charjohncarter
Veteran
It seems I just buy stuff for my folders these days. Usually it is film and lots of it, but I recently purchased from Steve Gandy a VC II meter (which I should have done when they first came out). And I bought a distance finder at Home Depot. It was twenty US bucks. I works by sonar and has a laser pointer. It finds distance from less that a foot to 50 feet. I've check it around the house and it is accurate, but you have to work with it for off parallel surfaces. If you use it on something soft it errors, but eyeglasses, watch, playing card, and if you get someone square in the forehead it will work. As I have 5 scale focus cameras I will probably use it. It is a little bigger than I would like but that's the price I guess. What do you think and has anyone else tried this/these? Sorry for spelling in the title, thought I was text messaging my Granddaughter.
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chippy
foo was here
no reason you cant use it in many instances for measuring distance and then tranfering to you camera. and i toyed with the idea of using one in practice rounds for golf but never bothered (not allowed in a proper round anyway).
however i really think an accessory rangefinder is a much better choice because for one its attatched to the top of you camera (i realise yours has the meter on it but that can be hand held or extra shoe mounted) and more acurate considering its calibrated exactly with your lens; for close acurate work you would have to hold the laser measure in exactly the right place in relation to you film plane and thats just not going to happen. another thing to consider is for portrait work you would often focus on the eyes or nose and i am not sure its a very good idea to point a laser at someones face eh!
all in all it doesnt seem a good method to me John, but i see where your comming from and the new problem you have mounting two accessories on the camera...better to hand hold the meter i think or guess the distance.
for all but close acurate work it simply takes a little bit of practice and then you will be expert at gauging distance
however i really think an accessory rangefinder is a much better choice because for one its attatched to the top of you camera (i realise yours has the meter on it but that can be hand held or extra shoe mounted) and more acurate considering its calibrated exactly with your lens; for close acurate work you would have to hold the laser measure in exactly the right place in relation to you film plane and thats just not going to happen. another thing to consider is for portrait work you would often focus on the eyes or nose and i am not sure its a very good idea to point a laser at someones face eh!
all in all it doesnt seem a good method to me John, but i see where your comming from and the new problem you have mounting two accessories on the camera...better to hand hold the meter i think or guess the distance.
for all but close acurate work it simply takes a little bit of practice and then you will be expert at gauging distance
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charjohncarter
Veteran
Yes, I like to do close work so that is why I got it. Besides I'm tired of trying the squint though viewfinders (and then focus) in dark rooms.
chippy
foo was here
hehe ,that just one of the caveats of using vintage folding cameras! perhaps you should consider a TLR 
charjohncarter
Veteran
Nah, I've got a Rolleiflex T, the lens is too good. I don't want to lower my creative standards by using high quality lenses. Besides, I can use it with my PolaroidColorPackII, my Nikonos II, and even my Olympus Trip35 for close ups. And add to that the fact that I have a Pentax 6x7 that when I use it in churches I miss the focus on 1/2 the shots. It works well, I'll keep it and just have fun along with the VC II meter. I'm set.
chippy
foo was here
Sorry John i am missing something. how can the laser pointer measure be of significant use with say the Olympus trip 35. it basically focuses using the built in hyperfocal method (auto set speed and aperature and distance set with just 4 settings. one at 1meter, 1.5m, 3m and infinity. surely you can guess those. is there a different reason that i am missing?
oh btw there not shabby little lenses on the Olympus, you can send me the Rollie T if its going to inhibit your creative skills haha just trying to help
oh btw there not shabby little lenses on the Olympus, you can send me the Rollie T if its going to inhibit your creative skills haha just trying to help
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Borghesia
Well-known
I've considered a laser measurement device as well or my folders but I found it also to big.
Having to use a lightmeter and a laser, would make things too complicated for me in an old fashioned shooting style.
So I bought a Watameter deLuxe RF. Distance reading is very convenient with this RF, because that is read in the viewfinder, which is very bright and easily to read in darker circumstances.
Having to use a lightmeter and a laser, would make things too complicated for me in an old fashioned shooting style.
So I bought a Watameter deLuxe RF. Distance reading is very convenient with this RF, because that is read in the viewfinder, which is very bright and easily to read in darker circumstances.
oftheherd
Veteran
Clever idea charjohncarter. Luckily for me, I have been able to accurately judge distance since starting to use my father's old Welti when I was in my first year of college. Since then, I purchased an SRT 101 kit at a thrift store. Part of that kit was a rangefinder that rattles in use, but is accurate as well, and mounts on any camera with an accessory shoe, or slips in a pocket. I used it most recently with my Zeizz Ikon 6x9.
Windscale
Well-known
Well charjohncarter, I think your distance finder is a bit too big for my liking too. As to light meter, I have used incident light reading for too long and only rarely that I resort to reflected light.
Regarding your distance finder, I am sure it is very accurate. But do make sure that your cameras are that spot on calibrated or else they won't relate to the distance finder. Also I really like coupled rangefinders. Second best would be uncoupled because at lease the numbers in the RF match those in the focusing scale. All sorts of problems can arise when the RF and the lens use different scales. For example:
RF: 3, 4, 6, 10, 20, 30, 60 inf
Lens: 3, 5, 7. 9, 15, 25, 50 inf
It would take some experience to match the two.
Anyway, now you have all the accessories, let's see some of your sharp focus pics.
Regarding your distance finder, I am sure it is very accurate. But do make sure that your cameras are that spot on calibrated or else they won't relate to the distance finder. Also I really like coupled rangefinders. Second best would be uncoupled because at lease the numbers in the RF match those in the focusing scale. All sorts of problems can arise when the RF and the lens use different scales. For example:
RF: 3, 4, 6, 10, 20, 30, 60 inf
Lens: 3, 5, 7. 9, 15, 25, 50 inf
It would take some experience to match the two.
Anyway, now you have all the accessories, let's see some of your sharp focus pics.
charjohncarter
Veteran
I'm shooting some today and the roll will be finished. I know it sounds crazy but we will see. It is big and (9 inches) but it is very light and fits easily in a pocket of a jacket. Good point, Windscale, I will be seeing when I develop how close things are. Believe it or not I am writing this all down. And ass to the Trip35 it has a feet/meter scale under the lens, but I would be using it much with that camera, maybe just for the occasional close up. Got to go Sun is up.