Extremely sharp lenses which produce excellent detail and color. It is an awsome looking and feeling camera.

Lack of Larger telephoto and macro lenses

First of all the G2 is an awsome camera. I currently own the 45mm and 90mm lenses and the TLC 200 flash. If you are used to SLR's and their plastic feel you will love the feeling and texture of the Titanium body. It feels cool, solid and weighty, built like a tank. It truely is a great travel camera. You can carry a whole system in a decent fanny pack. Simply a beautiful camera to behold. Anyway I read every review I could get my hands on relating to the G2. The thing that scared me the most, and almost caused me not to buy the camera, were all the reviews complaining about the focusing system, especially relating to the 90mm lens. As a result I read the book thoroughly several times before I began shooting. I must say that I do not understand why people were having problems with the focus. I have probably shot 20 rolls of film and don't believe I have had even one out of focus print. In fact I have had a number of just outstanding photographs which I have enlarged to 16 x 20 and they look awsome. I am very pleased with the camera and wouldn't give it up for anything. I will say this that if you are buying to REPLACE an SLR and you are used to the variety of lenses available for an SLR you may be disappointed due to the lack of telephoto capability. The largest telephoto is 90mm. I personally decided to keep my Canon Elan IIe because of lens diversity. Short of needing extreme wide angle or telephoto I will alway grab the G2. Hope this helps

Customer Service

Only called to ask questions and they were great.

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I have never used a rangefinder camera. I have a Canon SLR, used to have a Contax point & Shoot, Olympus Digital camera and a Minolta Dimage X

Quality optics. Looks and feels like a prescision machine.

Lens "parks" between focusing. Manual focusing is cumbersome.

High quality look and feel. Extremely fine optics. The G2 is easily balanced in the hand and makes for a very compact travel camera. The Plannar 45 and Sonnar 90 are extremely fine optics.

Customer Service

None needed

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None

Light weight..small qiute extreemly sharp optics need I go on etc etc

minimum focus distance not small enough...not a big problem (every camera has its limitations) An extra stop or two by Zeiss would not go astray...Im prepared to pay for the extra .....its excellent value as is anyway.

Ive only had the G2 for just under a month and find the results absolutely phenomenal. Sharp as sharp can get. I dont know what all the fuss is all about with the 90F2.8 not focusing properly.....Ive hit the target every single time even whilst tracking a subject moving towards me. Ive probably put 6 rolls through the body at this stage and have returned two out of focus shots (user error not mechanical) Bless the inventor of this camera..WELL DONE INDEED. If I could give this camera more than 5 stars rating I would. Any news of a G3 maybe Digital??? I will put my hand up for one.

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Hasselblad's with Zeiss optics and a vast range of eos with L series lenses...(no whwere near as sharp as G2)

The strengths of this kit, I feel, lie in the superb optics. The lenses are so sharp one could shave a beard off with the results of using them.

The weaknesses, the viewfinder is a bit on the small side and you get some vignetting which can take some getting used to(not seen on the film). But hey, whose complaining! I,m back and wouldn't use anything else.

I got rid of my first G2 kit about four years ago after spending about eighteen months with it. How sorry I was to be parted from it! Thankfully, I have a very understanding wife, and was able to convince her that I really needed to get the G2 kit back again at any cost. My excuse was: My EOS 3 and two lenses, the 28-138 IS zoom, and a prime 20mm, were just getting to heavy for me to carry around. I searched the small ads of the AP magazine and bought the G2 body with the 35mm and 90mm lenses, all mint (virtually unused, for £950. I then added the 21mm and 45mm lenses, both second hand and mint as new, for a further £700. All the lenses came complete with hoods. I also bought the hood caps to go with all of the lenses (except the 21mm of course) and a couple of A2 (81b) filters. Buying second hand is always fraught with problems, but most photographers who own this level of kit are generally very fussy people and one should not be affraid to buy this way. The Contax G2 is a dream to use. I love it - almost as much as I love my wife. Though I do tend to kiss the camera more often than I do the wife. That must say something about the camera, I suppose.

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I have never used any other type of rangefinder camera. I don't think I need to. If you have any doubts about using one, dispell the thoughts. You'll love it.

Well made. Zeiss lenses

Small viewfinder. It is however very usable

I bought this camera to replace my G1 contax body. I had some focus issues with the G1 and hgeard that this camera was much better. This is a very solid camera (built like a tank) For the most part the auto focus is right on. The controls are easy to use and user friendly. Coupled with the Zeiss lenses and it is a great package. It does take a while to learn to trust the AF.

Customer Service

not needed

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Voigthlander R Contax G1 Leica IIIF, M3, M4, M6 Konica Hexar AF and Hexar RF

Optics - 4 fps winder - multiple exposure -

Lack of DOF scale.

I bought my G2 about one month ago. I had seen articles in magazines but never saw the camera until the day I bought it. I was impressed with its size and shape, the way it feels and handles, and the appearance - it is a cool looking camera. In my 50+ years of photo experience, I have owned and used many makes and models of cameras from the old Kodak Brownie Hawkeye to Hasselblad, Nikon, Leica, etc. The G2 is one of if not the best I ever owned. My eyes are not as good as they used to be and my hands are arthritic so I have to have a camera with controls and a viewfinder that are easy for me to use. The G2 fits my needs in these areas. After looking at some SLRs and the Leica M7, I decided I needed autofocus. The Zeiss optics are excellent. I will probably add the 28mm later. If you like rangefinder cameras this is the one - go for it. I have not experienced any of the problems that others have reported. I worked in camera store for 15 years and sold everthing from instamatics to Hasselblads to many customers, and I know you can't please everyone.

Customer Service

No experience

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Nikon - Leica - Hasselblad - Olympus - Canon - and many more

Robust, quiet, lightweight.

The autofocus must have something with vertical lines in order to lock on. Manual focusing ring may be defective on some bodies and Contax is incapable of perceiving the problem.

*IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ* This camera body is incredible and the Zeiss lenses offer fabulous detail. BUT BE WARNED!!! If you buy a G2 body, make absolutely sure that the focusing wheel rotates SMOOTHLY and SILENTLY while using only one finger. If it dosen't, it will eventually bind up, and even start squeaking. Also, check the on/off switch to ensure that it locks in the off position. If it dosen't, ask to see another one. I went through absolute hell with both a Canadian and a U.S. service centre trying to resolve this problem. When I sent it to them to see the problem firsthand, they literally told me that they don't see any problems, and sent me a replacement body. The bottom line is that even after they replaced my G2 body three times, I ended up with a defective replacement. The manager of the camera shop I purchased it from, who knows Contax cameras well, couldn't believe they were so inept. They either just don't care, or they really have no clue about their product or customer satisfaction. In all fairness though, I still rate this body highly, only because had I known what to look for when purchasing, I would have been extremely satisfied.

Customer Service

Extremely frustrating.

Lenses, all of them. User friendly controls, especially exposure. Small size and light weight.

Lack of depth of field scale on lenses.

I have developed a great affection for this camera and the lenses (28/45/90). I am taking more and better photos than I have in some years. It is very user-friendly and the lenses are providing stunning results. My slides are bright and sharp, and and the detail in both shadows and highlights is outstanding. I take primarily scenery here in Utah and the West. I also like to do closeups of flowers and photos of birds, but I have an SLR (Nikon) for that. I've used Leicas in the past so I am well acquainted with the limits (and strengths) of a rangefinder. For that reason I have not had the adjustment difficulty I'm reading about in some other reviews. The camera seems to like my style: I am deliberate and carry a hand-held meter. I suppose it could be used like a point and shoot, but it responds well to a careful user and privides exceptional results. I use the manual exposure mode a lot, and I like the easy control for exposure compensation and bracketing. The lack of depth of field indications on the lenses is a bit of a hassle, but I use manual focus mode and use the table in the manual to get maximum depth of field focused at infinity when that is what I want. If you want superior picture quality without the Leica price tag, this is it. I have developed a lot of confidence in this camera. I have never used a 35 mm camera that gave me better slides.

Customer Service

None needed, but answer questions well.

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Leica IIIc, IIIf, M3

Lens (on my limited experience of 35mm f2 only). Controls and options - eg flash sync choice, auto bracketing. Build quality. Winder - 4fps ain't bad.

Could do with better 'focus not found' warning in viewfinder. Manual exposure mode would be nice. Bulk and weight. Manual could be better written and arranged.

Great camera. Ignore comments on focus if you're considering one - if you've used AF lock on a point and shoot (point, hold half-down, compose) you'll do fine. The manual covers where it finds it difficult (horizontal lines like horizons and repeat patterns basically). Rolls Royce build - I haven't used a Contax SLR but better put together than any SLR I've used and also better than Hasselblad larger format. I have the 35mm lens and it's certainly the equal of my best SLR lens. Exposure seems good with judicious use of AE lock and compensation - all AE is limited. It may be a bit misleading to view this as a rangefinder as there's no twin/split manual focus viewfinder. Probably better to view this as the best AF point and shoot in the world!

Customer Service

Not applicable

Similar Products Used:

Pentax, Canon, Nikon SLRs. Canon, Olympus compacts.

price, picture quality, handiness, finish, flash-synchronicity-time

there should be a red light in the finder warning the photographer, if something is out of focus. if everything has to go fast, one realises sometimes too late, that the focus wasn t right. the two black dots just don t do then...

This is overall a very good camera, but one just cannot compare it with a leica m6/7 or a konica hexar rf. the rangefinder-market is pretty small, and has niches for different "philosophies" of cameras. one has to try to find out, what camera-mentality fits best for him/her. the g-2 is exellent, when it comes to handiness, volume, point and shoot, and picture quality. for travel-photography or as a back-up for the bulky slr-system. i use the g-2 with the 21, 28 and 45 mm lenses. the 21 is outstanding, high sharpness and contrast to the edges, even at 2,8. much better than my 17-35 lens i use on the canon eos. if one wants to work with a camera (and not leave it on the shelf for resellling it after 10+ years), better choice than leica. the m6 is great, if shutter- or winding-noise is the problem, and if u don t want to use flash in normal light conditions. (synchronicity time with leica: 1/50th, with contax 1/200th!) the new m7 has focal plane flash upto 1/1000th, but the flash u need for that is really bulky and heavy. so far my g-2 works fine, but of course it has flaws like any other camera.

Customer Service

none yet

Similar Products Used:

canon eos 1, mamiya 7,