Do rangefinders change your photography?

[RML]

I used to think it changed my shooting. Now I think it did change me but in different ways than I expected. It's not so much my shooting that changed but my vision, my reflexes, my experimenting. Only after I found out about rangefinders did I get interested in photographic history, dev'ing (and now rpinting), other photographers, different art movements, etc. These experiences have changed me. Rnagefinders were at the basis of those experiences.

 

[nico]

... Only after I found out about rangefinders did I get interested in photographic history, dev'ing (and now rpinting), other photographers, different art movements, etc. These experiences have changed me. Rnagefinders were at the basis of those experiences.

I use to think that rf cameras (my dad's old vitoret before and my bessaR then) introduced me to photography as a real hobby; I had a similar experience to the Remi's one. When I started shooting with rangefinder cameras I also started studying photography history, buying books, going to exhibits etc. Just for the lack of time/space I don't already develop and print by myself.
Ciao 🙂

 

[Peter_Jones]

I take shots with a RF that I would not consider with a SLR (composition-wise) and vise-versa (assuming similar focal length).
With a RF I leave more space around subjects, with a SLR I crop in tighr (usually) for instance.

Love using both types, wish I had more time.

 

[JCdeR]

I have been shooting rangefinders for a greater part of my life, got used to the limitations and the pro's of using them.

Recntly however I picked up a Canon EOS 3 in perfect condition along with a 50mm 1.4 AF, 35mm 2.0 AF and a 100mm 2,0.

Although being huge compared to Leica M4's the speed of use, the lightmetering modes, the autofocus has changed my photography in a possitive effect. It's faster, much faster in everything. It's also noisy but having taken this as a non-issue becasue it really isn't such a big thing as some people might try to explain defending their leica purchase it is on the whole a better setup looking at the end result that. Low light ... not a problem, sports, macro, super-wide to super-tele ... not a problem.... weight and size, yes it's heavy and yes it's pretty big..... and the price .... well very much cheaper than anything with a red-dot, quality wise you will not see any difference unless studied with a microscope...

 

[kalokeri]

My answer must be "no" as I do not see my pictures are better than before my rf-days. But as it changed my way of seeing the answer could be "yes". A view through a rangefinder is different because you see the surrounding of the picture you want to take - that´s a different approach to the objekt.

A change of how to take pictures brought along the change of how much it takes to take pictures. A rangefinder camera is not that much smaller and lighter, but the lenses are. What´s more: most of them are that expensive. So nowadays most of the time I get along with 2 different lenses, no heavy zooms, no flash and that´s kind of a relief.

Best

Thomas