Optical performance, size ruggedness and reliability.

Poor manual focusing.

I bought this camera after much consultation with this site, based upon other readers comments over the years, and advice from Classic Camera Exchange, who were most helpful. I had considered buying a 35mm lens for my Nikon, but had read that the AFD version though optically good was frought with mechanical problems. As my Nikon F50 24-120 combination had been stolen, and not having the space to always carry my F5 and prime lenses, I elected to buy a second hand G1 to access Contax lenses. In the last two years, I have taken the camera with me in my webbing to many places including operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The camera has delivered very very good results with both B&W and colour reversal film relying solely on the cameras built in meter. The camera is unobtusive in most situations, the user being more conscious of the noise of operation than the subject. Though battery dependent, the camera does not appear to run through batteries quickly, nor does it seem vulnerable to extremes of temperature or dusty/sandy conditions. To my mind the price makes this camera very attractive, were I to have been buying new, I would probably erred towards an X-pan (which is a superlative piece of engineering and handles butifully) or an M7 or New Zeiss Ikon If a reader has one of these please post a review), as my one bug-bear with the G1 is the lack of sensible manual focusing.

Customer Service

Contax customer service is, thankfully, untested, however customer support from Classic Camera Exchange was very good with an enthusiastic and helful owner.

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Whilst I have played with various rangefinders in shops, my only real experience with rangefinder ownership was in the 1970's with a Russian Fed 3, my first camera and a wonderful introduction to the joy os photogrphy.

Light compact, motor wind (if you need it) I thought autofocus - focus lock recompose was quick although other people criticize it. well made (for its price but not a scratch on my leica M ... but then price)

viewfinder is awful - improved for G2 but not as good as xpan Mam 7 or Leica M If it broke on assignment you would be stooffed ..

When brought out this camera revolutionised the rangefinder market again and introduced people photographers back to what is arguably the best way to shoot. I loved this camera but since moved on to Xpan (panoramics more marketable for picture library) then on to Mamiya 7 (bigger negs also picture library work) then realised I missed a lot what this camera offered. This camera with 45mm (a fantastic lens) used to be my favourite shooting zone. I thought there were weaknesses but SH this would be fantastic bridge for someone going from auto route back to rangefinders.

Customer Service

never used

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squillions of SLRs rangefinders - XPAN, Mamiya 7 now Leica M6

Versatility. The G1 can do just about anything. The Zeiss T* lens is great for the money.

Limited lens options. It's also too nice to be taken out in the field and beat up.

I bought a Contax T2 in 1994 and absolutely fell in love with it--taking it with me on trips all over the world. I love its look, feel, and overall functionality. With the G series the experience is repeated once again. Here is a camera that is simply a pleasure to use and own. With the plethora of digital cameras available, there is less of a market for a high-end point and shoot 35mm cameras, even if in the G1's case they are highly versatile rangefinders. They are now available on the used market for a fraction of what they cost new.

Customer Service

Contax has the best CS anywhere. Those guys are awesome.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F3, FM2, FE2, F801s, Contax T2, Sony DSCV1 digital

Touch, feel, quality, Lenses, Weight/format, easyness of use

Max. 90mm but I can live with that

Picking up my Mamiya C33 for the first time gave me a terrific thrill, the weight, the sturdyness, the touch and feel of the thing. With the G1 I have the same sensation, it all feel so good, so well designed a really marvelous piece of engineering. I love to fondle my G1... much to my wife disatisfaction ! Well appart from that it really makes tremendous pictures, I find it very easy to use, the rangefinder and me get along very well, the autofocus works great for me, I like the handling, the setup... in short there is nothing I would like changed on this camera I simply love it (and it doesn;t get fatter, It doesn;t talk back .... cost quite a bit too though but worth every penny I would say) I can write reviews about the pic's I've taken, how I've blown them up, how the G1 technically handles..... but it's enough to say that if ever I get another child I will definately call it G1 :-) I have the 45mm and the 90mm...

Customer Service

Haven' had to make use of it yet

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F-801s, Mamiya C33, Nikon F-3

Three things; Quality, quality and quality.

Only a few dedicated lenses to choose from.

It should go 9 years before I finally got my G1. I collected brochures of it and looked at it in the photostore many times, but had to let it go. Now, I have this beauty in my hands, and it is a work of art if I might say so. All the handles are easy to work with, though it should have been a bit more resistance when turning the knobs as they sometimes seem to get turned by them selves when using the camera (Clumsy fingers?) Anyway, it workes smoothly in every weather condition, and it is very, very discrete. People that does not know about cameras, think you'll just an average tourist (Because of the size) and behave according to this. It is easy to pack away and easy to be put into quickly use. The pictures are razorsharp with a quality as expected from Carl Zeiss. I can reccomend the G1 to everyone who want to spend some extra dollars to get the best.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon EM, FM, FM2, F3, F4, Contax 167 mt

Sheer quality and style and operational simplicity.

Max focal length of 90mm.

This camera when used in a methodical and thoughtful manner produces outstanding results time and time again. The old addage that you get what you pay for is no truer than in purchasing the Contax G series cameras. If it is not already it, is destined to be a design classic and my G1 is something I could not part with even when finances have been tough. The lens quality is outstanding and you can definately see the quality of the optics in the resultant print. For me I get a buzz everytime I use the camera and its unobtrusive nature has been a bonus in travel situations. The TLA140 flash produces nice fill flash shots with no red eye. The auto bracketing feature is also great as are other automated features such as self timer and double exposures. It is cameras like this that will always remain bulletproof and live on into the digital age.

Customer Service

Not applicable.

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Pentax and canon SLRS.

Lenses, size, weight (feels really solid) and, in my case, value. Take a look at what you get from a Leica compared to what the Contax gives you!

Missing DOF preview of any kind, but I can live with that.

I got my G1 used, in excellent shape and for a real bargain... and it simply became my third hand. Focusing is quick, the images are great, and its compactness makes it a really useful travel camera. With the TL140 flash (high enough not to cause red-eye) I've managed to snap very decent shots, and the fast lenses allow use of the camera in low-light situations. Unobtrusive, small, people do not act inhibited in front of it. In fact, this is the camera to carry when you don't want to be taken seriously. A great instrument and a joy to use!

Customer Service

I contacted them to purchase manuals, ask some questions about maintenance and I can only say they're very helpful.

Similar Products Used:

Canonet G-III QL17, Konica Auto S2, Yashica GS

Truly astounding lenses, especially the 21 mm and the 45 mm. Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. I also love the automation. AE and TTL are two must-haves in my view. AF is nice too. G2 has them all.

Flash photography is not straight-forward. Also the upper-left command wheel often get accidently bumped to something other than "S".

The heart of the Contax G system is its superb line of lenses. Absolutely superb. Compared to Leica jewlry, these Contax lenses are the greatest bargain one can ever get. The camera itself is solid and hefty. I don't find the zooming and motorized film advance that noisy and obtrusive. Yes the viewfinder is dimmer and smaller than Leica's, but its auto-zooming and parallex-correcting. So when looking at 90mm lenses' view, you are not going to look at a dinky white frame such as on a Leica. It's much higher tech than Leica's ancient mechanical finder.

Customer Service

None used

Similar Products Used:

Leica M6TTL with 35, 50 and 90mm lenses. Canon EOS Rebel, A2 and Rebel 2k and some non-"L" lenses. Minolta XD series and Rokkors. And some old 6x6 folders.

Open door: Carl Zeiss optics Portability, build quality

No weaknesses, but limitations: limited focal length, no flash, paralax error.

I previously owned a F80 (or N80), that unfortunatly got stolen when my appartment got robbed. I walked into my local photostore to get it replaced, but walked out with the G1. As it says on their website: "I was caught by an irresistable impulse to possess this camera.". The quality feel of the body and the very apparent quality of the lenses made me take out my hard earned insurance money and walk out with the G1, plus 35 and 90 lenses. I have to say that I got it for less then half of the original list price, the shop tried to get rid of a lot of their stock. After a couple of months of use: it is a fantastic camera, but with limits. A camera that can make you extremely happy or totally frustrated with your photos. This is from the viewpoint of someone who previously owned a cant-go-wrong-everything-is-done-by -me automatic SLR. First the plus side: it is said numerous times and I was very sceptical at the beginning, but the fantastic lenses make all the difference. In your average snapshot, it is sometimes hard to see the difference with a normal SLR with a standard (cheap) lens and that can be frustrating. But some photos you'll take with this camera (landscapes and b/w with me mainly) will blow your mind away. I have photos that are so sharp and the colour is so real that they seem to be 3D and pop of the paper. It is not medium format quality as claimed sometimes, but as close you can get to it in 35mm. It is a camera that requires some thought though and it can frustrate you if use it mindlessy as a P&S. The autofocus requires more effort than your SLR, and especially the metering system is a little more crude (its centre weighed with a %grey card) then all the hyper intelligent 3d, million zone metering systems you find on the latest SLR's. Another limitation is the paralax error especially with the 90mm, you have to check carefully that there are no unwanted objects in your frame. Another drawback is that you will have to purchase the external flash and that their is no way of getting lenses longer than 90mm. By the way, I own the 28, 35 and 90 lenses and I think the 35 is the best, although it is the least appreciated. I absolutely love this camera and I took my best photos with it, but I think I will buy a SLR body to go with it any time soon.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F65, F80, F100,FM2, Contax Aria

Superior optics; unobtrusive size.

As with other rangefinders, the viewfinder does not indicate true framing.

This is a great 35mm camera that I use primarily as an unobtrusive "street camera." With the spectacular 45mm Carl Zeiss lens, this camera produces some of the finest 35mm images I have ever shot--or seen. Being a rangefinder, the camera may not be for everyone; indeed, it does require a bit more thought (and possibly trial-and-error), than many cameras today, with their "command dials," icon-based exposure settings, and "auto everything." But the results are worth it, in my view.

Customer Service

Not required so far.

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I have used Nikon 35mm cameras almost exclusively in the past.