Great lenses. Very good ergonomics. Compact lens system. Good shutter speed range. Decent flash sync speed. Logical control layout. Excellent build quality. Light and precise feel of the ex comp and shutter dials.

Viewfinder optics nothing to write home about. Impossibly small and difficult to use plug for the release socket. The usual complaint about no DOF scale.

I agree with others critique that the learning curve with the G2 is slow. Focusing with the shorter lenses is not a problem, but shooting close with the 90 takes more deliberation and the parallax gremlin rears it's ugly head. For those who have recently bought a G and have come from an SLR world, take heart as the thing grows on you. My impetus for hanging in there are those CZ lenses. You've heard it here before- the sharpness, the contrast, i've seen it and believe it. Something that doesn't get mentioned much is that the lenses also exhibit very little flair and are quite forgiving in direct and back light.
I'll chime in with the folks who say "this camera's not for everybody" and add that any rangfinder camera has it's compromises and limitations. Overall, I like the G just fine and with the amount of film I'm putting through it (alot), I should be quite comfortable with it in a few months.

Customer Service

None needed. I did, however, buy a new 28mm lens that caused the focusing motor to labor so I exchanged it for another 28.

Similar Products Used:

Various Minolta and Pentax SLRs, Canon rangefinder,Rollei 35, P&Ss, Twin lens MF.

Its small and compact. Takes great pictures that zeiss lense can only produce.

cannot tell if you are focused on your subject.

I love this camera. In my humble opinon i think this is a great camera, but then again what do i know. if you don't want the hassle of lugging a big camera this is a good to have. Trust me on this, only zeiss lense has that picture magic quility.

Similar Products Used:

in my short career in photography i have owned Min. X700 Nikon f90x and i now own contax 645 and the G2

startling sharpness
superior contrast
reliable autofocus
easy to use design and controls
compact size
reasonable price
looks nice

manual focus mode nonsensical

I purchased the G2 with the intent of checking out the rangefinder systerm. The Contax is so solid that I'm planning on switching to the G2 as my primary 35mm system. This is definitely the camera for documentary photographers.

Customer Service

samy's was okay, not great.

Similar Products Used:

canon eos 1 rs
mamiya rb
hassleblad

Small, fast, good metering, stealthy, solid feel, good ergonomics.
SUPERB optics, as good as they get in 35mm.

Manual focus is fiddly.
Focus noise, if you try out the camera in a quiet shop. On the street/in the field not many notice it anyway.
No 135mm lens.

I had this camera + 21/28/45/90 lenses and TLA200 flash with me on a trip to Cuba. Being used to SLR I had a rough time adjusting at first but then...
I came home with far more better pictures in such a short time than ever before! Lenses are among the very best, all of them.
Regarding the AF on the G2: on the www.contaxg.com you can read about how to work the AF, properly, at close quarters with the 90mm. It is about choosing just one of the focus brackets at CLOSE range. Read the article, it hels.
I have NEVER had trouble with the AF myself. Just read the manual beforehand. The AF, to some, is noisy. It is a high-pitched sound but it is normally only the photographer who notices, the subject actually doesn't hear it as it isn't loud really. I always prefocus with the AF thumb button on the back to avoid shutter delay and it keeps the noise down as well. The shutter and film advance is quite quiet. In terms of REAL value for money it sends the Leica M into oblivion. If I want "better quality" or simply make huge blow ups I reach for my Mamiya7II. I mean, we are still talking 35mm here...

You CAN work this camera as a P&S but if you read the manual and learn how to use it, properly, you will be amazed by the results! Equalled by some but still unsurpassed in 21-90 mm range for 35mm.

Customer Service

Sent an email to Contax Europe asking whether a 135 lens was in the works. Got answered by a Japanese technician a week later emailing from Japan! Very informative and polite. No 135 planned though, but they are looking into the possibilities of making one as many have asked for it...

Similar Products Used:

Hexar RF (tried out)
Leica M6 (tried out)
Mamiya7II

Excellent lens quality
Great meter
Size/weight
Cost

Manual focus not worth the bother

I have read a lot about the focus problem with the G2 but I can say that I have not had an unfocused shot in 200 pictures. I also own a Nikon F5 which I thought took great pictures until I got back my first roll from the G2. The colors and clarity of the pictures astonished me. Now I know what all the talk is about concerning Zeiss optics. Goodbye Nikon. I have the 45 and 90mm lens and prefer the 90 for everyday shooting. The AEL and ABC are great features of the camera. If you can get used to a rangefinder camera dont look back and buy a G2.

Customer Service

Not used

Similar Products Used:

Leica

Stunning quality photos
Size and weight
Build Quality

Short battery life
TTL flash not as accurate as Canon or Nikon TTL

I've had my G2 kit for 18 months and these are simply the finest cameras I own. The photos made by the G series lenses are noticeably sharper and with better contrast and color than the ones I make with my EOS "L" series lenses. The compact size and relatively light weight makes my G system the cameras I reach for when I am working on a documentary project. Almost all of my Cuba work and a good deal of my recent work in Mexico was shot with my G2. The photos can be seen on my web site at http://home.att.net/~jackkurtz/
I've only got two complaints about the G2:
Very short battery life (about 25-30 rolls of 36 exp on a set of batteries)
and the TTL flash simply doesn't work very well for me. I've gone back to using Vivitar 283's.
The AF works very well and the meters are extremely accurate. A great camera for photojournalists or anyone needing a compact kit. And compared to the Leica series it's a great bargain.

Customer Service

not required yet

Similar Products Used:

Leica M series
Canon EOS and Nikon AF slr's

size and weight
quality of photos
build quality
clean and simple operation

takes time to learn

if you are willing to put in the time, 35mm will never look the same to you. quality of lenses is simply awsome, one can easily see the difference even on 4x6 prints. my g2 goes with me everywhere.
see contaxg.com

Similar Products Used:

None

build, lenses, size

af noise, mf action, viewfinder dimness, fillflash opperation

this is good, for people, when you can spend time, all day, with them. this was my first af camera and it showed me that i need to be more physicly involved with my camera to be comfortable(i use an fm2 and hope to get an m6 or bessa r) especially with people. consiter this. if you dont care about electronic controls and "bzz" "bzz" this camera is good.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

none

build, lenses, size

af noise, mf action, viewfinder dimness, fillflash opperation

this is good, for people, when you can spend time, all day, with them. this was my first af camera and it showed me that i need to be more physicly involved with my camera to be comfortable(i use an fm2 and hope to get an m6 or bessa r) especially with people. consiter this. if you dont care about electronic controls and "bzz" "bzz" this camera is good.

Customer Service

n/a

Similar Products Used:

none

Build Quality
Lens Quality
Size
Lens Quality
System size
Lens Quality
The final results!!

Getting in close.
(You just want to take more pictures with this camera) so -The ammount I spend on film using this camera!

This camera just gets on with the job of producing fantastic images, the only thing I have to do is to find the subjects!. I am always confident of getting the sharpest, most colour saturated images available from 35mm.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikon f4
Contax 167
Leica R6
Konica Hexar
Ricoh GR1s