What you missed, you can have now
Once the Contax G2 hit the market, we were well and truly in the digital age. When I look back at the film cameras of the day, they were really beautiful. It’s hard to believe how many people were drawn to those ugly digital cameras. Time can be a bit of a tease. Fortunately, the G2 is still around and in good shape.
The second-generation Contax G system
The G2’s autofocus performance has been improved compared to the original G1. It can now focus as fast as 1/4000 second in manual mode and 1/6000 second in aperture-priority mode. The G2’s autofocus is very fast and more reliable. Just press the shutter button halfway to lock focus.
The g2 is a professional camera
For those who are used to using a fully manual Leica, an electronic film camera can easily be seen as a toy. But the Contax G is no toy. Lots of professional photographers use it. After all, it has some pretty impressive Zeiss lenses.
automatic rangefinder camera
I own a Fujifilm X-PRO1, which is also an autofocus rangefinder camera, much like the G series. The Contax G has a higher production technology than the X-pro1, and it focuses faster than Fujifilm.
I was impressed by the G2’s autofocus speed. I didn’t think such a high-speed focusing system would be available in the 1990s. The Contax comes with a set of Zeiss lenses, including 16mm, 21mm, 28mm, 35mm, 45mm, and 90mm, all of which focus very fast.
Manual focus mode
The Contax G2 has a manual focus mode that lets you set the focus distance with a dial. This is really handy for street photography. I tend to prefer using the fully manual Leica M for street photography.
No Contax G3
Unfortunately, after the Contax G2, there was no more update for the camera, and there was no G3.
Disadvantages of Contax G2
Another thing to watch out for with the Contax is the surface deterioration of the plastic handles. The Contax TVS iii also has this problem. The handle originally had a matte coating, but over time, that peels off. I just erased this coating with an eraser, and it looks like new.
