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Camera: None Accessories: The dedicated flash FL200 sits too close to the lens.

I have been actively involved in photography since I was a child. Currently, my photographic pursuits have been "Zoo Animals" and "Candid Portraiture." I have been using Canon equipment (primarily "L" glass). About 1 year ago I purchased a Contax G2 w/ the 28, 45 and 90 mm lenses. After a short, but intense, learning curve this camera became my "weapon of choice." Except for those occasions on which I need long focal lenghts (remember my Zoo work is done at focal lengths up to 800 mm), I invariably reach for the Contax. The optics are superb - the contrast - the shadow detail - the sharpness and resolution at wide open apertures - are beyond anything that I have experienced in the past. This camera is such a natural to use that I sometimes feel that it melts in my hands. Also, it is light and fits into a small bag (with all of the lenses and flash). I must point out that this is a camera for photographers who know what they are doing. It is not designed for beginners or for point and shooters. For those of us who can appreciate a fine instrument possessing the finest glass, this camera is a "must have.

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Excellent

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VERY fast focusing and autowind. Very easy to to opertate controls. Feels great in the hands. Absolutely beautifully designed and built. I have had NO problems with the autofocus and I think reports of it being inaccurate are greatly exaggerated (I never had a problem with my G1 either!).

AEL Lock a little bit fiddly to use when camera held in shooting position. Fill flash procedure very cumbersome and slow...should be automatic. It would be nice if there was a SPOT meter setting & some sort of evaluative metering. I also wish they had kept the size and weight down like the G1. Otherwise it is near perfection.

Really fun to use...But... I would not recommend either the G1 or G2 for a beginer. They are "enthusiast" cameras and I feel they are a little complicated for beginers. The Zeiss lenses are world class. My Nikon primes are great lenses but the Zeiss lenses are even better!!!

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I had a G1 which was an awesome camera. The G2 is a better choice for me as my style sometimes requires a little more speed. If you don't need the extra speed, the smaller & cheaper G1 is a viable option. Manual focusing is much easier on the G2 than the G1. I also have a Nikon SLR system if I need longer lenses, wide range zooms and/or Macro ability.

Superb glass, these lenses surpass all others in image quality. Nice small package, light weight, but solidly built. Analog controls make this a very easy to adjust to system.

Lack on information in viewfinder. Lack of DOF scale on lense barrels. Manual focus could be better designed and executed.

Super camera. A complete joy to take on the road when the alternative is 15-20+ pounds of Nikon stuff. Takes a little getting used to, but the learning curve is steep. Maybe 5 mis-focused images since I purchased it. I truly don't understand all of the complaining about the AF system. Overall, this system is what I have been waiting for - ease of use, superb image quality, and fun to use. For those who want a glorified point-and-shoot, go buy a glorified point-and-shoot, this is a high quality 35mm system.

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Haven't needed it.

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Leica M's (didn't love them). Currently own Nikon F4/FM/F2 and a stack of lenses, plus Mamiya 645 and lenses.

Crisp optics; craftsmanship; viewfinder/parallax compensation. Price.

Ergonomics, lack of depth of field info, imprcise autofocus

This is an excellent camera for many types of photography. It excels as a backpacking/hiking camera (my main use) for it's light weight, outstanding sharpness and lens selection. The 21mm lens is a key reason to own this machine. It is also well suited to travel and portrature (the 90mm lens is superb). Obviously this is NOT a camera for close or studio work, nor telephoto. I imagine photojournalists love it for many applications.
The problems for me have been the autofocus, which I now leave in the contiuous mode with good results. If used in static mode I continually am plagued with pushing the shutter, having nothing happen, and missing the moment. Very frustrating! I know I could use the focus lock, but there is not always time to do this. Personally this camera would be close to perfect if it were manual focus with depth of field scales on the lenses. In my opinion, autofocus is the worst innovation in cameras ever. I still hate it. There are times when autofocus can be used to advantage, but it is a small percentage of all photography. To me, what is more "auto" than setting your 35mm lens at a focus of 8-10 feet at f/8-11 and firing away? In an attempt to make it easier for people to use, camera designers have dumbed it down for the folks that are too lazy to learn something and taken control away from those of us who have. But hey, I'm not bitter or cynical! Really, I'm not!! lol If I could justify spending the money, I'd buy a new M6. But it would cost over $10,000 to replace what I have from Contax.
The other problem with the camera is the film advance/self timer/multi exposure knob getting rotated inadvertantly. This happens ofted enough to be an annoyance and I've lost pictures due to it.
Despite my reservations I think it's an excellent piece of gear. I'm careful with the quirks and get VERY sharp, contrasty images.

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Not needed.

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Leica M3, M2, M6.

price,quality of optics

batteries(model not available everywhere and costly)
manual focus is poor (for rare occasion ok but)

Many people said to me the g2 is not good for reporting because of autofocus take time to work(it is not instantaneous)but the m-6 is!!!I have both and can say theses persons had never take a g-2 intheirs hands or dont know how its work!You just have to prefocus with the back button and old it and when its time shoot!try it with a m-6;of corse you can prefocus too with m6 but you will have to do the exposition at least.Another point imagine two persons trying to shoot rapidely at same moment;one with leica m-6 and the other g2.the g2 will have time to focus correctly and expose very correctly maybe much faster than the m-6;try-it!

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??

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x-pan,leica r-4.leica m-6

The quality of the Zeiss-designed lenses is simply superb, rivaled in average quality only by Leica. Also, I find the G2 to be both aesthetically & ergonomically well-designed (unlike some users, I have never had a problem w/accidentally-switched controls). In my opinion, the G2 represents a near-ideal blend of automatic & manual features (obviously skewed more toward automation) in a neo-traditional rangefinder form factor.

The autofocus is good, but not perfect. I personally would prefer more information in the viewfinder. A more precise focus scale w/more distance gradations would provide better visual confirmation of the focus distance & help reassure those accustomed to manual focus rangefinders. Technically, it would seem possible to also include aperture & depth of field data, too. [Of course, there's a limit to how much Contax can squeeze into the viewfinder before it begins to look like a web site!] A faster normal lens would be nice &, on a more minor note, the accessories are too expensive.

The G2 is simply a great photographic instrument. The lenses are unbeatable in quality &, while not cheap, are a very good value. However, this is not the camera system for everyone. I don't find it difficult to use (to the contrary, I find it quite easy & intuitive), but because of its automation (particularly the focus), I would not recommend it for those seeking total manual control (get a Leica or, better yet, save $3000 & buy a classic Contax IIA rangefinder!).

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Not needed so far.

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Konica Hexars, Leica M6. I own a Contax IIA.

1. Truly fantastic lenses, noticeably better than my Nikkor primes, which are no slouches. Images seem to jump of the paper.
2. Very compact and lightweight.
3. Wonderful ergonomics. The camera is a pleasure to hold and use.
4. Extremely fast and accurate autofocusing.

1. The lens parks at infinity after each shot and whenever the focus lock is released.
2. Slightly noisy focusing, but this is really much less severe than some reviewers would suggest.
3. Absence of a spot meter.

The G2 is in a class by itself--a rangefinder with world class interchangeable lenses and automation of focusing, metering and film advance. As a photographic tool, it is the equal of any rangefinder in the world, but prospective buyers must understand the limitations (and strengths) of rangefinders and must want the convenience of automation. Of course, the G2 can be operated in fully manual mode, but this is not why it was created and is, surely, not the way that most owners use it.

The post by Antonin illustrates a not uncommon complaint of manual focus veterans who switch to the G2: they do not fully understand the concept of focus lock or the fact that the lens returns to infinity if focus lock is released. This results in out of focus photos and the inevitable claims that the G2 doesn't know where to focus. Once the autofocus process is mastered (usually about two rolls of film,) the alleged focusing problems vaporize.

Since I switched to the G2, photography has become much more fun, and I'm getting much better results, as well. Using fixed focal length lenses has definitely forced me to see more creatively, and I rarely long for a zoom. A 35-70mm is available for the G2, but I'm getting along just fine without it. On a value basis (i.e. cost/quality) the G2 is an absolute bargain.

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None needed

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N90s, OM4

Size, weight, strength

Compared to G1, none

This is a review at the end of four days and two sets of negatives. Quality is superb and reminds me of my Leica negatives in sharpness. Shooting is easier than with G1, primarily because the focus lock button located on the rear of the camera also focusses the lens meaning that I can reserve the use of my forefinger for ae and tripping the shutter. This makes all the difference in the world as far as my nerve-damaged finger goes . Quality of the negatives is the same as with G1. Both high-speed frames and faster shutter speeds are useful in news photography. The G2 will carry the 45 or the 90mm lenses and reside around my neck most of the time.
I should add that the TLA 140 flash is remarkable for its coverage and power.

Customer Service

No need yet

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Contax G1, Leica M3, many fixed lens rangefinders

Superb lenses, as I have said in previous review. Quck, able tool for people pictures, including children. Great TTL

Very few. Some of the control knobs can be bumped out of position accidently.

I felt the need to respond to Antonin from Prague. I have shot hundreds of rolls though my G2 with very, very, very few focus errors. I also have exceptionally good luck with the TTL. Part of the key for TTL is to have the flash unit off camera with a Contax TTL cord. Antonin's problems may not be the G2 itself. I have had superb results with TTL for people pictures, particularly outside in open shade.

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Nikon F3's, Leica M.

Great lenses, as everybody mentioned before, very close to medium format. I also shoot with Hasselblad in the studio and large Contax prints are amazingly sharp when compared to Blad. Everybody will envy you this camera.

Took me a while to realize that all the autocontrols are totally unreliable. Autofocus sucks and is inaccurate, when using flash in TTL mode it overexposes everything and many party pictures came out badly. However once switched to manual metering and manual focus (what a pain), everything fell into place. Hey, maybe I can get a refund if I send all the electronic controls back to Kyocera. Framing takes a lot to get used to. I use mainly 45mm. Flash unit (200) gives photos that Terry Richardson feel with better skin tones that he sometimes has. It's very disconcerting hearing the motor of focusing even when I have it on manual. Why can't the lens just stay there, d*** it?

OK, it's a headache and you have to be constantly on your best behaviour, checking the dials if they did not move. In all manual settings G2 works like charm, but is this a real achievement for Contax camera? At least fix the focus guys... If you have enough money to blow, this is the camera. Value for money? I don't think so...

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rather did not bother

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