (nice M4P). Too manual for 35mm film for my taste. When I shoot 35mm, I am giving up the image quality that 120 affords, so it should be a fast camera, no fuss, and easy to catch the moment, the G does all that. 2 lens that I highly recommend - the 45mm and 21mm. Really amazing lenses, and much more affordable than the Leica 21mm Elmarit, and the 45mm is just perfect. Zeiss lenses are something to experience. The only 35mm film camera I would consider at this point is the Contax T-Series, or the Yashica T3, but those are strictly point and shoot, I need to control aperture for my shots. Pricing for G's are relatively low
I would recommend, the only lens that I might pass on is the 90mm, I used it once and I experienced focus issues, and it's just not a FOV that I use that much. I did drop my G2, and bent the bottom plate and chipped the body, I sent it to TOCAD and for 275, they replaced body panels, gave it a realignment and it came back pretty much like new this past summer.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrisney/4261218993

 

[le vrai rdu]

I love my G2, it is a really amazing lens

the 45 and 28 are fantastic, the 21 too but I don't use it that much now

 

[250swb]

I've bought and sold many Leica's, lenses, and similar 'rangefinder' stuff over the years, but the only camera and lenses I get wistful about selling is my G2 outfit. It was infuriating one minute, and an AF dream the next, but overall I kick myself because I've never had a camera since that just felt so good in the hand, and those lenses are jaw droppingly good.

Steve

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

My opinion is similar to 250swb's. I've bought and sold Leicas. I've bought and sold G2 kits (at least four different times!). I don't really miss the Leicas. I wish, though, that i could have adapted to the G2's viewfinder.

The camera looks amazing. Feels amazing. The build is fantastic. The AF and winder are great. The lenses are wonderful. The viewfinder is 'uncomfortable' for me. It's a great system for me one day and then the next day i'm "infuriated" by it. I felt the same way, for altogether different reasons, about the Leica M-system, too.... But, i'm more attracted to what the G2 offers. The M has a better viewfinder, but since i don't like rangefinder viewing/composing, i'd rather just use a Nikon FE2 if i need a larger viewfinder and manual winding. The G2 meets a different set of needs: AF, small/compact/motorwinding.

And, as noted, ToCAD services them in the US.

Try one. Not much can be lost by buying one and using it for a year. You'll either love it or get used to it or reject it. In any case, you should still get some nice pictures, and you'll then know where to go next.

 

[akptc]

My G2 gear is for when I need a "get it done, take no prisoners" film kit, it just never disappoints. From image quality to continuous AF tracking to flash output accuracy, it just has been a perfect system for me. The only reason it is now shelved is due to lack of time to scan film.

 

[nonot]

I loved the G2 system, it's a blast to use, the lenses are incredible and it's cheap! You'll hear plenty of talk about the limitations and frustrations that the system has or causes but really you just have to try it. Personally I never really experienced some of them (like the poor focusing on the 90). I've said it before in another thread, the only reason I got rid of it was because of the electronics starting to crap out, and that I'm not polyamorous when it comes to cameras (I do have the occasional fling though).

 

[katgut@earthlink.net]

I've seen many with cracked/leaking LCDs, and apparently there are no spare parts to repair them. Perhaps someone could verify or correct this.

Also, I've compared G1 to G2. Although the G1 is much cheaper, I'd still go with the G2. It's much better in many ways. Interestingly, the price has remained the same since I started looking at them 15 years ago, about $600.

 

[nonot]

Katgut,

Last time I checked Tocad was out of many of the parts, in fact if you email them for a part, just describe it in some roundabout way and they will send you an exploded diagram with all the parts in the G2 as well as a list of the parts... many of which will be crossed out meaning they do not have them in stock. I actually think I posted this somewhere on the site... I'll check.

http://breadwinner.ca/G2.pdf

I must have been mistaken about the crossed out part, but I do remember them telling me several times that there a few of the parts I wanted were oos.

 

[Spyro]

I dont know if I was doing something wrong but when prefocused manually to a distance, when I pressed the shutter button the lens would go to minimum focus distance, then to infinity, then to where I had focused and then it would finally take a photo. It did my head in. Also AF was noisy.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I guess I should add that I have owned both a green label G1 and a G2 for over ten years. I pick the G1 to use almost all the time and leave the G2 behind. Reason: The G1 does everything the G2 does that matters to me, seems to focus the same, but is a tad bit lighter.

It was great marketing strategy for Kyrocera to introduce the G1 first and then the G2 a year later. Everyone believed the G2 just had to be better because it was a higher number, later model and costs more.