Today on the blog, I’m giving you the complete rundown on the highly sought-after Contax G2 35mm film camera. Not only will I be going over all of the important details, but I’ll also be taking you behind the scenes on a photoshoot using two different types of film.

Here’s the deal— I am a photography educator who teaches others about both film and digital cameras from both a simple and practical perspective.

I find that a lot of film camera reviews include too much technical jargon that won't mean much to anyone unless they’re a professional film photographer, so I'm keeping it simple. If you’re interested in the full specs, check out the description on the KEH website.

By the end of this film camera review blog, you should be able to tell if this film camera would be a good fit for you or not. Ready? Let’s get into it.

The Contax G2 35mm film camera

The Contax G2 film camera is a 35mm film camera which means that it requires 35mm film to shoot with. This is a pretty popular style of film camera and, chances are, if you have friends who shoot film photography, they most likely use the 35mm camera as well. A canister of 35mm film is the same kind that you would see in a disposable camera or a point-and-shoot, but instead, we just have more options with this kind of camera due to the fact that it’s an SLR— or single-lens reflex camera.

If you don't know where to start when it comes to picking out what film to use, you’re not alone. Head on over to my YouTube video all about what kind of 35mm film to buy depending on aesthetic, subject, and lighting.

When buying a film camera, you have to purchase the lens separately. For the Contax G2 35mm film camera, I like to use the 45mm and the 28mm Zeiss lenses. Visually speaking, the camera will look very familiar to you, besides the fact that it has so many automatic features.

Take a look at the comparison below. The Contax G2 35mm film camera is in my left hand.

1) The Autofocus

One of the main features of the Contax G2 35mm film camera is its autofocus capability.

And one of those features is that you can do autofocus whereas, for something like what I’m holding in my right hand, you have to manually focus. However, this isn't something that should intimidate you. Manually focusing is very easy and something you'll get the hang of really quickly.

What’s nice about shooting in autofocus is that it has razor-sharp focus, even in difficult lighting. In the photo session, I did with this camera, the autofocus still delivers that super sharp focus, even during golden hour, aka soft and low-light conditions.

On the back of the Contax G2 35mm film camera, you have a knob that includes three different focus settings:

continuous autofocus
single autofocus
manual focus

I typically have my camera set to continue autofocus. A big difference between the Contax G2 and the other film camera you see me holding is that the loading and unloading of the film is automatic.

So, all you have to do is simply insert the film into the back of the camera, close the back, and then it will automatically start winding. When you are done shooting, it will wind the film back up for you nice and tight and your film is ready for development.

If you're curious about how to transform your film images into digital, I have a whole YouTube video on that exact topic.

2) The Shutter Speed

The shutter speed range is 2 to 4000 and can be selected either manually or automatically. I’ve found the automatic feature to be incredibly accurate.

Side note: if you choose to shoot an auto, you are not any less of a film photographer than if you choose manual. If you have already mastered your manual settings, sometimes you just want to give your mind a break and switch to automatic— especially if you’re on vacation or taking photos for fun.

However, if you haven’t mastered manual and are wanting to learn, I would recommend something else, especially if you think you may turn to automatic as a crutch.

This comment I found on my Contax review really sums my point up perfectly: “While there's something to be said about thoroughly knowing the basics of working in manual mode, sometimes it's best just let go for a little bit focus on aperture and composition and have fun.”

3) The ISO

What's really cool about this camera is you don't have to set the ISO— it will automatically detect it for you, along with the number of photos you have left to take. You can find that feature at the top left hand of the camera, and it helps ensure that you’re not going to overshoot.

The second setting I want to discuss is ISO, which is determined by the kind of film that you purchase.

For instance, the Kodak Gold 100 film type, with 100 being the ISO.

The actual ISO range on the Contax G2 is 6 all the way up to 6400, but it starts being sensitive at 100 ISO.

4) The price point

In 2020, the Contax G2 35mm film camera, which was already pretty hard to find, was going for around $1,200 to $1,400. I purchased my camera in person at a camera shop in Copenhagen.

Two years later, in 2022, you can expect the body alone to cost around $1,800 to $2,000. This is expensive, and it's not budget-friendly. However, this is where you have to determine if the price tag is worth the value of the camera.

Photographers who use this camera every day in their business are more likely to tell you this camera is 100% worth it, but if you're watching this video because you're curious if this is a good purchase for you to learn film photography, I would not recommend it.

The bottom line is that it’s a very expensive price point for determining if you want to continue with this medium.

While the Contax G2 35mm film camera may not be budget-friendly, it is beginner-friendly. This means that if you are looking for a camera that will grow with you and your business and are able to save up for it, I would recommend this camera. If you can see yourself incorporating this into your client sessions, for example, I would say go for it— you're going to fall in love with this camera.

At the end of the day, film photography is a luxury and there are plenty of other costs besides the camera itself that are associated with it.

The cost of film alone is very expensive— in 2022, It is about $20 for a roll of Porta 400, and development typically costs another $20, especially if you live in a major city.

For budget-friendly and beginner-friendly cameras under $100, I recommend one of these:

Whenever I go to purchase equipment, I use KEH Camera. KEH Camera is a field-tested and expert-graded re-commerce company. Started by photographers like you and me, KEH Camera is now the largest curated market for field-tested photo and video equipment in the industry— so basically, they know their stuff. Their inventory is full of thousands of gently used film and digital camera gear at up to 40% off retail price. Yeah— it’s crazy!

If you’re looking to see me use the Contax G2 35mm film camera in action, head on over to YouTube as I take you behind the scenes on a photoshoot. In this session, I’ll be shooting with both the Porta 400 color film and Kodak T Max 100 black and white film. See you there!

Resources:

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