Contax G2 questions/help. Anyone?

[Physical_Medium]

Hey everyone, I just picked up a Contax G2 system at an estate sale for a steal. The camera is flawless and functions perfectly. I got the 28 2.8 and 90 2.8 as well as the body cap and a couple lens accessories. Great deal and gorgeous camera.

My questions are, what tips do you have for nailing focus? It seems as though the half press shutter button is very sensitive to where it acts as if it is on "servo" mode and steady tries to focus when recomposing. Maybe I just am afraid to push too hard and snap a frame.

Either way, I feel like my images are bit soft compared to a lot that I see, but this could be me coming from digital and hoping for the same sharpness from a negative on a flatbed scanner as well. I may send a few of my favorite frames out for "real" scanning. I'm using a V700 though.

Here is an image I made of my pup to test the camera. At normal viewing distance it looks great. Nice shallow DOF and such, but when zoomed in at all, you start to realize just how soft it is. Example below.

Mr. Dibbs by Grant Hobgood, on Flickr

 

[Diapositivo]

In order to check the correct calibration of the AF I would place the camera on a tripod and take a picture of a newspaper hanged at the wall, using the self-timer.

I know it sounds "anal" but you should have a definitive answer. In the picture above, the dog might have been moving, your hand might have been shaking, the distance of the dog might have been less than the minimum focusing distance of the lens.

 

[Physical_Medium]

I will be sure to do that when able. I am going to use this camera quite extensively over the next week so hopefully we see an increase in quality.

 

[summicron1]

best advice i can give the user of a new camera is the same i always give: Your first roll of film will suck, no two ways about it.

Give it a month, learn the camera, things will look up a lot.

 

[TimVermont]

Autofocus is best achieved on a G2 by using your thumb, not your shutter finger. Set the knob on the back to SAF, then press the button in the center with your thumb to focus, then fire the shutter. Practice on static subjects using SAF, compare the distance readout to the real distance until you are comfortable that you understand where the autofocus brackets are locking on. Then try using CAF on a moving subject. Once you master it you will be shocked by the sharpness it's capable of.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to APUG

 

[plummerl]

Welcome! A good reference on G2 focusing is at: http://www.botzilla.com/blog/archives/000378.html.

 

[toyotadesigner]

An aid in focusing is to move the point of interest to either the left or the right part of the focus bracket, particularly with the 90mm. With this trick you will get tack sharp focusing.

 

[weasel]

In line with what toyota designer said- you need to figure out where in the focus bracket your camera is actually focusing. I find mine focuses aboout 2/3 up from the bottom of the box. Using your thumb and knowing where to focus will solve most ills. The lenses are worth the effort.

 

[chip j]

Autofocus is best achieved on a G2 by using your thumb, not your shutter finger. Set the knob on the back to SAF, then press the button in the center with your thumb to focus, then fire the shutter. Practice on static subjects using SAF, compare the distance readout to the real distance until you are comfortable that you understand where the autofocus brackets are locking on. Then try using CAF on a moving subject. Once you master it you will be shocked by the sharpness it's capable of.

+++++

 

[luvcameras]

Try this page on the Contax G lenses too

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