I finally got a Contax G1!!!

LeicaFoReVer · 08-04-2010

After adoring this camera a year, finally I got a white sticker one with 45mm...

My first impressions: this camera is so elegant! I know this is not a technical adjective but I really liked its shape and features compared to my M6...The grip makes you feel the body and the weight is just enough. I was imagining it a plastic feel camera because of its color but not, it feels sturdy! This is also the first zeiss glass I own...

I wish they continued to make those cameras today (as every contax user would say...)

I have some questions. what is the lever under the shutter speed dial? when I select it towards left, left digit of counter blinks and a plus sign appears on the green screen...

how about the square kind of symbol when you switch in drive button?

I had also some difficulty in mounting the lens as the red dot is inside and hard to align and see...what is the right procedure of mounting and unmounting it?

Thanks!

nonot · 08-04-2010

congrats, it's a great camera!

"The lever under the the shutter speed button" Do you mean under the dial? if so that's for exposure compensation, you should see the +- increments there?

I'm not sure what you mean about the other function.

As for mounting, it's a bit fiddly, you'll get the hang of it, just make sure to turn the knurled metal part, and not the plastic part.

have fun with it.

nonot · 08-04-2010

oh also you can find the manual at butkus.org, it will help you with some of the more "mysterious" functions of the camera.

LeicaFoReVer · 08-04-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonot

As for mounting, it's a bit fiddly, you'll get the hang of it, just make sure to turn the knurled metal part, and not the plastic part.

have fun with it.

I was trying to turn the plastic part

kdemas · 08-04-2010

You're going to be amazed with that 45mm. Razor sharp.

Enjoy!

LeicaFoReVer · 08-04-2010

oh now I see the exposure +- letters hidden

The other one appears on the led when you switch using the drive button, First S, then C then timer and the next one that I dont know...I will check the manual. Thank you very much!!!

digitalintrigue · 08-04-2010

Excellent.

LeicaFoReVer · 08-04-2010

oh that is the multiple exposure symbol

nonot · 08-04-2010

Yeah, keep fingers away from the plastic.

Right, the multiple exp, it's a bit different on the g2 which is what I use now.

post some pics when you have 'em.

LeicaFoReVer · 08-04-2010

Definetely I will post images!!!!

I did not know that there is an adaptor for SLR lenses! that might be interesting. Any experiences?

ReeRay · 08-04-2010

On the large dial +- is ex. Comp. The lever underneath is bracketing (1/2 or 1 stop) S = single shot, C= continuous and self timer (10 secs) AEL = exposure lock. bracket you mention is multi-exposure Hope this helps

cidereye · 08-05-2010

Congrats on your new G1!

As nonot indicated make sure you read the manual thoroughly to get the most out of using the camera especially the sections on auto-focus. Many, many people have tried these cameras in the past and could not get on with them complaining they got too many out of focus pictures. Understand how the AF works and you will not be one of them I assure you.

Have fun with it, they truly are fantastic cameras with great (and cheap!) glass too.

whitecat · 08-05-2010

Good choice. Great camera.

Cron · 08-05-2010

great choice!
great camera with exellent lenses!

nonot · 08-05-2010

I bought my kit with the slr adapter included - it's only good with Contax lenses and it works perfectly fine if you don't mind measuring out all your shots (it's not coupled with the rangefinder obviously, and they aren't supported by the autofocus) - it's not useful for the type of shots I use the camera for though, so it collects dust. It's a cool oddity that you might find useful if you do studio work or a lot of landscapes I think.

More useful would be one of the adapters being made for the micro 4/3 cameras - pity you can't use them with the wides as of yet though.

LeicaFoReVer · 08-05-2010

The manual helped a lot. It is so thorough,,, I understand the focusing and hopefully I will get nice shots. I will post them in here...thanks for helping everybody...

ianstamatic · 08-05-2010

I also just got a G1 +45 +90 = $440 incl shipping on fleabay

I cant wait to get a 28mm !!

this camera looks and feels just brilliant.

whitecat · 08-05-2010

You won't be able to sleep at night if you don't get the 21mm and the finder.

nonot · 08-05-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitecat

You won't be able to sleep at night if you don't get the 21mm and the finder.

It's a nice lens indeed.

cidereye · 08-06-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitecat

You won't be able to sleep at night if you don't get the 21mm and the finder.

Tell me about it! LOL

The worst, and in many ways best, about that very true comment is that earlier this year I found a Mint boxed 21mm Zeiss at a dealers and he was only asking £299 for it - I even had the money for it too. I kept putting off buying it all day and then another online dealer I check in on a regular basis had a beautiful & recently serviced Leica M2 and only wanted a crazy £290 for it so I bought the M2 ....... which I of course now love.

The 21mm Zeiss also sold that day and I've never seen one anywhere near that price again. Ah well.

LeicaFoReVer · 08-05-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianstamatic

I also just got a G1 +45 +90 = $440 incl shipping on fleabay

I cant wait to get a 28mm !!

this camera looks and feels just brilliant.

That is a bargain!!! OMG.

raid · 08-06-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianstamatic

I also just got a G1 +45 +90 = $440 incl shipping on fleabay

I cant wait to get a 28mm !!

this camera looks and feels just brilliant.

I paid $650 for a G1 plus 28-45-90. No regrets at all.

Steve M. · 08-05-2010

The next time you have the lens off look and see if there's some blue deposits on the camera's lens mount, the electrical contacts, and the lens's mount as well. If there is, clean it off w/ some alcohol. The camera relies on a good contact there to get accurate focus information, and the blue stuff will give you hit or miss focusing and possible shutter lag unless it's wiped clean.

Great little camera, and you should try the 90 2.8 on it. Probably one of the best, and cheapest, portrait lenses in 35mm.

Rangefinder 35 · 08-20-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve M.

The next time you have the lens off look and see if there's some blue deposits on the camera's lens mount, the electrical contacts, and the lens's mount as well. If there is, clean it off w/ some alcohol. The camera relies on a good contact there to get accurate focus information, and the blue stuff will give you hit or miss focusing and possible shutter lag unless it's wiped clean.

I don't agree with above statement. The "blue deposits" is actually a green factory-applied lubricant that helps to maintain the lens's and camera's mount. It's very good if it's visible on the mount itself. It shouldn't be on gold-plated contacts, though. I'll clean the contacts with pencil eraser, or with a Q-tip sprayed lightly with a Contact Cleaner. In the past cleaning the contacts like that removed a problem I had with lens not focusing when the shutter was depressed on G2. Simple maintenance, and I was ready to sen the camera to ToCAD for $150 fix. They said the autofocus mechanism would have to be changed.

akremer · 08-05-2010

buy the tla 200 and give us your best juergen teller