Contax g2 28mm manual#
That’s because the physical design of the G lens makes no allowance for on-lens manual focusing (this is done via an admittedly disappointing electronic focus-by-wire system on the G series cameras). Usability for Mirrorless and Film ShootersĪs mentioned in my review of the 45mm Planar G mount lens, these Contax masterpieces don’t play well with today’s mirrorless cameras. If you’ve ever held a Zeiss G mount lens, you’ll know what to expect. Light is channeled through seven elements in five groups, with Zeiss’ world-famous T* coatings doing their best to mitigate optical anomalies such as chromatic aberration, flares, and ghosts (to a limit – more on this later). Minimum focus distance (from front element to subject) is about seventeen inches (44 cm), and special attention was paid during development to ensure minimal distortion at even close focusing distances. The all-metal accessory filters and lens hood are similarly dripping with style. Knurling and engravings throughout are precise and refined, providing excellent grip-ability on all surfaces and high legibility where needed.
The barrel, mount, filter threads, and aperture ring are all metal (painted in titanium finish or black), and with physical dimensions of 56mm in diameter by 31mm in length and a weight of 150 grams, it’s a compact and lightweight lens. Similar to all G series lenses, the Biogon is a masterfully built, beautifully finished, and impeccably designed assemblage of glass and metal. In my review of this lens’ 45mm counterpart I wrote of incredible quality and precision build, and much of that is true of this 28mm as well. It remained the system’s standard wide-angle lens when the Contax G2 was introduced, and went on unchanged until the G series was discontinued in 2005. Its combination of incredible resolving power, excellent build quality, and low distortion made it as a must-have lens for any G camera owner. Originally released in 1994 alongside the Contax G1, Contax G Mount 28mm helped establish the G system as one to rival the best cameras being produced at that time. It’s as near to perfect as a wide-angle lens gets, and it’s the only 28mm prime lens available for the system.įor other photo geeks, specifically those who don’t own a G series camera and are looking instead for a legacy lens to shoot with their digital mirrorless camera, the 28mm Biogon (and all G series lenses, to be frank) is a harder sell. Do you like a wide field of view and own a Contax G1 or G2? If so, buy this lens right now. Ilford Delta Xtol, stock, 6 min.For the right photographer, recommending the Carl Zeiss Contax G Mount 28mm Biogon in G mount is about the easiest piece of consumer advice I’ve ever written.
The camera delivers, the lenses deliver, the design is beautiful, handling it is almost perfect…Īll I can say is that my G1 is here to stay. I like the meeter, I like automatic film advance, I like aperture priority, I like AEL and I do like auto focus, even a slow and bit noisy like the Contax G1. It frees me to concentrate on other things.
I’m not using it for no “decisive moment”. The AF system can be tricky but it makes me check my focus two or three times which is good. It’s noisy, it takes a while to get used to it, but I like driving vintage cars.
I believe it’s one of those cameras that can make you love or hate them before the end of the first roll. It’s easy to feel if the Contax G system fit our “style” or not. I’ve read somewhere that using a Contax G is like driving a vintage car. I’ve used a lot of cameras but finally the G’s are hero to stay. While waiting for my G2 body I’ve been using my son’s G1.