Can't quit my Contax G2

[gavinlg]

Well, just bought a green label G1 + 45mm from KEH. Going to see how I go with that, I'll undoubtably pick up a G2 down the track as well. Thanks digitalintrigue and everyone else for the advice!

[klaz]

good choice! you'll be shoot that combo for a long time!

[gavinlg]

And the G1 is delivered! On first impression it's like the great grandaddy of my x100. Almost exactly the same size - maybe slightly bigger in a few dimensions. 45mm f2 planar is super sweet and small. Slapped on a b+w 007 clear filter and a gordy strap and it looks super.

Just loaded a roll of Across 100 to shoot tomorrow to/from work, but just walking around without film the AF seems to be more than adequate. I noticed the red assistance grid going off a few times in darker areas, but I gotta say it's pretty slick with its AF. Seems to be about the same speed as my old 5d, maybe very slightly quicker than my x100, but much noisier. Finder isn't as small as people make it out to be really - not as nice as a leica or bessa, but considering its design parameters, I think it's really good.
The whole outfit does feel very 90's, but in a good way.

I got a feeling I'm going to LOVE the little 45mm - I tend to fall into the 40ish FOV very naturally... Now... To get a nice leather strap and one of those 28mm biogons!

[j.scooter]

Now wait until you see the results.

You will love it even more!

[Kent]

It happens.

With me it's my Leica Digilux 2 which I can't let go. Would never sell it (unless I'd get into serious financial trouble).

[Darthfeeble]

Would you get rid of a Mona Lisa just because you have a new girlfriend in the house? S

[GWT]

I've owned both a G1 & G2 along with 4 lenses 28, 35,45 and 90MM for about 5 years or so. Over that time I've had a love/hate relationship with them.

VF wise it's not so much that it's small as I feel it's in the wrong position, it could do with being over to the left more. AF wise, it seems to work well (not so much in low light) but I'm not keen on the noise it makes when focusing and due to the fact I can't see what I focusing on for sure I feel disconnected from the photographing experience.

But with all that said it is truly a beautiful camera. I love the look of it, I love the feel of it, the finish feels amazing - I'm not sure if I'd ever want to part with it?

I'm always trying to find a way of falling in love with it, maybe I never will.

[douglasf13]

You should check out a NEX camera for a digital option for your G lenses. The crop factor is only 1.5x, so it essentially bumps each lens up one slot, which isn't too bad. I love the G 35, 45 and 90 on my NEX-7. The 45, in particular, is amazing on the NEX-7.

[gavinlg]

Anyone want to swap an excellent 28mm biogon for a 35mm f2 planar?

[irq506]

..you have to decide for yourself where the greater emphasis lies, for me I have always shot film, I love having a tactile negative, and the tonal range is as yet still light years ahead of any digital camera on the consumer market today.
However, I found myself buying a digital camera 6 months ago and realizing that all the goodness of film did not outweigh the need to use a darkroom to produce the images and the satisfaction of having a real super high quality negative over the pretty good quality of digital and the immediacy of the results. Im about to travel and i need to have instand accountability for my client and the difficulty of some of the shots i will be taking in strenuous conditions made me realize that whilst the very important parts of this job will be committed to film, the rest of it will be buried on a HDD and will live in by backpack.

[filmfan]

So I just returned a borrowed Contax G2 + Biogon 28mm in black.
It was simply the nicest camera I have ever used, and I have owned Leica M6, Hexar AF, Voigtlander Bessa, and all sorts of other SLRs.

[kanzlr]

thanks all...now I got one too. with 35 and 90 lenses. where should this end?

[Rangefinder 35]

Originally Posted by digitalintrigue

Don't discount the G1. The advantages of the G2 are very minimal, and the G1 is smaller/lighter.

I use both G1 and G2, and I do think that G2 advantages are significant. shooting in rain or snow the G2's VF doesn't fog as fast as G1's does. I use lot of hyperfocal focusing and it's easier done with G2. G1's focusing wheel tends to shift. Istill prefer G1 as a back-up body when backpacking. While not much lighter/smaller, it does make a difference.

[froyd]

Originally Posted by kanzlr

thanks all...now I got one too. with 35 and 90 lenses. where should this end?

When SHOULD it end? When you save enough to buy the G21

When will it end? When you sell a kindney for the 16mm and a compact TLA flash for TTL, the rest of the G lenses and a Luigi case in newborn baby seal skin...and by then you should start suffering severe GAS pains for something altogether different.

[GaryLH]

Missed some lenses like the 28, 45, and the 35-70 zoom...

Plus a second g2 body.....

When I want to shoot 35mm these days there are only two cameras I tend to pick up, the Contax g2 and the Hasselblad xpan...

Have fun w/ the g series..
Gary