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DPRF is a photography forum with people from all over the world freely sharing their knowledge and love of photography. Everybody is welcome, from beginners to the experienced professional. Whether it is Medium Format, fullframe, APS-C, MFT or smaller formats. Digital or film. DPRF is a forum for everybody and for every format.
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User comments btil June 2003

Hey! I’ve just found the custom functions on my G1. Don’t laugh – I did not get a manual and would you have found them on your own?

Anyway, there are now two AE locks on my camera. The conventional On / Off / AE switch worked just fine so why is there a shutter button operated one too? Surely this would have been better put to operating a focus lock? When you think of how simple it must be to reprogram a chip to lock the focus instead of the shutter speed it makes you wonder what Contax were thinking of when they (justifiably) got slated for the G1’s autofocus. It did not need the G2, just a bit of reprogramming or am I being naive?

Anyway, check the images folder for my solution to the depth of field conundrum. Strange is n’t it how photographers will happily forgo D of F markings on their zoom lenses, but think it should be their God given right to have them on a rangefinder?

Clive
 
Hello,
I have an old G1 with the silver label which should indicate that it will not connect properly with the 35mm Planar. The later models and those that have been converted should have tell - tale green labels. Having recently bought a G2 with said 35mm Planar I put the 35mm lens on the G1 out of curiosity. It works! Does anyone know how or why?

Incidentally, I e-mailed Contax to evaluate the cost of the ROM update and it is only $32 to upgrade the old 'silver Label' G1's to accept the 35mm and 21mm optics.

Secondly, and I stress that this is unconnected with the above; My G1 has suddenly become all 'fuzzy'. No photograph comes out sharply focused no matter what lens I use or camera to subject distance employed. It does not appear to be a matter of incorrect focus, rather an all over loss of sharpness. Comparative shots taken using the same lenses on the G2 come out OK. Anyone have similar experiences?

Regards,

Clive
 
Does the out of focus problem happen at all f/ numbers or is it worse wide open? Check your lens when you focus and then when you snap the shutter. Does the lens move when you push the shutter all the way?
 
Hey Per! I was just like you. Once I held a G, I just had to have it. I tried both the G1 and G2 when I was at a photo show which was held in a large marquee. Both cameras focussed without problems and the fact that the G1 is smaller and lighter swayed me to buy one. I use the 28 and 45 now but I did own a 90mm which didn't get much use.
The G1 is a cracking camera and i don't believe it to be inferior to the G2 as some say. Just different maybe.

Just enjoy!

Paul
 
Hi,

Fixed it! There was a pin in the lens throat that had stuck inside giving the false focus. A little cleaning did the trick.

Clive
 
I've got a problem with a recently purchased silver label G-1. The 45mm lens is extremely loud when focusing... causing noticable vibration of the camera and almost a kind of bark when it extends for close focusing. It does not do it all the time, but when it does it is pretty loud. Even my wife asked me if the camera was ok.
It is an older model G-1, but the first owner only put two roles of film through it, and it has not even the slightest signs of use... in short it has been stored in its box for a long time. Is this noise level common? I had a green sticker G-1 for a year, and cannot remember this kind of noise. It seems worse when the contax filter and lens shade are attached. But maybe I am imagining that. At any rate, it sounds like dry gears, or as if the mechanism is dry and grating, you can hear slight sqeaks, is if it need lubrication. Anyone had this problem? Suggestions whould be most welcome. Can the focus mechanism get dry or 'sticky' if the camera is not exercised for a long period of time? Thanks.
 
I have the same problem with my 90mm when used in the portrait orientation, and especially with the lens hood on. It took me a while, but I figured out that the problem was the moving part of the lens is a little loose, and it rubs against the stationary part as it focuses. The friction causes lots of vibrations and noise. At first, like you, it seemed intermittent, then after lots of fiddling I discovered it only happened on it's side (portrait orientation) and with the lens hood on (because it weighs it down). Without the lens hood it does happen, but it's hardly noticeable.

I found that if I lightly support the moving part of the lens with the tip of my finger as it focuses, there is no noise. Unfortunately when I sent the lens to Contax for repair they sent it back saying "No problem found" even though I clearly described the problem in my paperwork. Kinda sucks because I hardly use the lens now, and that is the main reason.

I was thinking of sticking a very thin piece of tape of some sort on the rubbing part, some kind of tape that is very smooth, and that should help, but I don't like the idea of having to use tape on my beloved G equipment.

I had posted this question to the Contax G Forum a few months ago, and was surprised to hear that there were a few people out there with the same problem. I guess it doesn't get worse, because they didn't seem to mind it once they were used to it. Unfortunately, I think that the strong vibrations in time could start to do damage to other parts of the camera...

-Vu
 
I am considering buying a G1 (because I cant afford the G2) but I have never used a rangefinder before and all this talk about the focusing 'problems' with the G1 have got me a little spooked. Is there a real problem or is it just a matter of getting used to how the G1 operates and if so is that very difficult. I would not consider myself an experienced photographer but have been drawn to the G series since I first encountered them. So I would realy love to own a G1 (or G2) but I dont want to experience continual difficulties with the use of the camera.

ssp
 
> I now have 3 years experience using the G1 and have experienced no more problems with the focusing system than one expects with > any passive autofocus system - the camera requires a subject with some vertical contrast on which to focus - really no different > to the conventional manual rangefinder systems used in the M series Leica. As long as one has an awareness of how the camera > operates there should be no problem achieving focus. I do not remember ever having to resort to manual overide even in situations > of strong backlighting etc..

>
 
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