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stingOM
Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 3168 Location: Ireland
Expire: 2012-12-27
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:34 pm Post subject: Contax G1 |
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stingOM wrote:
Is this still considered a good camera for a novice on RF cameras? I already have a 90/2.8 G lens so it will go nicely with it. On the other hand, there is a lot of complaint about the poor AF performance of this camera.
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Attila
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 57865 Location: Hungary
Expire: 2025-11-18
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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Attila wrote:
I think sure, but you can buy any cheap RF cameras they do job well too, Russian cameras for example. _________________ -------------------------------
Items on sale on Ebay
Sony NEX-7 Carl Zeiss Planar 85mm f1.4, Minolta MD 35mm f1.8, Konica 135mm f2.5, Minolta MD 50mm f1.2, Minolta MD 250mm f5.6, Carl Zeiss Sonnar 180mm f2.8
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tikkathree
Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 755 Location: Lovely Suffolk in Great Britain
Expire: 2012-12-28
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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tikkathree wrote:
I'd heard that the G1 has a reputation for software-related issues.
If you're 100% new to RF cameras I'd agree that cheap and cheerful manually focussing RF cameras will give you the same RF experience.
I'm trying to get to grips with a Mamiya 7 RF with detachable lenses: cheap and cheerful it ain't. I need persuading that the lack of involvement is outdone by high image quality. _________________ I used to think digital was fun but then I discovered film, then I found old lenses and then, eventually I found rangefinders.
EOS 5DII, loadsalenses
Canon G9 IR conv,
MF: TLR, 645 and folders
35mm: Oly OM Pro bodies 1, 2, 3 and 4; Soviet RF kit |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
The G1 surely is a fantastic cam, but it's not a rangefinder cam per se, due to its AF.
Excellent lenses, great built, but the viewfinder is not as good as with a decent RF cam and those G1 cams still are pretty expensive.
IMHO the perfect RF beginner's cam is a Zorki-4K. _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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stingOM
Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 3168 Location: Ireland
Expire: 2012-12-27
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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stingOM wrote:
OK folks thanks. I did take some shots using my Kodak Rettinette 1A a few years back and this is a RF right?
How about a Yashica 35 GS. Too much AF again? |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
Nope, in either case.
The Ia is a viewfinder camera, since you cannot measure distance in the viewfinder. At least in my one I can't.
The Yashi does not have autofocus. That's a pure RF cam. _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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Sevo
Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 1189 Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Expire: 2012-12-03
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: Contax G1 |
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Sevo wrote:
stingOM wrote: |
Is this still considered a good camera for a novice on RF cameras? I already have a 90/2.8 G lens so it will go nicely with it. On the other hand, there is a lot of complaint about the poor AF performance of this camera.
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Technically speaking, the AF mechanism is rangefinder derived, but that does not make it a rangefinder camera. On the other hand, even if it is no rangefinder, it is no point-and-shoot either - it really is unique, the only interchangeable lens AF viewfinder system ever.
Not being a rangefinder, it only has electronic focus confirmation - and this lack of any visual confirmation makes the 90mm lens particularly tricky to focus. Not being point and shoot, the AF system is single narrow spot (like on first generation AF SLRs), and if you don't pay close attention to the distance scale marks (and few people find it easy to combine image composition and numbers reading) it is quite easy to misplace the spot.
That said, it is a beautiful camera, a neat system with some of the best small format primes ever - if you don't mind its peculiarities and can deal with a AF-lock-and-recompose routine, it can deliver a almost magic image quality. I don't know whether I'd get into them at current prices, though - I bought mine a couple of years ago when they were dirt cheap (I paid something like 250€ for a body and the standard three lenses), but by now, the prices of lenses have gone up in the wake of the Nex and MFT...
If you want to get into genuine rangefinders, a Zorki 4, Kiev 4a, Yashica 35 or Olympus 35RC are the real thing, at a smaller budget... _________________ Sevo |
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std
Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1826 Location: Bulgaria
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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std wrote:
It's a nice body,
The focusing with the 90mm Sonnar is sometimes tricky - there are some tips for focusing in the instructions booklet - you should always check if the measured distance sounds correct before fully pressing the shutter release.
What i don't like is the tiny viewfinder otherwise no complaints - very accurate shutter and very fast focusing and film rewind. _________________ Stefan
My lens list:
SLR MD: Rokkor 1,7/50 Exakta: Kilfitt-Makro-Kilar E 3.5/4cm; CZJ 2/50 Pancolar;M42: CZJ 2.8/50 Tessar; Mir-1B 2.8/37; Jupiter-9 2/85 T-mount: Tamron 5.9/200; Tamron 6.9/300; Tamron 7.5/400 C-mount: Cosmicar 1.8/50 Y/S: Sun 3.5/38-90, Sun 4/70-210 RF Contax RF: Jupiter-8 2/50; Contax G:CZ 2,8/21 Biogon T; CZ 2,8/28 Biogon T; CZ 2/35 Planar T; CZ 2/45 Planar T; CZ 2,8/90 Sonnar T |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6602 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
If you don't mind just using normal lenses, the Japanese rangefinders of the 1960's are a great bargain and deliver excellent quality.
My personal favorites at the moment are the Yashica Lynx 1000 and 5000. Very cheap - $10-20 - very easy to fix. Meters are likely to be dead, but the real rangefinder "Leica" experience experience means "sunny 16" or a hand held meter.
Yashica Electro series are fine, but these are not manual exposure cameras and you have to worry about the electrical system.
Zorki & etc. are substantially more expensive and there are serious worries about functionality. You do get the possibility of different focal lengths but these are not at all cheap these days. _________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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stingOM
Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 3168 Location: Ireland
Expire: 2012-12-27
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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stingOM wrote:
What about Kodak Reina II? |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6602 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
All the Kodak Retina rangefinders are prone to service problems and are too often difficult to fix because of a delicate shutter cocking system and interlocks. _________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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stingOM
Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 3168 Location: Ireland
Expire: 2012-12-27
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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stingOM wrote:
OK Konica S2 then? |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6602 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
I've worked on an S2, unfortunately it turned out to be totalled (bent shutter cocking shaft, also displacing shutter components).
On the whole I think its a pretty nice camera from the inside, I can't say as to performance as mine was not repairable. You have to be able to deal with the meter wiring when removing the front elements for the inevitable lighter fluid treatment.
I also have the older Konica Auto S which is simpler internally as the meter was not built in to the lens barrel. That one is very nice and also easy to fix. Both Konica models are much less common than the Yashicas and tend to fetch higher prices. _________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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Attila
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 57865 Location: Hungary
Expire: 2025-11-18
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