New RF user

[gary]

Hello to all. Glad I found this site. Have read many posts and am inpressed with the quality and dedication of the membership. Hope I will someday be able to contribute. Now! I just bought at auction a G1 with a relatively new 45 f2 lens, both rated as excellent, with minor cosmetic issues, primarily paint missing rom the rear cover hinge. Am wondering if the casing of the camera can be repainted, professionally, and if so might anyone know of a refinishing service I could contact. I'd love to have it shot black or even olive drab like the Bessa R2. This is my first foray into RF and will gratefully accept any real world advice. I primarily am intested in street shooting and I realize I might be better served by another brand but for what I paid I'm sure I can adapt and cope with some of the shortcomings. Pardon the rant and thanks to any/all who might respond.
Gary

 

[Rich Silfver]

Welcome Gary, you'll find this to be a very friendly place filed with a lot of people that are willing to share stories and information.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Gary,
Camera repainting can get very expensive to have it done professionally. To do it correctly, the parts have to be removed from the camera, the paint removed, primer put on, paint applied, then baked. You can touch it up yourself, but the paint will wear as it is not baked in. For a camera such as this, best to use it and keep an eye open for one in better condition. You can keep this one for a user, or sell it later.

 

[digitalox]

Welcome Gary. You'll like the G1 - I have 2 myself.

 

[Doug]

Hi Gary; welcome! I was intrigued by the Contax G1 when it was first introduced, it seems like such a fine small camera. I've never bought one (nor used one either) though I'm tempted from time to time. Prices sure are attractive these days! Has yours been modified to take the 35mm lens?

 

[Jeroen]

A black G1/2 sure would look nice.

 

[Designer]

Welcome to the forum! Gary.🙂

 

[Peter]

Welcome to the club! 🙂

 

[FrankS]

Gary, welcome, and abandon all hope! (of ever getting control over this photography bug)

 

[Pham Minh Son]

I am new to the forum myself and I hope this is a nice place to hang out. Recently I have interest in the rangefinder camera and looking to acquired the M7 or the Zeiss Ikon in hope that they will come out with a digital back for these cameras. If Contax get themselves together and have a digital back for the G2 then I will stay with Contax. It is the only auto focus rangefinder that I know and their lens is so sharp with great value. Does anyone know if Contax is capable or planing to have a digital back for these G2 bodies?

 

[Sergio]

Anything is possible, but it seems very unlikely at this point. I've heard that Kyocera and Zeiss have ended their venture -- I still love my G2 though. In the US, Kodak will develop and digitize your film into a CD for about $10 which provides jpeg images at 1.5 megapixel resolution (about 4.5 mb per picture if uncompressed). You can get very nice 8x10s from that. You can also get two regular size prints of each picture at processing time. The whole thing costs about $14-15 so, depending on how much you shoot, it may/may not be suitable for you. (You can also save the negatives, so if preserving your pictures were a concern you would be "well diversified" between analog and digital.)

 

[DougK]

Welcome aboard!

 

[peter_n]

Pham with respect to the M7 the answer is no. Leica intends to bring out a digital M camera body in 2006 - likely at Photokina later in the year. Whether they will actually do this is anyones guess however...

Welcome to the forum BTW! (It is a nice place to hang out.) 🙂

 

[gefoto3]

Pham, I'm afraid a digital G won't be seen. I love the G System and will continue my use of it. The G lenses are first rate. The Ikon to me sounds like a real option for a digital path and the lenses look like they will be exemplary in performance. I don't think anyone really knows what Zeiss will do for a digital Ikon (back or body). Either Ikon or M7 you can't go wrong.

Gary