Contax G1
The Contax G1 was the first of a two camera family that would go on to become one of the more sought-after 35mm film cameras. Produced by Kyocera from 1994 until 1996, the Contax G1 was the world's first autofocus 35mm rangefinder. It introduced its own line of G-system lenses that were designed by Carl Zeiss. The camera itself has a titanium body and feels like it. The camera is also incredibly rich in features.
The G1 is probably best known for its lenses. At launch, there were three Zeiss lenses available for the G1: a 28mm f/2.8 Biogon, a 45mm f/2 Planar, and a 90mm f/2.8 Sonnar. Later, a 16mm f/8 Hologon was added to the lineup. It is important to note that even though additional lenses came later with the Contax G2, such as a 21mm and 35mm, these lenses cannot be used on the G1 unless the camera is modified for them. Such cameras usually have a green sticker inside the film chamber. The lenses rightly make this a noteworthy system - these are stellar optics. It is also worth mentioning that the viewfinder of the G1 automatically uses an optical zoom to show accurate composition for the lenses once mounted (with the exception of the 16mm).
The G1 used a passive autofocus system, later to be superseded by the succeeding G2. The autofocus works well enough but is noted for being slow. There is also a provision for manual focus, but it is even more awkward than the autofocus. This is not a camera to buy if you plan on focusing manually. Speaking of manual, the G1 has exposure modes that include manual (shutter speeds of 1 second to 1/1000 in manual), aperture priority, and full automatic exposure.
In recent years, these cameras have been electronically failing at an increasing rate. Even though they are not terribly old, they are experiencing evermore electronic issues. These cameras should be bought with a great deal of caution and with thorough testing. In our shop, we now only sell them in "As Is" condition, even if we have tested it ourselves.
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