At the recent photokina show in Cologne, Germany, two 35 mm cameras were introduced that break the mold of traditional camera design and operation - the Contax G2 and Leica R8.
Leica has always been a company known for offering quality 35 mm cameras and lenses. It has also been known as a company whose cameras look boxy and perhaps a bit old-fashioned. The company's new Leica R8 changes all that.The streamline design of the Leica R8 not only reflects the company's thinking about the camera's exterior, but interior, as well. The Leica R8 features a new advanced metering system, a top shutter speed of 1/8000th of a second, the choice of four exposure modes (program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual), a new through-the-lens (TTL) flash metering system and a new high-eyepoint viewfinder for easy composition. These features make the Leica R8 attractive to serious photographers who want a modern-looking camera - and who can afford the price tag of $2,995 for the camera body only (without a lens).
Contax's new G2 is unusual in that it offers rangefinder viewing, that is, you view the scene through a viewfinder and not the lens - as you do with a 35 mm SLR camera. The advantage to this viewing system is that the camera is noticeably smaller and lighter than a 35 mm SLR camera. The camera also has a titanium body, which is also unusual in this age of plastic camera bodies. (Note: The plastics used in today's 35 mm AF SLRs are tough and can take a beating even by some of the most adventurous pros.)
Features on the G2 include: autofocusing and exposure (with manual override), automatic film advance and rewind, and through-the-lens flash metering. For photographers who like manual control of shutter speeds and f-stops, the Contax G2 features knobs and dials that indicate settings, as opposed to buttons that change readings on a liquid-crystal-display panel.
Contax has also introduced two new autofocus Carl Zeiss lenses - 21 mm and 35 mm - for its G series cameras, which includes the G2 and G1 (introduced last year). The other lenses in the G series are: 16 mm, 28 mm, 45 mm and 90 mm.
The suggested list price of the Contax G2 is $2,250.
These cameras, because of their relatively high costs and advanced features, are designed for professional and advanced amateur photographers.