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G3 wish list

On the G3 wish list, or software update of the G2. It is quite possible to have a mode controlled by the software that sets the hyperfocal distance for you. That would eliminate need for a DOF scale, although the old-school photograper in me, wants to control DOF.
 
Philippe's idea of a firmware upgrade sounds wonderful, if it is technically feasible at all.

One thing I would NOT like to see in a G3 is an increase in weight. I know virtually nothing about electronics, camera design, etc. so I can't tell which of the various proposals here would add significant weight.
 
I agree with Bernard about the weight. I chose G1 for size and weight advantages, however if you've ever had a yashica T4 super or other pocketable camera capable of fine results, you don't think of the G cameras as compact. Elegance aside, I would actually not mind the incorporation of more plastics in non-critical places. I know this is heresy to those who like fine things, but I've had cameras made mostly of modern plastics in recent years, and gotten splendid results and reliable service from them.

Another thing I long for is a "normal" lens (between 38 and 50mm) that is slower and FLATTER than the planar: Perhaps a 2.8 or 3.5 tessar or a sonnar pancake design. The G's could be take-everywhere cameras if the lenses just didn't protrude so far. Why not a G equivalent of the 45 tessar for slr? Then I'd use my G1 over the Yashica T4, getting all the control benefits. I suppose they Contax won't do it because of their marketing strategies (competing with their own T3), however I'd buy such a lens in a heartbeat.
Chas.
 
Digital G2 (G3?)

Hi folks. I recently emailed Contax UK to ask if there was any possibility of a digital G-series camera, to be told that the only digital camera in the pipeline will be the TVS digital. I'm hoping that the person who replied is either just fobbing me off or uninformed, but I suspect that we might not see the digital G, which would be a big shame. In the meantime, I still love my G2/28/45/90, though I would very much like to be able to use the lenses in the digital domain also.

John
 
John, I also enquired about the G3 Digital but the sales office got the Sales Manager to call me. He informed me that Contax R & D had already built a G Digital Camera but the problem they have is that the 16mm, 21mm lens etc have there rear element so close to the CCD that unlike film it cannot perform as it should. Unless improved CCDs or software can be written to correct this we will have to wait. I can see his point. How can they launch a G Digital camera that will only work with half of the lenses in the range.
Bob.
 
Hmmmm... interesting. I can't see this being a major problem that a year or so of CCD development won't cure. The 16mm doesn't really interest me, and the 21mm duplicates the 43mm of my other camera (Mamiya 7 6x7) so I personally could live with a full-frame, 28mm-and-up digital G, though I accept that others with these lenses would be disappointed.

Hopefully Contax can overcome this problem soon, though, as the Digital G would give them a completely unique digital product - the highest quality lenses in digital combined with the most portable removable lens system. Would beat the hell out of a Nicanon 1Dsx-fancy-thingummie for me, anyway...

John
 
Regarding a digital G3 and the incompatibility with the 16mm and 21mm lens due to rear element being too close to the CCD: Why not Contax design and build a spacer that goes between the lens and camera, of course with all of the appropriate contact pins. Simple, for someone like Kyocera!
 
re. using a lens spacer:

Wouldn't work because it couldn't focus. The issue isn't exactly the short distance from rear element to chip assembly surface, it's the extreme angle to the chip edges that results when the rear element is that close. (FWIW the zoom also uses this design, and the zoom would be the "best" lens to use with a digital G.)

Contax *could* make a digital G tomorrow w/ a less than full-frame chip using today's technology, but I don't think anybody would be happy with that.

I can wait for the mythical new chip. Given the stratospheric price of the N digital, I'll guess that a digital G body would hit the street for at least US$2500.

--Rick
 
Lens Spacer
Great Idea but how could the lens focus?
Simple for Kyocera to make sure look at the adapters for Hasselblad and to use 645 lenses on the N System but if it was that easy they would have done it long before now. Its down to the Chip manafactures to look at this and come up with the answer. Remember the G1 and G2 system was designed 10 years ago long before digital was taken seriously. Another point is the 16mm lens when fitted has to use its own sensor for the meter as it is to close to the film plane, if even that cannot work on film without help then it is difficult to imagine it working on the present day sensors.
 
G3/system wish list:
I haven't made the jump yet as I am happy with my RTS-III and M3 but might if the G system had:
Proper manual focussing - I know a lot of people want this too.
Faster standard (50/1.4) and tele (90/2 or 75/1.4) lenses.
Or, Zeiss could make their lenses in Leica M mount like Cosina - I'd shell out on a Biogon 21/2.8 but not a Elmarit 21/2.8 for my M3 at current prices. I'm sure there are many others out there who would do the same.
 
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