Re: [Leica] G2 on my new Contax

[D Khong <dkhong@pacific.net.sg>]

>Just got a G2 kit.
>Shot three rolls through it since yesterday afternoon (all TriX).
>Did a bunch of F. Picker test shots around the neighborhood (you know, 18%
>grey card portraits on different backgrounds; old barns, fields with horses,
>snowy creeks in slo mo, etc.). Also got shots at a party last night, wild
>stuff [not 'wild' party, just wild as in grabbed shots from the hip].
>
>Am pleasantly surprised by each lens (28/45/90) and, more importantly, the
>body.
>It is quiet and quick.  Manual focus is a ...treat; you push the button with
>your right thumb then rock the focus wheel with your right index to roll it
>one way or the other (there's no measure of what you are focusing on [ie;
>split screen], but a gauge depicts near and far. If you know your Ÿ stop
>[DOF] you get a sense of where sharp focus will fall.)  ?
>That funkiness withstanding, who needs MF when you've got such a
>sophisticated AF in the camera?
>The zoom view finder is cool, what you see is what you get, no frame lines
>to clutter your view (only that little black meter/focus rectangle dead
>center).  Viewfinder shifts automatically for parallax correction.
>
>Yeah, so it's the most expensive AF RF in the World, who cares?  I like it's
>mass, and ergonomic feel.  It's not fussy nor complicated, but definitely
>more versatile than my MLeicas (as it relates to control of exposure and
>metering).  The optics are just fine, especially so for a miniature format.
>Any better and you're just splitting hair or shining the bottom of your
>shoes [me thinks].  My test prints look just fine.
>It has an electromechanical release of the vertical focal plane shutter.
>Touch the button half way, get your reading (which can be set for either
>instantaneous or continuous); tiny bit more pressure and it fires off a
>round and advances. AE range is 16S" to 1/6000th, manual from 4S" to
>1/4000th.  Can shoot up to 4fps (dependent upon conditions), and brackets
>automatically (if you select it).
>The one caveat is fuzzy logic focusing; that it CAN get faked out if you're
>not careful.  But the camera won't rip off a shot if it doesn't have a good
>focus (in AF).  IT stops you, then YOU adjust- making the shot.
>
>NOT PICKING ANY FIGHT HERE FOLKS- just offering some hands on info for those
>who may find it of interest.  Contact with the modern world maybe.
>
>no archive
>

I have a G2 + 28+35+45+90 lenses.  I am very happy with the pictures that I
am getting with it so much so that I am looking at a G1 second body.  There
is a learning curve to handling the focussing on the G1/G2 and with
practice it is spot on.  It is packed with features for a decent price.   I
still use my M6 and their styles of photography are different.   Between
the two, I get more useable shots because of the G2's Auto-Exposure system
than the M6.  Since I print my own B&W pics, after I set the exposre right
for the first frame on my enlarger, the rest of the shots hardly need any
further adjustment.

Dan K.