Dumb RF question...

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gabrioladude

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I am new to RF shooing. I normally use an SLR or DSLR

fortunate to have inherited my fathers Contax IIa with a 50mm f1.5
nice camera nice lens. I would like to do some street candids and would like something wider than the 50mm

have been looking around at 35mm options
yes they are expensive...
but I figure one of these days I may find something reasonable

my question is can you shoot with a 35mm lens without changing the RF viewfinder. I realize the field of view with the other lens would be different.

I have seen auxilliary viewfinders but doubt I would want to get that involved...

what do those of you with a 35mm lens do?

appreciate your feedback
 
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You can guess at the framing, which I wouldn't suggest. Or you can buy a pricey Zeiss Ikon viewfinder -- one option.

Another option: One of the many third-party viewfinders. 35mm is 35mm, although some viewfinders might be a bit tight or loose with their frame lines.

These were made by Leitz, Kodak, Voigtlander and many others. There are the current line of viewfinders from Cosina Voigtlander.

In any case, if you use anything other than a 50 with a Contax, I would get a viewfinder for it. And that's especially true of the 85mm and 135mm lenses. Some people take the central portion of the viewfinder, but it's not as simple as that, especially if you're shooting portraits. You must compensate for parallax -- not an easy thing to do -- and telephoto lenses don't leave much margin for error. I know, because I've tried (and failed miserably).
 
my education on RF continues...

thanks for the responses so far...

have done some more internet browsing with regards to viewfinders

for example there is one shown on the Cameraquest site from Voigtlander

also saw a Kiev 35mm viewfinder on Ebay

so my next question is how do you focus?

the clip on is not coupled to the focusing system of the camera

am I to assume that you focus with the camera's normal viewfinder but frame the shot (ie get the correct "angle of view") using the clip on viewfinder?

thanks again
 
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Exactly: focus, shift eye and compose.

Leica LTM users have been doing this for decades.

In use, it's not as difficult or as clunky as it sounds.
 
I would advice to find a turret viewfinder (that allows parralaw correction and are multifocal), you can choose between a Zeiss one (expensive but very nice, specially the very hard to find one with 21mm or 180mm), or a good kiev one... they are fully functionnal and usually quite bright... the kiev ones come with a little plastic box that is "efficient" and are peanuts money...
 
Google up the concept of zone focusing and this shouldn't be a problem.

With low apertures you can have so deep DOF (depth of field) that you can prefocus your camera and leave it be there and just shoot and everything will be in focus from 2-5 meters to infinity.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Or take a look at:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps how zone focus.html

where there are even 'worked examples' with Canon and Voigtländer RF lenses, and a pic taken with a pre-focused 90/2 Summicron.

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...

thank you for the many responses, I thought this thread had died
and thank you Roger Hicks for your comment
I am pleased to make the acquaintance of a respected and well published author on line

it may interest you to know that I have two of your medium format books on my bookshelf

Medium Format Handbook
and
Medium and Large Format Photography

in addition to my Contax IIa, and my Minolta X700, I occassionally shoot film with
a Bronica ETR

but in all honesty most of my photography is with Canon DSLR's
 
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If you want a cheap 35, just look for a Jupiter 12, which is BTW an excellent russian copy of the pre war Zeiss Biogon with it´s characteristic deep back.
For the Viewfinder, just get a plastic cheap camera (most of them comes with either a 24 or so mm lens and many others-allwayslow priced-with a 35). Cut the VF and make a mount to clip it in the accesories shoe. There is a very good explanation about how to do it in the Jay Javier´s Zorki survival site.
I´ve done it for my Contax (35 mm) as well as for my Zorkis (24mm).
Of course the finders do not look like the Voigtländers, nor they resemble the nice looking of those made by other makers, but they do a very decent job for just peanuts.
Cheers

Ernesto
 
AARGH.... not a jupiter 12 on a contax IIa ! They don't fit... only the post awar biogon design fits in the IIa and IIIa... sadly, because the jupiter 12 is a very good and cheap lens...
 
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