Contax G to M - Page 2

jazzwave · 10-13-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreilly

Whoa. Everyone buy your G lenses now!

SStttttt...don't talk too loud, everybody can hear this solution and chasing G lens......the price will going up.

raid · 10-13-2011

The prices of individual G lenses without a G camera are already up.
Camera bodies are becoming cheaper though.

Cron · 10-13-2011

if you have a G-lens and no G this seems to be interesting if price and quality are ok

raid · 10-13-2011

The problem is when you have G1/G2 cameras and also lenses; would you sacrifice the cameras to get M mount or LTM G lenses at a cost? Three G lenses would cost about $1000 (+/-) to get converted. You then must sell the G bodies at a loss too.
To be specific:
I bought two G1 bodies plus the 28mm, 45mm, and 90mm for a total of about $800.
If I send out the three lenses to be converted to LTM, there go $1000-$1200.
Then, if I can sell the two G1 bodies at $125 each, that would be $250 saved.
I would then pay about $750-$950 to get the three G lenses as LTM lenses.
Add the cost of $800 to get the cameras and lenses, and the final cost of the three LTM G lenses is about $1600.
Say, 28mm LTM @ $600, 45mm LTM @ $600, and 90mm LTM @ $400.

What would be the cost for used ZM lenses 28-45-90 (or similar) ?

This is where I am now "stuck" ...., assuming that such an adapter looks good, and works well.

Highway 61 · 10-13-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitalintrigue

The MS Optical conversions also have focus scales that this conversion will not...if that matters.

IMO it matters a lot especially with the 21mm and 28mm G lenses, which you can never use with scale focus and/or hyperfocal distance for very quick snapshots then. Of course you didn't use that way with the G1 and G2, either, but...

Nice project but given this, starting from second hand ZM lenses (providing quite similar results) would be worth it more than getting G lenses and then have them converted with the loss of the focus scales.

So it might be interesting for the 45 Planar G, which you will use with the rangefinder patch anyway.

Otherwise, not too sure...

digitalintrigue · 10-13-2011

That is also my thought. I will never scale focus the 45.

Highway 61 · 10-13-2011

Yes and the 45 G is the only G lens that differs from other standard lenses in performances (when compared with other 40 or 50 lenses in M mount, starting from the Minolta 40 to the last Leica 50 and passing by the ZM and CV ones etc).

The 28 and 21 G are excellent but not very different than their ZM heirs.

So, having at least the 45 G converted so that you can keep using it on a M body makes sense.

Field · 10-14-2011

I think Ebay sellers watch this website. I do.

DNG · 10-14-2011

So my 45 will go up in value ?

Yippie

sepiareverb · 10-14-2011

I'd love to get ahold of a couple of the spent G mounts if that would be at all possible- I'm trying to hack my 45/2 to bring up a wider VF view.

digitalintrigue · 10-14-2011

Bob, I have some misc. G lens parts you can have...not sure they will be what you need, but they are yours if you want them.

Steve M. · 10-14-2011

I went to their website

http://www.japanexposures.com/lens/

And it looks like they're willing to do a conversion, or sell you the already converted lenses. Seems simple enough, unless I'm missing something here.

Brian Puccio · 10-14-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve M.

I went to their website

http://www.japanexposures.com/lens/

And it looks like they're willing to do a conversion, or sell you the already converted lenses. Seems simple enough, unless I'm missing something here.

Yes, though it seems someone else found a different way to get it done for less money, though we're all waiting to hear back how that actually turns out.

digitalintrigue · 12-13-2011

Haven't gotten the lens yet, should be here in a few days, but here are some pictures.

jeremythurs · 12-13-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitalintrigue

Haven't gotten the lens yet, should be here in a few days, but here are some pictures.

WOW! Looks fantastic. Can you reveal the price for this conversion?

marduk · 12-13-2011

In case someone is interested, I saw a converted Contax G 28mm lens on display in one of the shops at Westbahnstraße in Vienna , for 900 euro.

Waus · 12-16-2011

I really don't understand this cannibalising of Contax G lenses:
1)the hacked lenses look quite ugly to me
2)you can buy the same focal length of Contax/Cosina for the same amount of money or even cheaper!
But of course it's a matter of personal taste...(and I own a Contax G2 and the prices of the 35/2 and 21/2,8 which I still want to buy have gone throug the roof...)

digitalintrigue · 12-21-2011

OK - received the prototype.

Initial reaction: helical is super smooth, with more 'heft' than the original G lens. This feels very much like a 'factory' built lens. Very solid build quality. Dare I say it -- no wobble. And yes, there is a focusing scale.

So this bodes well for the 21s, 28s, and 35s which could would work well with zone/hyperfocal.

Bear in mind, this is a prototype. I'm sure improvements can and will be made. I'll be converting 28 and 35 now for sure.

Apophat · 12-21-2011

Looks great. How much does it cost?

Mike

digitalintrigue · 12-21-2011

Since this is a proto, there will be some improvements, not sure what final pricing will be yet...

seakayaker1 · 12-21-2011

I have a 45/2 and 90/2.8 that I used with a GF1. The opportunity to possibly move them to a M mount would be fantastic if the quality of the lens is not hampered. I look forward to seeing you post some photographs taken with the 45/2 and report your first impressions.

partitura · 12-23-2011

DigitalIntrigue - This looks very interesting. Do you have any idea when this might be available? I'd be willing to be another beta tester if needed

raid · 12-23-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by seakayaker1

I have a 45/2 and 90/2.8 that I used with a GF1. The opportunity to possibly move them to a M mount would be fantastic if the quality of the lens is not hampered. I look forward to seeing you post some photographs taken with the 45/2 and report your first impressions.

[error] It would be impractical to focus a 90mm lens with guess focusing.

raid · 12-23-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitalintrigue

Since this is a proto, there will be some improvements, not sure what final pricing will be yet...

My 28mm lens may become victim to such a modification one day.
Of course, I love testing lenses .....

Highway 61 · 12-24-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by raid

It would be impractical to focus a 90mm lens with guess focusing.

Raid, those prototypes are fully rangefinder coupled once mounted on the Leica. They now seem to have a focusing scale engraved on their focusing barrels, which is very nice for quick hyperfocal snapshots, especially with the 21 and the 28, but this doesn't mean that they aren't rangefinder coupled.

If they weren't rangefinder coupled, even the 45 would be very tricky to use.