Contax G1 Rangefinders
Contax G1 Rangefinders
[Jul 09, 2000]
Chuck Fralick
Expert
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
Superb build quality
Weakness:
I find the bayonet mount a little clumsy at times. I have owned dozens of 35mm cameras and lenses and find this my favorite. I own the 28, 45 and 90mm lenses and find them outstanding. I don't feel the autofocus is noisy nor have I had any problems focusing. This body and the lenses ARE better in every way, except possibly snob appeal, than Leica rangefinders. I have owned Leica bodies and lenses and they are old, dated designs. This is one heck of a deal. I love it. I even sold my Nikon cameras and lenses after using this for awhile. Don't buy this camera, though, if you are a fan of long lenses and rapid-action photography. This is clearly suited for old guys like me who photograph landscapes and people. My biggest complaint (and perhaps it's just envy!) is that it can't handle the Contax zoom. Customer Service Only for info, but first rate. Similar Products Used: Leica M6 |
[May 29, 2000]
George Setterfield
Expert
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
Beautiful design,well constructed, excellent lenses, uncluttered viewfinder(noframe lines), Light , small, quiet, fast.
Weakness:
Auto focus takes a bit of experience but works well with the 3 lenses I have(28, 45& 90mm). There doesn't seem to be a simple way to add fill flash,which I don't use often. This is without doubt the best 35mm camera I have owned (after years of Nikon use). It is particularly useful for candid street photography, being both inconspicuous and quiet. Some people complain about its noise level but I find it just a little louder than a Leica M6 used by a friend. If you want loud try Nikon. Customer Service No need to use in 4 years. Have spoken to helpful Contax reps. Similar Products Used: Leica M4, Minolta CLE,Retina 3C. I have also owned several medium format cameras and a Toyo 4x5", which is still my |
[May 25, 2000]
don vu
Expert
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
nice compact, rugged body
Weakness:
manual focus almost useless expensive camera to own but feels that way too. rangefinder has its own idiosyncrasies like parallax errors, cap on lens problem, focusing mishaps at times but makes up for lens sharpness, small size, bright viewfinder, capturing the right moment without the mirror black out problem, and the smoothness of the shutter. Focusing noise was the loudest complaint i have on this camera, and composition adustment which is inherent on all rangefinders. Customer Service no problem with camera after 2 years of use Similar Products Used: none |
[May 19, 2000]
jim bonnes
Intermediate
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
Durable, lightweight and stellar optics. Bought for a trip to Europe, purchased with a 35mm lens agreat combination. Have since added a 90mm and intend to get the 21mm next. I also shoot medium format and 4x5 and image quality matters to me, I think the pictures speak for themselves. The thing I love about the camera is the way the controls are laid out, very much like an older mechanical camera. The important controls are wheels and NOT buttons that you have to scroll through to get the function you want. If Contax could put a 28-200 zoom on a G camera the only reason to get a slr would be for Macro.
Weakness:
none for my purposes Solid reliable camera, great optics and very easy to use. Customer Service have not needed it. Similar Products Used: Minolta, Pentax, Nikon |
[Feb 01, 2000]
Art Codron
Expert
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
VERY well designed/built. I also like that the designers have managed to keep the size down. Extremely pretty. Controls are logical and easy to access. I have the 28,35,45 & 90mm Zeiss lenses. All balance perfectly on body. All tack sharp and built beautifully. Prospective owners should be aware that operation is somewhat different than an SLR. There are certain situations that this camera is not suitable such as fast action sports or Macro photography. For general landscape/travel photography, people, photojournalism or fine art this camera is awesome. It is liberating to have the whole entire "G" kit in a small shoulder bag. Custom functions (esp. film ledr. out) very cool.
Weakness:
Some people have complained about the focusing of this camera but I have had no problems providing that I concentrate on what I am doing and do not get sloppy. Highly reccomended small compact kit with a HIGH quality quotient. Customer Service N/A Similar Products Used: The G2 is even better spec'd than the G1, but I felt that the smaller size and weight of the G1 (not to mention sma |
[Jan 31, 2000]
Andy Chiang
Intermediate
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
Very well built camera. Though some part of the design is odd. Placement of dials and functions. But these have been resolved in the G2 which also has some pro features added. I had to decide between the two G's. But it was easy to choose the G1 becuase of its bargain kit price now.
Weakness:
None so far. This is a great camera for the current bargain price of the G1 kit ($799 for body 35mm lens and TLA 140 flash). Now is the time to take the leap of faith and check it out. Customer Service NA Similar Products Used: None. This is my first rangefinder. My other camera is a Canon Elan. |
[Jan 23, 2000]
Mark McMillian
Intermediate
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
The quality of the workmanship is excellent and the optics are outstanding. I wanted a small quality camera with the panache of a Leica without the price tag.
Weakness:
The auto focus is slow, noisy, and inconsistent in low contrast situations. Great portable little camera with legendary Zeiss optics. A little tempermental in focusing, but worth the eccentricity when you get the photos back. Customer Service N/A Similar Products Used: I have a Nikon F 100 |
[Dec 28, 1999]
Chad Smavatkul
Intermediate
Model Reviewed:
G1 Rangefinder Body
Strength:
Small, light weight. Titanium body. The lens is one of the best out there in the market.
Weakness:
AF is a little too loud. When you put the hood on, you can see it in the viewfilder. Doesn't effect the picture. I stop using my Nikon system and carry just Contax with 2.8/28 and 2.0/45 lens. It's very compact and picture quality is excellent. Similar Products Used: None |
[Sep 04, 2000]
Jonas Sam
Intermediate
Strength:
Size
Weakness:
DIM, TINY VIEWFINDER!! I bought this after the G2 came out because it was far less expensive, looked and felt much smaller and I didn't need all the alleged "pro" features that the G2 had. And after testing the G2, I found the viewfinder to be basically as DIM and the autofocus of the G2 punked out in the exact same places as the G1. I hate the viewfinder - eye relief is the worst and it is dim, dim, dim but having the convenience of auto focus with the fun of a "rangefinder" is wonderful. And everything they say about Zeiss lenses is true. I'm sorry, but it's just true. They are great - sharp, accurate color and edgy blow-ups. The smaller G1 looks very nice and it's real fun to shoot with. Plenty mint ones around at good used prices, too. Why not? Customer Service None needed Similar Products Used: Leica M6 |
[Oct 12, 2000]
G Peng
Intermediate
Strength:
Compact
Weakness:
Shutter delay I actually love this camera. I have a Nikon system, but I was looking for something less obtrusive for street photography, while having autofocusing. I haven't had problems with the focusing accuracy, although I can see why you might if you're not prepared for it. The camera is built like a house and the lenses are as good as you've heard. The TLA 140 flash, while a little expensive for a Chiclet box sized piece of equipment, has good range and fits the camera well. It does everything I want from it, and takes great pictures. Customer Service Never used Similar Products Used: Nikon F100 |