In 1994, Kyocera - which had acquired Yashica ten years earlier - revived a prestigious name in the rangefinder world and introduced its Contax G1 to the market. The clear intention was to compete with Leica by offering discerning amateurs a high-performing and modern system that eliminated the antiquated aspects of cameras made in Solms.

The G1 is a semi-automatic body with aperture priority, interchangeable lenses, autofocus, and motorized film advance. Kyocera collaborated with Carl Zeiss to develop a specific T* lens mount, distinct from the Leica M mount and the 39mm screw mount. Thus, the "G" mount was born and remained dedicated to this camera.

The champagne-colored titanium body is robust and exudes a sense of quality craftsmanship. It's also a technological marvel: featuring a 1/2000th second shutter speed, exposure memory, +/- 2EV bracketing, single or continuous autofocus, 2 frames per second burst mode, and flash sync up to 1/100s.

Unfortunately, the initial models suffered from erratic autofocus, often requiring multiple revisions to function properly. The autofocus system was criticized by rangefinder enthusiasts because while distance measurement was through dual viewfinder windows, the overlay image analysis relied on electronics rather than the photographer's eye. For purists or challenging situations, autofocus could be disengaged, and a dial allowed manual focus adjustment with diode assistance in the viewfinder. Despite its precision, this system's ergonomics were debated. Leica M aficionados also faulted the autofocus for being noisy, compounded by the winding motor noise. Nevertheless, the G1 remained quieter than a reflex camera.

Exposure automation could also be overridden, enabling users to manually select shutter speed and aperture based on onboard light meter readings.

Initially, the G1 was introduced with a 45mm f/2 Planar lens, quickly gaining a reputation for surpassing even the illustrious 50mm Summicron. The lens lineup expanded to include optics ranging from 16mm to 90mm, all renowned for optical quality comparable to their Leica counterparts of the same aperture.

Notably, the viewfinder automatically adjusted to the mounted focal length.

The system was complemented by a TTL flash ("TLA 140", NG 14), a data back, various metal lens hoods, and their caps. Flash units from the Contax reflex series were also compatible.

Kyocera successfully met its technical challenge and attracted a clientele of photojournalists or affluent travelers. The G1 was priced comparably to its "model"; approximately 12,000 French francs for the body and an additional 6,000 francs for the 45mm f/2 lens.

Optical Range, in chronological order of introduction:

- 45mm f/2 Planar
- 28mm f/2.8 Biogon
- 90mm f/2.8 Sonnar
- 16mm f/8 Hologon, with external viewfinder and fixed aperture