Disappointed by Contax G

[LeicaFoReVer]

I figured that there were fingerprints on the window for focusing. This might have been the reason. Somebody was saying it must be absolutely clean...

 

[kknox]

It does make a big difference if the windows are not clean. The camera can no take an accurate reading to focus. Hope that's all it was for you. Good luck

 

[raid]

Super lenses attached to a poorly executed body. I never regretted selling the two Contax G kits I owned. I absolutely hated the wasted time dealing with the focus issues, rather than subject and composition considerations. That's just bad photography.

However, now I am a bit disappointed that I don't have the three lenses, since the Olympus Pen series and the Panasonic GF1 now have a manual focus adaptor for the Contax G lenses.

I really like my Olympus E-PL!, both with the supplied zooms and my legacy OM lenses from the OM-1 and 2 cameras.

I have heard good things about the G lenses on the micro four thirds cameras. These cameras could be a real reprieve from the Contax G body shortcomings.

I may get one day an Olympus E-PL to make better use of some lenses, such as the Contax G lenses (28-45-90) that I have.

 

[kknox]

Just picked up a GF1 to use all my legacy lens from the Leica, & the Contax G. Great glass on the 4/3 cameras. Waiting for my M adapter that should come in the mail today.

 

[Quinn Porter]

I've never had focus issues with my G2. Like others have said, you have to know how to get the most from the autofocus system. Like a Leica, some things are easy to focus and some things are difficult. Just like a Leica, contrasting verticals are easiest. Place the edge of a lightpost in the focus patch and a G2 will nail the focus everytime. Over time you'll get a feel for how to get good focus. For instance, when needed I tip the body slightly to create a vertical to focus on before composing.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I used to have a Contax G1 and after reading the manual I learned that this camera has to be used in the "focus and recompose" mode. It does have trouble focusing on undulating lines, but once it finds verticals or horizontals, it's all fine and dandy.

The reason I sold mine was that I got into Leica gear and also the noise and lag times. Every time you take a photograph, the lens goes back to infinite position (unless you're in C mode). This and the whirring AF noise wrecked some nice candid street shots because people actually heard the camera focus.

Considering that the Contax G body is all silver finish, I was always able to place myself in positions and situations that would have made possible a spontaneous photograph. However, the noise simply gave me away... That's why I now laugh at those people who claim that a red dot in a camera body will alert people. I had a shiny, bright camera body in my hands and never was noticed... until I pressed the shutter release button.

Again, the principle to live with a Contax G body is focus, recompose, shoot.

 

[Doug]

Yes, my G1 would do this too, accidentally move to manual focus, because the control is at the rear corner of the top, and easy to bump with the edge of a jacket, an arm gesture, etc. I had heard this can be tightened up by a repair tech, but my G1 was returned to KEH for other reasons.

I had a brief focusing problem with one of two G2 bodies and the 28mm lens, just that one combination. It would seem to focus ok at less than 1m distance but not allow me to fire the shutter. With another lens, it worked fine, and then with the 28 back on later it was also working fine. I can only assume there was a bit of debris of some kind on the lens mount electrical contacts...

This is a lovely system, so I hope you get it sorted out and making you happy!

Some G1 bodies have too loose a detent on the AF wheel- so that just carrying the camera knocks it into MF mode. ... Worth checking, because the G glass you have is magnificent.

 

[LeicaFoReVer]

Hey this makes me really annoyed...Definitely the camera's focusing mechanism need checking. I finished a roll to test it was always at S and nice light conditions at wide open 45mm, and first 3 shots I scan now are not focused. They are consistently back focused. There is a profile portrait of my wife, I focused on closer eye but the farther eye is in focus (not perfectly though). So what do you suggest? How to fix it?

 

[Haigh]

I recently bought a G1 and have no focussing issues, but that said I'd read a lot about this on this forum and elsewhere and was aware that care was needed since the focusssing system is not as sophisticated as in my Nikon F100 or my Nikon D80.

 

[LeicaFoReVer]

Guys I think this camera needs focus adjustment. Where can I have it serviced?

Almost all shot I took at f2 are out of focus (portraits of my wife at close and far range)

 

[kknox]

It might be cheaper to go to keh.com & check out their used bgn priced G1 body's. It will most likely cost you as much to repair that one as it is to buy a new used body. Just a thought. I had to return one as I mentioned in this post earlier with focus issues. The replacement body works great. Good luck.

 

[LeicaFoReVer]

how often I should expect this issue? I mean if I have a working body, how long would it take it start having focus issues? Is it commonly occurring?

Now I lost my trust on this body, I can not know when it is going to go off and there is no way to know before you develop the roll...It sucks...

 

[splitimageview]

Well you don't know for sure if it is the body or not.

G1 bodies are cheap enough.

Call TOCAD for a repair price. I sent in a G2 not long ago, I think it was $175 flat fee and they fix everything that is wrong and it will have a 6 month warranty.

http://www.tocad.com/service.html

 

[richreidjr]

beautiful

beautiful

This is a GREAT shot. Love it.

[/quote]

 

[sniki]

Thanks guys I will try with S mode and wide open and several different conditions, low light etc to see...It might be C mode then...

Just see this simple rule of thumb:

http://www.botzilla.com/blog/archives/000378.html

 

[douglasf13]

To add to what others have mentioned, I'm having a blast shooting my Contax G 35 and 90 on the NEX-5, and that 1.5x crop factor is nice compared to m4/3.

 

[kuzano]

bought...used....and sold two G1 systems...

bought...used....and sold two G1 systems...

My final conclusion... The bodies were not worthy of the lenses.

So here's a thought for all, after reading these posts.

Can you all imagine what a wonderful system the Contax G would have been if it had NOT BEEN AUTOFOCUS, but rather a real rangefinder camera.

I agree with a previous post... do not sell the lenses. There are already adaptors for the micro 4/3 bodies and perhaps for the NEX.

The bodies are worthless.

 

[raid]

I will take it as a challenge, and I will devote some time to use the G1.
In the end, I may keep it or sell it, depending on the outcome.
The lenses are too good to be sold.

 

[sevo]

Can you all imagine what a wonderful system the Contax G would have been if it had NOT BEEN AUTOFOCUS, but rather a real rangefinder camera.

It has been done - the Hexar RF was a G2 body with rangefinder and M mount. But it wasn't exactly a success. And now we have the Zeiss Ikon (much less modern than the G series), and M mount Zeiss lenses.

I don't feel that the G series was that illogical - the old Contax system had the unique advantage of single-handed operation, and AF is the most logical modern counterpart for that. Its real problem is that there are few people that shun the SLR principle, but like AF or motorized/electrified cameras. If they had marketed it at a quarter of the price, if could have reached a younger audience which might have got its handling embedded in their muscle memory to the point they consider it perfectly natural - as a camera for occasional shooters among rich old men it simply missed its market...

 

[rxmd]

It has been done - the Hexar RF was a G2 body with rangefinder and M mount. But it wasn't exactly a success. And now we have the Zeiss Ikon (much less modern than the G series), and M mount Zeiss lenses.

I don't feel that the G series was that illogical - the old Contax system had the unique advantage of single-handed operation, and AF is the most logical modern counterpart for that. Its real problem is that there are few people that shun the SLR principle, but like AF or motorized/electrified cameras. If they had marketed it at a quarter of the price, if could have reached a younger audience which might have got its handling embedded in their muscle memory to the point they consider it perfectly natural - as a camera for occasional shooters among rich old men it simply missed its market...

It would also have made sense as an interchangeable lens digital camera.