Hello all, Does anybody know if the G1>G2 modification improved the AF with the 90s as well as enabling the 35s. Kind of accidentally picked up a cheap 35 f2 today after looking into a small body for discrete shoots and I'm looking at which body to go with it: a G1 modded or a G2. I will probably just use the 35, 90 and perhaps later the 45 if I fall in love. Advice? Is teh G2 worth twice the price of a modded g1?
It was definitely worth it to me. I loved the G2 with the 21mm f2.8.
Keep in mind the G1's are considerably old and the biggest issue - even with the modded G1's, is LCD bleed.
To shoot at wide open aperture with some of these lenses, helps to have the higher shutter speed as well..... although I seldom used mine at anything over 1/2000th.
I would simply go with the G2 - I had two and loved these RF's - very good focus capability and no issues with any of the legendary zeiss lenses.
The 35mm wasn't one of the best performers. However, the 45mm f2.0 is considered to be one of the best lenses ever made - from several posts on various forums, it seems like the Canon 200mm f1.8 L was the next best when it came to image quality. Takes quite a bit to be compared to the 200 L.
I really liked the 45mm f2.0 - the color is really very good - very sharp lens. You will fall in love if you ever use it.
You may also want to try www.rangefinderforum.com
The guys on there live for this stuff
The Contax G 90mm is also insanely sharp and wonderful. A step down, and only slightly, is the 28mm biogon, another fantastic lens. Amazing lens arsenal that Contax G series has.
If you want to run that 35mm lens on a G1, check what colour the sticker is inside the back where the film goes. If it's silver, that's a 'gen 1' G1, which isn't calibrated for the 21mm or the 35mm. You'll need a 'green sticker' G1 to run those lenses properly.
I have a G1, and would trade it for a G2 any day, but that said, it's never really let me down and i love it dearly.
I used the G1 and a G2 side by side on a trip once. When I returned home, I sold the G1. The G2, while a little heavier and slightly bigger, was faster in every way, had a better viewfinder, and was more capable. Side by side, the difference with the G1 was noticeable. That said, some still prefer the G1 for it's size and weight advantage.
The modification to use the 21mm and 35mm lenses on the G1 does nothing to the G1's autofocus. It is basically a firmware update so the camera recognizes the lenses.
I still have my G2 and lenses. It is still my favorite camera to use, even if it doesn't get taken out of the cabinet anymore. Great handling, outstanding lenses, nice and compact -- just a joy to use.
Some people expect it to be Leica-like. It's not and some criticize it because of it. It's a unique, and there is a little learning curve to get used to using it, and understand how it needs to be used (and that includes the AF -- complaints about the AF are almost always user error). Once you get past the curve, it becomes an extension of you providing consistent and reliable performance.
To repeat this once again, just in case there is a manufacturer lurking looking for product ideas, I would kill for a digital Contax G3, and there is a legion of people there with me. Just go to Kyocera and buy the rights and design of the G3 sitting on their shelf, update it, and let us buy it.
Lotusm50 wrote:
............... just in case there is a manufacturer lurking looking for product ideas, I would kill for a digital Contax G3, and there is a legion of people there with me. Just go to Kyocera and buy the rights and design of the G3 sitting on their shelf, update it, and let us buy it.
Thanks guys. Perhaps I will try to sell the 35 and not be in a rush to get a body - the 45s are dirt cheap as are the 90s. Just a 45 and a 90 is probably not as good a combination as a 35 and a 90, but perhaps I could extend it to a 28, 45 and 90. Though the aim was to have a cheap, high quality camera that would fly under the radar for those days when you go places you don't want to stand out, not to buy a whole new kit . Even with small manual primes, the 5D still makes you look more or less like a pro photographer to those who know nothing about photography. Of course, all this starts to look not so cheap when you consider getting into scanning, which I have wanted to do for a long, long time, but...
The 28mm, 45mm and 90mm are a really nice spread. When you get your slides back with the 45mm, you won't miss/desire the 35mm... That 45 is crazy good.
Shoot some velvia or provia, get a decent projector and throw it up on the wall lifesize. Wow.
The only thing that's beaten that in my experience, is shooting 6x9 chromes and projecting those with a leica medium format projector. A very wonderful experience you're 'there'
Contax G2 can focus in dark within a few feet. 45mm is a killer lens with great color and sharpness. A must have. 21mm, 28mm and 90mm are excellent but I try to use 45mm as much as I can. All lenses, including 21mm, work well with flash Metz 54mz3 on automatic mode. G1 I keep for travel (size and weight). All these lenses are insanely light. 21mm at 180 g vs. Nikon 14-24mm at 1,000g and less than 1/2 price for a demo. All these lenses have far superior (GREAT) glare resistance and distortion (0.5% for 21mm!!!).
Contax G2 with Data Back GD-2 and TLA-200 Flash Unit mounted with Zeiss VS 35-70mm f3.5-5.6 Zoom.
Lens hoods for 28mm, 45mm, and 90mm lenses
Zeiss Sonnar 90mm f2.8
TLA-140 Flash unit behind the 90mm f2.8 lens
Zeiss Planar 45mm f2.0 Lens
A second TLA-200 flash unit behind the 45mm f2.0 lens
Zeiss Biogon 28mm f2.8 Lens
A second 45mm f2.0 Lens behind the 28mm f2.8 Lens
Contax G2 with Zeiss Biogon 21mm f2.8 and wide angle viewfinder eyepiece
And all this fits into a bag that will hold a 5D, 24-105mm, and the 580EX flash...
d30gaijin wrote:
Anyone who says the Contax Zeiss G-35/2 doesn't have that good of a reputation probably hasn't actually used one. I have and I love it! It may not be as tack sharp as the 45/2 but to me the 45/2, a lens that as you note can be found cheap... and there must be an obvious reason for that, isn't that desirable.
Actually, the reason is quite simple. There are a lot of 45mm Contax G lenses. It was the standard lens for the camera. They probably made 3 or 4 times as many 45mm lenses than any other lens in the range. Maybe more. They also originally cost less as well. No mystery, and certainly not due to any failing of the lens. Further, this is typical of standard 50mm lenses of virtually any 35mm camera system.
As for the G 35mm f2, it is a fine lens. It's "reputation" come from the fact that it doesn't perform as well as the other G lenses -- a high standard, indeed. It is, in particular, relatively weak wide open. It is merely very good, as opposed to great. If you want to just carry one lens, the 35mm might be good choice -- if you don't shoot wide-open all the time.
Does anyone know where I can have a G1 modified ("green sticker") to be able to accept the 21 mm lens? I'm located in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, CA. Thanks.
attitude wrote:
Does anyone know where I can have a G1 modified ("green sticker") to be able to accept the 21 mm lens? I'm located in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, CA. Thanks.
Contact ToCAD, they do all work (or arrange for it) for Contax in the USA. They asre perhaps the only ones who can do it (if they still do). I don't have a number for them handy, but if you Google them, you'll find them.
edwardkaraa wrote:
This thread brings back some melancholic memories I had the G2 with the 28, 45 and 90 lenses, among many other Contax things. Damn you Kyocera
I too loved the G2 with the 21, 28, 45 and 90 lenses. All 4 lenses were great and super sharp. My favorite was the 21mm. I was so disappointed that there was no G3 digital to go with the best lenses I ever used.
I had the G2 with the 28, 45 and 90 lenses, among many other Contax things. Damn you Kyocera