Any famous photographers that used fixed lens rangefinder?

[BillBingham2]

I remember seeing a very early Leica that was fixed lens (had a between the lens leaf shutter), could have been a dream though.

 

[Fuchs]

Anders Petersen and Jacob Aue Sobol use Ricoh GR1and Contax T3 fixed lens cameras (I know they do not qualify as rf, being af).

 

[rodinal]

The Compur Leica from 1926, but it had no rangefinder.

 

[enasniearth]

Fixed lens

Fixed lens

If I remember correctly Constance manos from magnum
Her favorite was the original contax t with the fold down door and rf
The story is that zeiss was discontinuing the Kyocera model(yashica subcontract ) so she
went to one of the NYC stores and bought two in case

 

[charjohncarter]

I have a few fixed lens RF cameras, one I really love is the Olympus 35RC. But like Roger Hicks says; not made for the long haul. I don't sleep worrying about it breaking.

 

[Dwig]

How about Tony Vaccaro and his Agus C-3 ?
Technically, the C-3 had interchangeable lenses, but not in the same sense more professional cameras do (it needed some disassembly).

It merely requires the temporary removal of the RF connecting gear and its cover which is done with your fingers. No tools are required. I'd hardly call it "disassembly".

Also, the Graphic press cameras mentioned in an earlier post are also interchangeable lens cameras. Most, though, like the C-3, were used as if they were fixed lens cameras.

There were likely a number of "famous" photographers that used interchangeable lens RF cameras as if they were fixed lens cameras by only ever using one lens.

 

[rodinal]

It merely requires the temporary removal of the RF connecting gear and its cover which is done with your fingers. No tools are required. I'd hardly call it "disassembly".

However you call it, the fact remains... :angel:

 

[emraphoto]

antoine d'agata - hexar af

 

[emraphoto]

ziyah gafic - gf670

 

[emraphoto]

boogie - hexar af

*i do realize it is not a rangefinder per say

 

[Frontman]

Bunyo Ishikawa used a Olympus Pen W for many of his most moving photos of the Vietnam war. His main workhorse was a Nikon F, but his "chance" shots seem to be taken mostly with the Pen. The Pen W is not a rangefinder, but a fixed lens cale focus half frame camera, and Ishikawa showed it's merits in his work.

 

[gsgary]

David Bailey used an Olypus Trip in the advert 🙂

 

[Rodchenko]

Bunyo Ishikawa used a Olympus Pen W for many of his most moving photos of the Vietnam war. His main workhorse was a Nikon F, but his "chance" shots seem to be taken mostly with the Pen. The Pen W is not a rangefinder, but a fixed lens cale focus half frame camera, and Ishikawa showed it's merits in his work.

I'm ashamed to say I had not heard of Ishikawa before, so I checked out some of his images. It's hard to say definitely which ones were taken with the Pen W, but there are a number of shots in 4:3 ratio, particularly in portrait format, so that might be a clue. Either way, he was a brilliant photographer.

 

[Luddite Frank]

I am a little surprised that the Kodak Retina has not had a single mention...

Granted, fixed-lens RF's have a lot of limitations for the professional photog, but the Retina was a pretty high-quality device, and folded-up into a very "pocketable" package...

Any professionals use a Retina ?

 

[rumbliegeos]

I cannot remember, but I would be very surprised if Galen Rowell did not use a rangefinder or scale focus camera at some points in his mountaineering photography.