The under valued winner hands down

G2 is absolutely an awesome camera.....Superb photos! My wife just bought the Nikon D80 and is disappointed. She loves the quality and sharpness of film and wants my G2
 
Revived thread or no, I'd agree the G2 is a nice camera (albeit with a rather pokey viewfinder) that has good AF (once you master it) and stellar lenses esp. the 45 Planar. I don't have the 21, which is also said to be particularly special. For what its good at, it is very good indeed. So keep your wife away from it! (Or, better, get one for her.)

...Mike
 
I love the Contax G1 too, about to start looking for a G2. All the bad stuff you hear is nonsense in my very humble opinion, but I never had any focus issues or speed issues. The 45 and 90 are stonking lenses, so sharp.

If anyone wants to sell a G2, PM me! :)
 
Larky said:
I love the Contax G1 too, about to start looking for a G2.

I wonder why anyone would buy a G2 when they have a G1. I have owned both the G1 and the G2 for about six years.

I use my G1 98% of the time while the G2 sits. I find I use the G2 only when the 1/2000th max shutter speed of the G1 becomes limiting.
 
I have no doubt the lenses are superb, but I found the finder and the AF to be dreadful. I bought a used one years ago but returned it in a week. Also could not get used to the lack of control (from what I remember..)
 
Pablito said:
I have no doubt the lenses are superb, but I found the finder and the AF to be dreadful. I bought a used one years ago but returned it in a week. Also could not get used to the lack of control (from what I remember..)
finder---yes, dreadful if you compare with ZI or leica.

AF---- can't agree with you. Nothing works in low light condition better than G2.

Lenses--- superb, every single one of them. period.
 
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Would you G2 users say that this camera is an "under valued" winner?

I'm just curious seeing as i've been looking at purchasing a G1 which goes for sometimes half of what the G2 does.

Not to move this topic into a "G1 v. G2" topic, but does the G2 have enough advantage over the G1 to warrant it being the 'under valued' winner of the two?
 
One thing is true, the M mode in contax g is not useable. Great camera for slide or color negatives.
 
I have both G1 & G2, I have no problem with its auto focus. I think both cameras are under-value, espically, the G1. Although some people mentioned the Auto-focus of G2 is better. However, I didn't realized any significant faster or better. As Bob mention that I use G1 quite often than the G2, cause it is lighter and smaller. The design looks simpler and smarter.
 
fbf said:
One thing is true, the M mode in contax g is not useable. Great camera for slide or color negatives.

Well, that explains it. I use M mode almost exclusively on every camera I own. Maybe that was my problem with it not the AF. This was a long time ago.
 
Manual metering with the G2 is easier than with the Minolta CLE, but with either camera, if I'm going to be metering manually anyway, I'd be using an incident meter, not the internal one.

Manual focus is awkward with the G1 and G2, but the G2 has a lock-focus button on the back that adds a lot of control to the AF. For that matter, it has an AE Lock also, very usable camera.
 
G1 AE & AF lock, like G2

G1 AE & AF lock, like G2

Doug said:
the G2 has a lock-focus button on the back that adds a lot of control to the AF. For that matter, it has an AE Lock also, very usable camera.

FWIW, the G1 has the same AE lock as the G2. The G1 AF lock is by holding down the shutter half way instead of the separate button on the G2.

I believe you can program the G2 to work the same way as the G1.

Both cameras are very functional in their default modes. I have little problem switching from one to the other.
 
Bob Michaels said:
Both cameras are very functional in their default modes. I have little problem switching from one to the other.
Certainly agree, Bob, and the G1's slightly smaller size is nice.
 
toyotadesigner said:
I don't know anything about the G1, but for me the G system is the fastest and best to shoot slides. Sure, you have to get used to the adjusting viewfinder, but the AF is spot on as well as the metering. Using the G2 in M mode needs a little training, but once you know to turn the wheel instead of a lens barrel ring it'll work - if you'll use the M mode at all.

As far as I know there is no other system with such outstanding prime lenses as small, fast and reliable as the G system on the market.


The comment about "best for shooting slides"......please explain that one??

Why Slides and not other media ?? As that does not really seem clear to me.


Best Regards.....Laurance
 
Thanks for the explainattion....I normally always do most metering outside the camera. So it is seldom that I trust a in camera meter to be spot on the money.
I just picked up a G2 kit and will be looking forward to tryiing it out when it arrives. Most of my Leica meters are really only best in low or flat lighting.

thanks
 
The reason I want a G2 also, is because I want to own the complete G system before I cant get it any more!

I love the G1, I love every bit of it. The manual mode is excellent, I set it to focus on 2 meters at F8 and just go. I can see a shot coming, press the button to get the lens where it should be, raise and take the shot and be ready to shoot again in a split second.

It's noisier than a fully manual because it has motors and gear chains, but in a busy street nobody notices it. I was taking pictures of a guy from about 8 inches behind his head on Saturday, he didn't notice me.

I love the G, once I have the rest of the system I'll move on to thinking about owning a Leica M6 with lenses!
 
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