Davide Caniatti

2020 was a challenging year for many, so it seemed right to end it by giving myself a small treat. I was lucky enough to find one of those so-called “mint with box” cameras on my hands. I know that behind these words often lies a scam, but in this case, the shop was not lying, and the device was brand new. By new I mean never opened, still wrapped in cellophane, and without ever taking a roll.

Winter is a complex season for photographers: the lack of light, chill, and rain are not a camera’s best friends. When there is little light, the ISO can be raised, while to shelter from the elements we choose tropicalized cameras. However, when we move on to film, the matter becomes more complicated. We cannot reach the now stratospheric possibilities of digital sensors and we do not want to run the risk of ruining a device that very often has no longer a repair service.

The G series of rangefinder camera lenses created by Carl Zeiss in the 1990s is universally considered one of the best creations of the turn of the century, an absolute swan song for film. However, among so many lenses acclaimed by the public and critics like the 45mm Planar, there has always been a caveat. The 35mm, introduced later for the updated Contax G1 green label, was immediately judged too soft and inferior to the rest of the kit.