Contax G1 and G2... what's the difference???

Apart from the $200-300 price difference on "that auction web site",

what else is different between the two.

 

Stu :)

G2 has more accurate auto-focusing for their 90mm f2,8 lens, somewhat better viewfinder, and I think an expanded shutter speed range and faster sync speed for flash, for starters. There are others... given the choice and ability to buy either, the G2 is the body of choice.

There are quite a few differences, including compatibility of some of the lenses that were created later which will not work on the G1 unless it is modified. Check out the Contax G pages at contaxg.com for some more info. The prices are so low on the Contax G stuff right now that it is a great time to buy to get some of the best lenses ever made.

Hi Stuart, as others said before the main differences are:

 

- G2 has higher flash syncro speed (1/200s instead of 1/100s)

 

- higher maximum shutter spead (1/6000s instead of 1/2000s)

 

- is 100g heavier ;-)

 

- accepts the only zoom lens for the G system

 

- has an infrared active focus, which I find important as the visible red focusing light under low light conditions is quite annoying and makes it impossible to take a photo of someone without being noticed

 

- has more ergonimical manual focusing (wheel on front of the camera instead on top)

 

- has a separate focus lock button

 

- has 4 fps instead of only 2 fps

 

- continuos/single AF is not longer coupled to the film transport settings as with the G1

 

 

To my experience it is *not* true that the AF with the 90mm Sonnar is better than on the G1: it works perfectly with the G1 and a lot of people know that.

 

Considering all differences I rarely need the 'advantages' of the G2 over the G1 and prefer the G1 as it is smaller and not so heavy. For me the only real argument for the G2 is the infrared active AF instead of the visible red active AF of the G1. Ahh, yes, I *hate* zoom lenses, so I never considered the Vario Sonnar.

The differences have been summed-up well -- one thing that hasn't been mentioned

is that G1's need to be upgraded in order to use lenses wider than the 45mm and I

am not sure if the 21mm or the 16mm will work at all.

 

Tim

Actually, the "unmodified" G1 can accept the 28mm lens as well. It needs to be modified to used the 21mm or 35mm (however many G1's available have already been modified, look for a green sticker in the film supply chamber).

I own both the G1 and G2. The G2 is a fantastic body, but I find myself reaching for the G1 very oftn due to its smaller size and less weight (a great travel camera). The prices on these cameras are amazing right now. Take advantage.

The mentioned update affects only the lenses 21mm and 35mm, as mentioned. These lenses were introduced after the original G1 was already on the market. Later G1s are ready for these lenses. In the film compartment of the G1 is a sticker. If it is silver/black, the camera needs the update which will be done by the Contax service in five minutes and free of charge. If there is a green sticker, the camera is a later model and already prepared for those lenses. (They just load the lookup tables for focusing these lenses into the memory of the camera).