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Reviews > Cameras > Film > Contax G2 35mm Rangefinder Camera System > Owner Review by Rick Dreher
Owner’s Review Contax G2 35 mm (Film) Rangefinder Camera Manufacturer: Kyocera Corporation, Japan http://www.kyoceraimaging.com/ Reviewer: Rick Dreher Relevant Statistics (backpacking bio at end) Male Age: 50
Years Backpacking: 37 Review date: March 10, 2005 Description:
Auto-focus, interchangeable lens rangefinder camera. Part of
a system comprising two bodies, seven lenses, two flashes, three lens hoods,
two data backs, and various other accessories. Selected Specifications Shutter: Electronically
controlled, vertically running focal plane shutter with a top speed of 1/6000
second (in auto mode; 1/4000 in manual) and an X sync shutter speed of 1/200
second. Overview What makes a backpacking camera? Most simply, it's any camera that fits in a backpack, which includes most cameras sold. To refine a bit, one school of thought holds that a backpacking camera should be inexpensive, waterproof enough to survive a trip to the bottom of a creek (intentional or otherwise), rugged enough to bounce down a dozen feet of granite, and be the size and weight of a deck of cards. It should coincidentally take pictures. A countervailing philosophy is that any imaging system worthy of taking to the mountains should return photographs faithfully capturing every rock grain, every tree needle and every cloud wisp present at the moment the shutter was tripped. Projected or reproduced images should transport the viewer to another place. I think of the two schools as snapshooters and photographers. One is not better than the other; they are merely different approaches with different requirements that call for different tools. While I'm an irretrievable member of the second group, I no longer entertain thoughts of lugging an 8x10 view camera system--Ansel Adams style--into the Sierra Nevada. A compact point-and-shoot camera is what I normally carry—a Contax T3, review here: http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Cameras/Film/Contax%20T3/Contax%20T3%20Review--Rick%20Dreher/ Any backpacking camera should be capable, reasonably light and compact, and catastrophe-resistant. It should offer a lens or lenses that satisfies the shooter's desires. It should sport features that enhance photographic flexibility without getting in the way of the creative process while delivering consistently excellent results in difficult shooting situations. Within reason, it should be field- serviceable. When I'm feeling as though I want more flexibility and different focal lengths than the T3 offers, and I have the luxury of packing an extra couple of pounds, I take my G2 rangefinder and two or three lenses. There are a number of reasons why, all of which revolve around artistic desires and image quality. Rangefinder Cameras 35 mm rangefinder cameras comprise a tiny but noble niche of the marketplace. They lack the through-the-lens viewing a single lens reflex (SLR) offers, instead using a separate viewfinder and distance (range) finder to frame the image and focus the lens. In this sense, they are closer to point-and-shoot (P&S) cameras than they are to SLRs. Most rangefinders, though, offer interchangeable lenses and other accessories to make them far more capable and flexible than P&S cameras. Because an SLR has the ability to display the subject through the taking lens, it displays the exact composition, including depth of field and focus point. It also requires a mirror in the camera body as part of the viewfinder image path. This mirror forces SLR systems to eschew several superlative wide-angle lens designs that would intrude in the camera body and get in the mirror's way. While not the sole reason to prefer a rangefinder to an SLR, the availability of unique wide-angle lenses is of great importance in outdoor scenic photography. Of some importance, rangefinders, because they don't have reflex mirrors, are usually quieter and vibrate less in use, resulting in stealthier photography and sharper pictures when hand-holding at slow shutter speeds. Why the G2? The Contax G-series brought modern technology (such as high shutter speeds, autofocus, a zooming viewfinder, a built-in winder…) to the rangefinder market along with a selection of world-class lenses and accessories. It has no direct equivalent in the marketplace. What rangefinders are ill-suited for? Rangefinders don't make good telephoto or marco photography platforms. For these areas of special interest, a rangefinder isn't the best tool; SLR or digital platforms are better. The G2 Body The G2 body is roughly the size of a compact SLR body (without the protruding pentaprism) and the controls are organized in a similar fashion. I found the camera a breeze to use because I already owned Contax SLRs that share much of the same layout. The G2 shutter release, exposure compensation dial and lens aperture ring fall readily to hand and can be used without looking. (The G2 controls can be reviewed on the Kyocera Website.) In Use: The G2 feels very natural, balanced and secure in my hands; contoured rubberized surfaces on the body's right side make it easy to hold the camera without applying a death grip. The control locations and their precise operation, especially the electronic shutter release, simply feel “right.” I generally shoot by first selecting my point of focus with the rectangular focus frame, second, locking focus with either a half-press of the shutter release or the focus lock button, third, composing the shot and finally tripping the shutter. At its fastest this process takes a couple of seconds. I usually have the camera in SAF, or single auto focus mode and single-frame drive mode. In continuous focus mode, CAF, the focus never “locks,” instead it operates continuously to keep a moving subject in focus. This mode is best used for subjects moving towards or away from the camera and is not terribly useful for shooting scenery. Note that in SAF mode, the shutter won't operate unless focus lock is achieved but in CAF mode it will. What this can mean is that when the camera is in the CAF and high-speed wind modes, it's possible to burn through a 36-exposure film roll in nine seconds with the camera aimed at nothing in particular. Several motors come into play when shooting the G2. The lens stays in "rest" position, unfocused, until either the focus lock or the shutter button is pressed. The lens then extends to its focus position with a soft but audible whir. An even softer noise emanates from the viewfinder’s framing mechanism. Upon release the shutter trips, the film advances and the lens returns to rest position (in manual and SAF modes). While these sounds aren't a distraction most of the time, shooting skittish wildlife can draw attention to the camera (in my experience, the G2 is relatively quiet but not silent as a view camera or the very stealthy Konica Hexar). The G2 viewfinder has a 0.57% magnification factor and is reasonably bright and easy to use. It has a diopter control dial (to compensate for minor near or far-sightedness). The view optically zooms to approximate the actual view provided by the lens mounted to the camera (there are no projected framelines as are used in other rangefinders and P&S cameras) and vignetting frames crop this view as the subject gets closer to the camera, increasing framing precision by eliminating parallax error. (The little stepping motor that controls the viewfinder framing blades really gets a workout when the zoom lens is mounted to the camera.) Glasses wearers can see the entire viewfinder, and a rubber viewfinder surround limits scratching. Viewfinder information includes a rectangular focusing frame, the shutter speed, exposure compensation, flash status, warning indicators and distance calculation. The G2 is neither waterproof nor dustproof. Like any fine instrument it should be handled with reasonable care but doesn't require babying, just discretion. Mounting and removing lenses is different from most interchangeable-lens cameras, in that the entire lens doesn't turn; rather, just a mounting ring at the lens base. This took some getting used to, and I need to remind myself how it's done occasionally, when I'm cold or feeling rushed. G Lenses Any camera is only as good as its lens. All G lenses except the 16 mm are made by Kyocera in Japan under license from Carl Zeiss; the 16/8 is made by Zeiss in Germany. All have the Zeiss "T*" multicoating, meaning they are of the highest quality offered in the Zeiss line. (Many cameras have Zeiss lenses; only a small percentage are T*). In the Contax G system, wide-angle lenses are primarily Biogon and Hologon designs, lens designs that cannot be used in SLRs. Both are thought highly enough of to have complete cameras designed around them: the fabled Hasselblad SWC and Zeiss Hologon. The G series offers two Biogons-a 28/2.8 and a 21/2.8--and one Hologon-a 16/8. The other lenses in the line are the Planar 35/2 and 45/2, the Sonnar 90/2.8 and the Vario- Sonnar 35-70/3.5-5.6. The last lens is the only rangefinder zoom ever devised. Aside from the manual-focus 16, the G lenses are focused by a motor in the camera body, in contrast with SLR autofocus lenses, which have built-in motors. The G2 viewfinder magnification automatically adjusts for lenses between 28 and 90 mm, as well as the zoom. The 16 mm Hologon and 21 mm Biogon come with auxiliary finders that mount atop the camera in the flash hotshoe. To use the 21, it’s necessary to first focus using the main viewfinder, then frame and shoot using the auxiliary finder. Fortunately, because a 21 isn’t fussy about focus it's often possible to compose and shoot strictly using the auxiliary finder without first locking the focus through the camera's finder. The 16 is manually focused by adjusting the lens itself, like an old-style manual camera. Due its vast depth-of-field (0.6 m/2 ft. to infinity) the Hologon is always in focus except when shooting extreme close-ups (which can yield very interesting results). I sometimes keep the 21 or 16 finder at hand when the camera itself is stowed away and use it to preview potential shots before digging the camera out. Makes me feel like a director on a movie set. All this technobabble aside, so what? Each G lens is among the best made in its focal length and speed. They are sharp wide open and stopped down (the 35/2.0 is a bit soft wide open, but extremely sharp at other apertures). They have uniformly excellent contrast and color saturation, yielding slides and prints so rich they sometimes appear three-dimensional. They are nearly immune to lens flare. They exhibit insignificant barrel and pincushion distortion, including the zoom, the 21 and the 16. They are light and compact while using minimal plastic parts. Compared to their most notable competition, they are surprisingly affordable. Accessories I never bothered to use the standard G2 strap, which is thin and slippery, instead using a 1" (25 mm) wide Domke Gripper strap made of rubberized cotton webbing that works very well. I carry the G2 in a Zing neoprene SLR case (size small) that provides cushioning and reasonable weather protection. If it rains or snows, I stow the whole works in a plastic bag for extra protection. Most of the G lenses take 46 mm filters, so a small filter collection fills most needs. Screw-on metal lens hoods are made for the 28 through 90 mm lenses. The 21 mm lens takes 55 mm filters, and the Hologon is provided with a special gradient filter that compensates for the light falloff towards the edges inherent in the lens design. The miniscule Contax TLA 200 flash works well with the camera for general flash purposes, and adds little pack weight (the designers took pity and specified the same CR2 batteries for the flash that the G2 takes). For portraits, I frequently use of an off-camera flash extension cord or a diffuser with the TLA 200 to avoid red-eye because the flash sits very close to the lens axis and has no preflash feature. Finally, I sometimes carry a tripod or monopod; the latter can also serve as a beefy shelter pole. Weights and Measures The following table presents Contax G2 system weights and dimensions.
*Requires auxiliary finder (supplied) Assembling a G2 System for the Field I generally pack two lenses when backpacking with the G2. The zoom pairs well with the 21 and the 21, in turn, also pairs well with the 35 or 45. The 16, which is an extreme wide angle and quite slow at a fixed f:8, definitely deserves a companion or two, one of the fast lenses perhaps-the 35/2 or 45/2, and a moderate wide angle like the 28/2.8, or the zoom. I hate leaving the 90 at home, as it's as close to a telephoto lens as the G system has and is wonderfully sharp. It gets more-frequent use on day hikes when I can better rationalize the weight. Assembling a system for the field, I quickly discovered the weight and space advantages the G system has over my SLR gear. Using data from the summary table, a couple of G package weights look like this: G2 plus 21/2.8 and 45/2.0--33 oz (934 g). A reasonably equivalent SLR package (Nikon F100 with 20/2.8D AF and 50/1.8D AF lenses)--43 oz (1,630 g). The G2 with the 16/8 and the 35-70/4.5 zoom--33.6 oz (950 g). The F100 with the 16/2.8 D AF fisheye and 35- 70/2.8D AF zoom--61.9 oz (1,751 g). What the weights don't convey is how much smaller the G body and lenses are than the F100 and lenses. To reiterate, a rangefinder and SLR aren't completely equivalent- each will do things the other cannot. As a working photographer I would always match tool to task no matter what, but as a backpacking photographer I must also consider weight and bulk. I have lovely SLRs and SLR lenses; they almost always stay at home when I'm backpacking. Only the desire to do macro or long telephoto work has me packing an SLR. Along with G2 and lenses, I always carry the Zing case, a plastic stow bag, an extra CR2 battery set, lens tissue and lens hoods. Sometimes I take a switch release, flash and/or filters. I typically budget one 36-exposure roll of film per day on longer trips, more on day and weekend trips. All this adds a few ounces to my photo kit; a monopod or tripod adds quite a bit more. Results To paraphrase Elvis Costello, writing about photographs is like dancing about mathematics. All I can say is that the G2 doesn’t disappoint-its capabilities exceed my skills. With a few exceptions, my best 35 mm-format photos have come from the G2. By best, I mean technically superior considering sharpness, contrast and color saturation. Further, the G2's feel-its shape, balance, control layout and system responsiveness--enhance the act of composing and shooting. Many, many cameras I've used get in the way of this process. The G system has a strong following worldwide, and has proved itself a worthy companion in arctic, tropical and desert conditions. (There are on-line resources for G system users that include extensive portfolios.) Annoyances/things I'd change: What, it's not perfect? It would be nice if the lens didn't return to park position between shots in SAF mode. The auto-focus system can be fooled by horizontal lines, requiring tilting the camera to an angle to get a focus lock. It can be tough to focus on certain moving or low-contrast subjects. I'd like a complete rethink of the manual focus approach. The viewfinder can be dim in poor light. Two additions I'd like but probably cannot have are aperture and calculated depth-of-field readouts. Because the lenses don't communicate aperture settings to the body, this is unlikely. I'd like the addition of spot and evaluative metering modes, and for the distance readout to switch between metric and English because I don't think in metric. In the viewfinder, I'd like see the focus distance displayed digitally and in all modes, not just some of them, and a frame counter. I'd like the option to delay film rewind at the roll's end, as with certain Contax SLRs. I'd like the 90 mm lens hood to be a permanently attached sliding type, and lens hoods to be standard equipment and bayonet-style, not accessories and threaded as they are at present. "Daddy, what's `Film?'" My daughter may never know. Film photography has reached its zenith and never will there be as many camera and film choices as there are today. In fact, their number is already in decline due to the meteoric advance of digital. Two major European makers are shucking their film divisions and the two giants- Kodak and Fuji-are consolidating theirs while they hemorrhage money. Camera makers are slashing their film camera lines as they rush digital offerings to market. I'm no Luddite but have yet to encounter a digital still camera I can live with. Until that day I'll sit on my wallet, happy to use the equipment I already own. I have hazy dreams of a full-format chip digital G body that would take all the G system lenses. This isn't possible with today's imaging chips but with the rapid advance of the technology, who knows? I primarily shoot slide film, hopping among the many offerings from Kodak and Fuji. I find that venerable Kodachrome returns the best results from high altitude because it seems less susceptible to UV-triggered color shift than its E6 counterparts. Kodak’s Elite Chrome and Fuji’s Velvia and Provia all yield eye-popping slides with the G2, each with its own signature. Consumer color print film with its wide latitude and juiced color saturation is usually a happy match with the G lenses, although portraits generally warrant a more-accurate “pro” film. Print film is much easier to use than slide film in high-contrast settings. Conclusions I've spent more than half a lifetime taking cameras into the mountains, from cartridge film cameras to 35 mm SLRs to 6x6 cm SLRs to tiny 35 mm P&Ss. Among them all, I haven't used a finer system than the Contax G2. Photography is as natural a hobby to pair with backpacking as fishing or rock climbing. I can’t imagine not being able to relive and share the fantastic places I’m fortunate enough to hike to, through photographs. Like those other backcountry pursuits, acquiring and using just the right gear to enhance the outdoor experience can be a worthy goal in its own right. --Rick Dreher 3.10.2005 Brief Backpacking Bio: I learned camping and hiking in Boy Scouts, tramping the Washington Cascade foothills (lugging Trapper Nelson and BSA aluminum-canvas backpacks, kapok sleeping bags and always an axe). From these beginnings, I eventually learned backpacking as a singular pursuit and became at home in the Cascades and Olympics. Today, most of my hiking is in the Sierra Nevada, the trips ranging from overnight to weeklong excursions. Read more reviews of Contax gear Read more gear reviews by Rick Dreher Reviews > Cameras > Film > Contax G2 35mm Rangefinder Camera System > Owner Review by Rick Dreher | |||||||||||||||||||||