I shoot with a pair of Contax G1 35mm film rangefinders with the following lenses: Zeiss 90mm f/2.8 Sonnar Zeiss 45mm f/2 Planar Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Biogon Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Biogon Love the lenses and the images they produce.
I just picked up a G1 last week - I just shot my first 2 rolls with it. I'm looking forward to getting my scans back later this week. The one thing that I don't like about this camera is that it's not really a rangefinder. There's really no way to know if the camera nailed the focus until you get your scans back - that to me us a big drawback. My 1952 Leica IIIf is a great rangefinder and the focus window has 1.5 magnification so it's easy to nail focus every time. I don't understand why Contax wouldn't give you either a through lens focus view or a focus patch so you could see what you're doing. I see this came out 5yrs ago so I'm assuming you've gotten over the dud G1. Did you ever try another G1?
I had the same issue it’s such a shame. I love the look of it and how it felt in my hands. I’m struggling to choose a decent rangefinder now. Ended up buying a Nikon f5 for the time being
Just came across this as I also just picked up a G1 recently, very unfortunate to hear what happened to your copy hope you were able to pick up another copy in the time since this video has been posted.
Hey Christopher! I had a similar issue with the G2, in my case the whole transport / advance system broke down on me. It was not a separate incident, I kept going and getting new G2, bodies and they would fail on me in the same way. After the third one I gave up. I know it's just a opinion of some random guy on the internet, but if you end up getting a G2 body stress test it with few Continuous High shooting sessions (without film inside of course. And see if it lasts. And indeed lenses are great, you can always get an adapter and shoot it on your Fuji ;)
Sorry to hear it. Great camera. There are adapters for the lens that work on Panasonic and Olympus m4/3 cameras. Arguably one of the best 45mm lens ever made. Good luck.
Someone gave me a Yashica T4... I know right... thing is that for every 20 times you press the shutter, it fires perhaps once. The rest of the time the lens struggles in and out and nothing happens. Which is a completely free 1 in 20, I know... but still. Old cameras are like old cars. They just aren't as reliable as new ones. Not even premium old cameras. They will spend a lot of time in the garage.
Dank Spangle yeah too bad that’s the reality. If the G1 only misfired every one in twenty, I’d have kept it. But missing 14 of 36 frames is just not gonna cut it.
Aaaw, what a bummer :-( I'm currently debating with myself on wether to buy a G1or not, but I'm kinda spooked buy the fact that they're almost impossible to repair. The photos look so good though!
I have a Contax iiia which is basically the same camera with a light meter. Great quality photos but the view finder is small compared to more modern rangefinders. All manual. Beautifully made. A work of art
If you like the Contax ii style of camera IMHO the Nikon S2 is more usable with a much better view finder and a film advance lever rather then a knob you have to twist. Much cheaper then a Leica rangefinder too.
@@ozbaz99 the iiia is not like a ii at all. It is a complete redesign, the rangefinder base of the iiia is much shorter and the rangefinder mechanism is a dumbed down version. The only part that is better is the finish.
My local camera shop always goes on about how unreliable Conrad cameras are. I went in looking out for a T2 and they told me to stay well away, every one they get in needs repairs.
It's true, they get a badd rap cuz they are complicated and theres not a lot of people who can still repair them. It's not necessarily that they are unreliable,. its just that Contax no longer exists and all their cameras are old and well used. They will eventually fail, thats just how the math works out. Still worth buying in my opinion for the glass alone.
The Photo Dept. Yeah you might be right, I can only go off what the guys there told me, they’ve had ones go off for repair and be back within the next week, whereas pretty much any other manufacturer seeming needs a dust off and is good to shoot.
Im sorry but I think this feedback may be helpful. The first 18 seconds of this video are agonizing to watch. You should just get right into it. Sorry. Not flaming you, trying to be helpful.
Agonizing?! You were in agony? In pain so severe that you couldn’t stand it? Wow I’m so sorry. You’ll notice this is the only instance in any of my videos that this occurs, and this video is pretty old! So, this might have been helpful seconds after posting it, but years later, not so much. Thanks I guess?
I shoot with a pair of Contax G1 35mm film rangefinders with the following lenses:
Zeiss 90mm f/2.8 Sonnar
Zeiss 45mm f/2 Planar
Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Biogon
Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Biogon
Love the lenses and the images they produce.
I just picked up a G1 last week - I just shot my first 2 rolls with it. I'm looking forward to getting my scans back later this week. The one thing that I don't like about this camera is that it's not really a rangefinder. There's really no way to know if the camera nailed the focus until you get your scans back - that to me us a big drawback. My 1952 Leica IIIf is a great rangefinder and the focus window has 1.5 magnification so it's easy to nail focus every time. I don't understand why Contax wouldn't give you either a through lens focus view or a focus patch so you could see what you're doing. I see this came out 5yrs ago so I'm assuming you've gotten over the dud G1. Did you ever try another G1?
I had the same issue it’s such a shame. I love the look of it and how it felt in my hands. I’m struggling to choose a decent rangefinder now. Ended up buying a Nikon f5 for the time being
Just came across this as I also just picked up a G1 recently, very unfortunate to hear what happened to your copy hope you were able to pick up another copy in the time since this video has been posted.
Hey Christopher! I had a similar issue with the G2, in my case the whole transport / advance system broke down on me. It was not a separate incident, I kept going and getting new G2, bodies and they would fail on me in the same way. After the third one I gave up. I know it's just a opinion of some random guy on the internet, but if you end up getting a G2 body stress test it with few Continuous High shooting sessions (without film inside of course. And see if it lasts. And indeed lenses are great, you can always get an adapter and shoot it on your Fuji ;)
Sorry to hear it. Great camera. There are adapters for the lens that work on Panasonic and Olympus m4/3 cameras. Arguably one of the best 45mm lens ever made. Good luck.
Toe is one of my fav bands. Saw them at the regent in LA a few years back. Subbed!
Contax G series cameras are expensive bricks / ticking time bombs.
The good news is that the lenses can be rebodied / converted.
unfortunately true
I'm sorry to hear about the G1, luckily the body alone is fairly inexpensive. Still, time to get a Leica ;)
Someone gave me a Yashica T4... I know right... thing is that for every 20 times you press the shutter, it fires perhaps once. The rest of the time the lens struggles in and out and nothing happens. Which is a completely free 1 in 20, I know... but still. Old cameras are like old cars. They just aren't as reliable as new ones. Not even premium old cameras. They will spend a lot of time in the garage.
Dank Spangle yeah too bad that’s the reality. If the G1 only misfired every one in twenty, I’d have kept it. But missing 14 of 36 frames is just not gonna cut it.
I have old Nikons that are still working. Two FE2 bodies, an F100, and an N90s. I think the Contax electronic bodies just don’t hold up as well.
Aaaw, what a bummer :-(
I'm currently debating with myself on wether to buy a G1or not, but I'm kinda spooked buy the fact that they're almost impossible to repair. The photos look so good though!
the skipping frames thing is super interesting because you are literally the only person ive ever heard this from. picking one up next week lol
You take some really amazing shots it's a shame you don't post them to Instagram...
i post some of them! i like to curate my feed a lot more.
review a Contax ii
Socrates ok gimme one
I have a Contax iiia which is basically the same camera with a light meter. Great quality photos but the view finder is small compared to more modern rangefinders. All manual. Beautifully made. A work of art
If you like the Contax ii style of camera IMHO the Nikon S2 is more usable with a much better view finder and a film advance lever rather then a knob you have to twist. Much cheaper then a Leica rangefinder too.
@@ozbaz99 the iiia is not like a ii at all. It is a complete redesign, the rangefinder base of the iiia is much shorter and the rangefinder mechanism is a dumbed down version. The only part that is better is the finish.
My local camera shop always goes on about how unreliable Conrad cameras are. I went in looking out for a T2 and they told me to stay well away, every one they get in needs repairs.
It's true, they get a badd rap cuz they are complicated and theres not a lot of people who can still repair them. It's not necessarily that they are unreliable,. its just that Contax no longer exists and all their cameras are old and well used. They will eventually fail, thats just how the math works out. Still worth buying in my opinion for the glass alone.
The Photo Dept. Yeah you might be right, I can only go off what the guys there told me, they’ve had ones go off for repair and be back within the next week, whereas pretty much any other manufacturer seeming needs a dust off and is good to shoot.
Im sorry but I think this feedback may be helpful. The first 18 seconds of this video are agonizing to watch. You should just get right into it. Sorry. Not flaming you, trying to be helpful.
Agonizing?! You were in agony? In pain so severe that you couldn’t stand it? Wow I’m so sorry. You’ll notice this is the only instance in any of my videos that this occurs, and this video is pretty old! So, this might have been helpful seconds after posting it, but years later, not so much. Thanks I guess?
@@ThePhotoDept I was in so much pain I died. I am ghost now.