Contax G

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Contax G

Type	35 mm rangefinder camera
Lens mount	Contax G mount
Focus	AF
Exposure	auto
Flash	hot shoe

The Contax G1 and Contax G2 are interchangeable-lens rangefinder cameras sold by Kyocera under the Contax brand. The G1 was introduced in 1994 with the G2 replacing it in 1996 and continuing in production until circa 2005.

The titanium-bodied G-series cameras do not use the traditional Leica M mount seen on many rangefinder cameras, but the "G"-mount, an electronic autofocus mount. Critics were quick to accuse the camera of not being a "true" (mechanical) rangefinder, since it used autofocus and electronically-linked mechanisms.^{[citation needed]} But the AF mechanism in the G-series does indeed use a twin-window system much like that of the older mechanical rangefinders — only in electronic form.

The lenses made by Zeiss for the G-series quickly established it as a camera of worth: the original 45mm f/2 Planar was joined by a 28mm f/2.8 Biogon and a 90mm f/2.8 Sonnar; a 21 f/2.8 Biogon, 16mm f/8 Hologon and a 35mm f/2 Planar were added later. The 45mm Planar in particular gained renown as the sharpest 35mm camera lens ever tested by the Swedish test site Photodo — outclassing even the illustrious Leica 50mm Summicron.

Compared with the original G1, the G2 has improved autofocus performance and higher top shutter speeds of 1/4000 sec in manual mode and 1/6000 sec in aperture priority mode. The manual focus wheel was moved from the top deck to the front, to about the same position as where the focusing wheel was located on classic Dresden and Stuttgart Contax rangefinders. The G2 auto-focus also has two focusing modes: continuous, which constantly adjusts focus as the camera is moved; and single, which is a safety mode, focussing as the focus button is pressed (or shutter release half-pressed), and maintaining this reading until the shutter is released. If the camera fails to find focus in this mode, the shutter cannot be released.

In 2005, Kyocera announced it would cease all activity related to the manufacture of Contax cameras at the end of the year, effectively spelling the end of the G system. Carl Zeiss currently works in conjunction with Cosina, the producer of a line of Leica M mount and screw mount clones to provide Leica M mount Zeiss lenses, as well as a new manual focus rangefinder camera, the latest Zeiss Ikon, developed by Zeiss and manufactured in Japan by Cosina.