Decisions, decisions

[urbanman]

Hello everybody,

I am new on here and having been dragged kicking and screaming into the digital era, am now looking for a return to film. I have a Nikon F5 but want something smaller, lighter and discrete. Rangefinder I thought and after researching as many web sites as possible, I am no further forward. I would like something that I can have on me all the time with just 1 lens (at the moment) I enjoy people, street scenes..almost anything. I wear glasses and I understand that this can make a difference. I have looked at Leicas but prefer more conventional loading. Any help, guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Tinribs]

Hi Urbanman

Welcome!

I appreciate your problems. It would be a good idea to look at the cameras produced under the Zeiss and Voigtlander names by Cosina. They are considerably cheaper than Leica, and I believe have conventional loading.

Another possibility that you might like to explore secondhand, is the Contax G2. This is something of a hybrid between a conventional rangefinder and an autofocus camera. It has powered wind, a direct vision viewfinder which zooms according to the lens that is mounted,very easy film loading and a range of lenses which many have compared in quality to Leica's. It is also very affordable on the S/H market. The disadvantage is that it is no longer manufactured, so support is patchy, but in my experience they have proved reliable. Size is similar to that of a Leica M.

Ffordes currently have a good selection of items in their S/H listings.

Best of luck
Tinribs

 

[pakeha]

greetings and welcome. Have a look down the left side of page. yashica, canon,FSU [ former soviet union] etc etc .Have a look around while waiting for some replies, as you wear glasses you may need to find one with dioptic adjustment. i`ll let others more qualified direct you to the shop. regards

 

[Keith]

Bessa R3A ... great buy price new or second hand.

Terrific 1:1 viewfinder and metering ... decent build quality!

One third the price of an Ikon but definitely not one third of the quality ... I had one and sold it because it wasn't getting any use (I have an Ikon) but it was a fantastic little camera.

 

[urbanman]

Thanks for your replies and the welcome.

One of the main problems is getting to handle the various models to see how they fit in the hand etc particularly as I'll probably be looking to buy S/H.

 

[AJShepherd]

Another vote for the Voigtlander Bessa R3A - I've had one for a couple of years now and I absolutely love it to bits. If I had one criticism it's that if you wear glasses it can be hard to see the shutter speeds light up at the bottom of the viewfinder unless you have the camera in exactly the right position, and you can't quite see all the edges. At least that's what I've found.

If I was told I could only use one camera and lens, it would be the R3A with the 40mm f1.4 Nokton.

 

[ChrisN]

Bessa R3A ... great buy price new or second hand.

Terrific 1:1 viewfinder and metering ... decent build quality!

One third the price of an Ikon but definitely not one third of the quality ... I had one and sold it because it wasn't getting any use (I have an Ikon) but it was a fantastic little camera.

The R2A model might be better for you with your glasses. It's basically the same camera but the viewfinder is a lower magnification, so it's easier to see the framelines with your glasses on, especially with a wide-angle lens (eg 35mm).

 

[Keith]

The R2A model might be better for you with your glasses. It's basically the same camera but the viewfinder is a lower magnification, so it's easier to see the framelines with your glasses on, especially with a wide-angle lens (eg 35mm).

That's a good point Chris ... I'd forgotten about the glasses!

 

[ruby.monkey]

There's a Yashica Electro GT in the classifieds at the moment that would make for an excellent introduction to RF shooting.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Another vote for the R2A. I wear glasses and can see everything in the finder just fine.

 

[naruto]

Another vote for the R2. I started off the same way when I had my F5. I got a 40/1.4 CV [using the 50mm framelines] and held on to the combination for a few months. Disclaimer: at the end of it, the F5 wasn't used, and had to go.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Just to throw a spanner in the works ....

Why not an FM2, FE2,FM3a ??? They're the same size as a Leica M or Nikon S camera, and you probably already have lenses you can use!

 

[nobbylon]

Conventional loading? I've always thought the old spool system was much easier than the later loading. just push the tab in the spool, pull out the film the width of the gate and drop in. Its a much more sure loading system so my vote would be an M2. If you need a meter then make it an all mechanical bessa R2. Jonmanjiro makes a fair point as well with the FM2 route. Later the better due parts. You can't really go wrong with any of the above, if you don't like then you will get your money back on resale. M2 M2 M2 M2 M2!

 

[Keith]

Just to throw a spanner in the works ....

Why not an FM2, FE2,FM3a ??? They're the same size as a Leica M or Nikon S camera, and you probably already have lenses you can use!

Heretic!

Where do you think you are? 😱 😀

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Tom A has an instructional video on youtube: How to load a Leica. It is far easier than expected. If you are willing to live without a metered camera a Canon P with screw mount lenses is another choice. But, since you have used a Nikon F5 an M6 is the logical progression. If you can't use adapt to the M6 then it can be sold for almost as much as you paid for it.

 

[urbanman]

I know I said that the Leica film loading seemed awkward but I am drawn probably for emotive reasons. If I do go down this route (and its all in the air still) as a glasses wearer, which viewfinder should I opt for? Do the other manufacturers have different viewfinder? Whatever I opt for, I would probably be using a 35mm lens first off although my wish list would require robbing a bank!! Thanks for your comments.

 

[Beemermark]

For a single, non-interchangeable, lens, small, light, etc look at any of the good pocket rangefinders made in the late 70's to early 80's. Olympus SP, RC, XA, Canon QL17, etc. They all sell for less than a $100 (except maybe the SP), have great lenses and view finders. Each one offers pretty much the same features. Lot of solutions exist for replacement the of the mercury battery. I wouldn't agonize too much over which one. I think I own at least one of each and they are all good fun picture takers.

 

[coelacanth]

About Leica M loading.

Probably many people think Leica loading is more difficult than conventional back door loading because they think of barnack leica loading?

Especially if you go with M4 and newer, it is super quick and I always swap films while I walk on street. I MUCH prefer Leica M loading to fully opening back loading. M2 and older with take-up spool is a bit slower, but still very intuitive and straight forward.

 

[ruby.monkey]

I know I said that the Leica film loading seemed awkward but I am drawn probably for emotive reasons. If I do go down this route (and its all in the air still) as a glasses wearer, which viewfinder should I opt for? Do the other manufacturers have different viewfinder? Whatever I opt for, I would probably be using a 35mm lens first off although my wish list would require robbing a bank!! Thanks for your comments.

The M3 is the most beautiful M-mount camera ever made and its finder is perfect for 50mm lenses (even with specs, in my experience), good for 90mm and 135mm, but doesn't have 35mm framelines. The M2 (especially the button-rewind version with no self-timer) is the second most beautiful M-mount camera ever made, has 35mm, 50mm, and 90mm framelines, and doesn't clutter up the finder with more than one set of framelines at a time.

Not sure if this helps you, though...

 

[urbanman]

I am not sure if anyone is still reading this thread but I have been around the houses looking at Leica, Nikon, Ziess and Konica amongst others and still am unsure. As I am used to built in metering, I have semi discounted the Nikon S3 and earlier Leicas although I was just offered a beautiful M4-P. Can any one let me know of their experiences with a hot shoe mounted meter ie is it a pain as opposed to checking through the viewfinder? I will be shooting B&W probably with a 35mm lens maybe exclusively although I do like 21 and 24 wideangles. Again, views and experiences welcome.

Thanks