Carterofmars
Well-known
Which is your favorite rangefinder of all time; digital or analog? (One that you've owned)
Which is the greatest rangefinder of all time; digital or analog? (One that you've owned, or not owned)
Feel free to express why...
Which is the greatest rangefinder of all time; digital or analog? (One that you've owned, or not owned)
Feel free to express why...
DKimg
Established
Well I just got it recently; however, I believe others can support this, but I know my favorite rangefinder will be the Makina 67. One of the fewest medium format rangefinder type of camera that's portable and compact!! It has a wonderful 80mm 2.8 Nikkor lens with it's signature bokeh. I can't wait to use it more! It makes traveling lighter for me as for portrait photography, as I don't need to lug around the Fuji GX680. Least I know I'm not sacrificing quality!
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Favourite is easy: Olympus-35 SP.
Regards, David
Favourite is easy: Olympus-35 SP.
Regards, David
L Collins
Well-known
Leica M5......
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Owned:
Leica II, III, IIIa, IIIc, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, CL, M8. Tower 46, Leotax, Olympus SP, Konica Auto S3, Konica EE-Matic, Minolta 7S-II, Revue 400SE, Mamiya DeLuxe, Horseman 970 Press, Graflex 3x4 Speed Anni, Minolta CLE, FED-S, Zorki 1, Bessa RF, Ensign Auto 220, Zeiss-Ikon Super Ikonta B (532/16), and a bunch I forgot. Used them, and sold them whenever I felt I wanted to purchase something else or my little cabinet space became too crowded. I think that the non-rangefinders are at least three times as many as the above, I went through my paces in the last decade...
The beloved little 1932 black paint-and-nickel Leica II and the Zeiss-Ikon 532/16 are the only ones that remain, and they will stay indefinitely.
Leica II, III, IIIa, IIIc, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, CL, M8. Tower 46, Leotax, Olympus SP, Konica Auto S3, Konica EE-Matic, Minolta 7S-II, Revue 400SE, Mamiya DeLuxe, Horseman 970 Press, Graflex 3x4 Speed Anni, Minolta CLE, FED-S, Zorki 1, Bessa RF, Ensign Auto 220, Zeiss-Ikon Super Ikonta B (532/16), and a bunch I forgot. Used them, and sold them whenever I felt I wanted to purchase something else or my little cabinet space became too crowded. I think that the non-rangefinders are at least three times as many as the above, I went through my paces in the last decade...
The beloved little 1932 black paint-and-nickel Leica II and the Zeiss-Ikon 532/16 are the only ones that remain, and they will stay indefinitely.
Livesteamer
Well-known
Favorite: IIIc with 50mm Elmar. It's in my pocket.
Best: M6 .85 with 50mm Summilux asph. It's upstairs, loaded and ready if I need a more capable camera. M6 .85, as good as an MP at a much lower cost. Just my two cents. Joe
Best: M6 .85 with 50mm Summilux asph. It's upstairs, loaded and ready if I need a more capable camera. M6 .85, as good as an MP at a much lower cost. Just my two cents. Joe
Rodchenko
Olympian
Favourite is, without a doubt, the Olympus 35SP. Second is the Fuji GS645S.
Greatest? Harder to say, but I think I'd plump for a Nikon SP.
Greatest? Harder to say, but I think I'd plump for a Nikon SP.
Out to Lunch
Ventor
35mm rangefinder: Leica M6
Digital rangefinder: Epson R-D1
Digital rangefinder: Epson R-D1
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Favorite I have is my patents FED-2. It is thiers' camera, but I'm using it for three or so decades.
Would love to try Leica M to see how superior it is to my 200$ Bessa R, but I don't have spare 500-800$.
I own to the bank, not owning it, this is why I can't say anything about digital RF in terms of user perspective.
Would love to try Leica M to see how superior it is to my 200$ Bessa R, but I don't have spare 500-800$.
I own to the bank, not owning it, this is why I can't say anything about digital RF in terms of user perspective.
Sparrow
Veteran
... my favourite on the left ... the other one is on the right
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
35mm : Leica M4-P
120 : Mamiya Universal Press
Digital : Don't have one yet, but I am pretty sure I can live with a Leica M Monochrom
120 : Mamiya Universal Press
Digital : Don't have one yet, but I am pretty sure I can live with a Leica M Monochrom
danielsterno
making soup from mud
as of a very recent purchase , I second the above +110%.
Favorites I've used: Leica M6 (film) and Leica M9 (digital)
Favorite I've never owned (and probably will never own): Leica MP, Leica M240, and Mamiya 6
Favorite I've never owned (and probably will never own): Leica MP, Leica M240, and Mamiya 6
Sparrow
Veteran
... while not wishing to denigrating their owners, as this is frowned on I understand ... the m5 is in fact big and ugly, and lacking an aesthetic sensibility is probably not the best starting point for a photographer you would think?
Fraser
Well-known
my favourite that I own M9, and the greatest (I have one of these as well) M2. Did have an MP for a short time but preferred the M2.
f16sunshine
Moderator
Favorite was the RD1 followed by the M8
My best one and the last to be standing is my M5.
My best one and the last to be standing is my M5.
DominikDUK
Well-known
The favourite I've owned Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta A 531 6x4.5 it's small it's cute and the mounted Tessar is no slouch did I mention that it's almost smaller than a Leica or Leica if you count the M5
The best RF ever made is probably the Zeiss Ikon Contax II longest RF Base super quiet shutter (Leica's believe it or not are louder) super precise focussing possible due to the much hated focussing wheel.
Although I've owned a Contax III I rate the Super Ikonta higher because of the image quality MF vs 35mm, the Contax II is superior to the III because it does not have the cumbersome and disfiguring lightmeter.
The best RF ever made is probably the Zeiss Ikon Contax II longest RF Base super quiet shutter (Leica's believe it or not are louder) super precise focussing possible due to the much hated focussing wheel.
Although I've owned a Contax III I rate the Super Ikonta higher because of the image quality MF vs 35mm, the Contax II is superior to the III because it does not have the cumbersome and disfiguring lightmeter.
Harry Lime
Practitioner
Favorite: M4.
The M2 is a close second, because of the spindle.
Dark Horse: MP3
Supposedly this camera has the 1 meter frameline mask, like the M2/M4/M5/M4-2 and some M4-P. And you get a meter too boot. The only thing missing is TTL flash metering.
Possibly Greatest: M6TTL with MP3 RF unit installed.
The only mechanical M with TTL flash support. A technician should be able to install a RF unit from the MP3, which would give you the same size frame lines as in a M2/M4. I've been quoted around $1000 for the operation.
The M2 is a close second, because of the spindle.
Dark Horse: MP3
Supposedly this camera has the 1 meter frameline mask, like the M2/M4/M5/M4-2 and some M4-P. And you get a meter too boot. The only thing missing is TTL flash metering.
Possibly Greatest: M6TTL with MP3 RF unit installed.
The only mechanical M with TTL flash support. A technician should be able to install a RF unit from the MP3, which would give you the same size frame lines as in a M2/M4. I've been quoted around $1000 for the operation.