#Contax g2 with flash auto manual
#Contax g2 with flash auto plus
#Contax g2 with flash auto series

This is the kind of camera that makes offerings from Panasonic, Sony, and other Japanese brands seem plasticky and gimmicky.Īt the same time - one has to remember that the G2 is 'stuck in the past'. It feels incredibly solid in your hand.Īs a photographic tool, the G2 is really in a rarefied class that includes Leica and not much else. The build quality, materials, fit & finish are all impeccable. As a design piece, it's worth collecting just for that reason. The Contax G2 represents (arguably) the pinnacle of rangefinder camera technology.

Maybe it would help if I clarified why I think this particular 35mm film camera is still relevant in 2010 and beyond. At the outset, it doesn't seem like there's very much that I can add. So much has been written about the G1 / G2 from Contax over the past ten years. Unfortunately, this button has a ring-selector to choose between different AF modes (continuous, single, and manual) and I have found that my thumb has caused the ring to move and put me in an unwanted mode, usually 'manual', which is especially useless. I use my thumb on the rear of the body to activate the AF on the very handy multi-function button. But then it would have been a different camera, no?Īnd finally - the AF selector.

#Contax g2 with flash auto manual

If they had managed to put #1 a coincident RF patch in manual mode and #2 hyperfocal values on the lenses, then this would not be a problem. Using the G2 as a 'scale focus' camera - or using 'hyperfocal' settings - is really iffy because there are no scale markings on the lenses whatsoever. You have no idea whether your manual focus is actually going to work or not. They might as well have not even put this option on the G2 at all. The engineers at Kyocera really blew it on the manual focus. This has been stated on numerous places on the web, but yes - it's true. It only sounds loud to G2 users because they're holding it next to their heads! On a busy street, the sound of the motor would be imperceptible. A couple feet away, and the noise is not a problem. The motor drive is a little noisy, but only in the immediate vicinity of the camera body. It is still possible to miss a crucial shot because the AF thinks you're aiming somewhere else. You have to be aware that the Contax AF system is more of a simple center-weighted idea.

The AF and metering is not multi-matrix, like modern digital SLR's. Also, I have found that different lenses mount easier than others. It takes some concentration to ensure that your lens is mounting properly. Like other reviewers have stated, it's not nearly as simple as the twist-click of using a Canon lens. Mounting the lenses on to the body is very fiddly. Yes, the viewfinder is a little dark, but in most situations it's not a problem. You're virtually getting Leica quality for pennies on the dollar, now that Contax has long closed its doors.ĭespite rumours on the internet, you can still get these repaired.

#Contax g2 with flash auto plus

Extremely fast film transport, plus auto rewind.īody materials and construction on the G2 & Biogon lenses is 1st-rate. Motor drive & film loading on the G2 make it a pleasure to use. No framelines like on the Leica M series. Parallax correction on the G2 is wonderful. The AF system on the G2 is far superior to the G1. The G2 body is a major improvement over the G1 (I have owned both). Extremely sharp, virtually no vignetting or distortion, and a subtle, pleasant background blur (bokeh). There is something about the 'feel' of these lenses - I can tell right away by looking at a photo that it was taken with a Zeiss Biogon.

#Contax g2 with flash auto series

The imaging quality of the Biogon series is really amazing. Did I mention the lenses? There's a reason why a strong aftermarket still exists for these lenses.