Full RF kit for newbie

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20Babies

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Aug 6, 2007
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This is my 1st post in this forum.
I am very interested in taking up photgraphy and have evaluated my options on taking a SLR and a RF.

My decision is the RF!

However, I would like to seek advice from our fellow forumers on what camera and kit to consider for a newbie.

My budget is US$1,000 and would not mind a second-hand kit (condition: 95% or better)

I have also read several reviews and I gathered that I should start with a camera that has AE.

Please help me by providing your advice on the brand and model of the camera case and lens.

Thanks for your help!

:)
 
Well if you want AE you're either going to have to get an M7, M8 and I don't know what Bessa bodies have them but it's going to be less then the Leica's.

If it were me I wouldn't worry about AE and watch out for a used M6. If you don't mind a user body it just might fall into your price range. After that depending on your preference I would go with a new or used CV lens.
That gives you a great combo to build on.

Other peoples opinions may differ, so take it with a grain of salt.

Good luck!

Edit: Right now I'm holding my M6 and CV 35/2.5 PII and together it cost me less then 1000, so it's certainly a realistic combo.
 
Not everybody takes to RF cameras. The best deal I've seen around recently can be found here:

http://www.cameraquest.com/voigrf.htm (CV Bessa R + 35/2.5 package for a nice price)

(Full disclosure: Cameraquest is owned by the owner of this forum, but I have no relationship aside from being a forum member.)

That gives you a new RF metered-manual (not AE) body and a nice 35mm lens. If you decide RF photography isn't really for you, you should be able to offload the gear for not hugely less than you paid for it. If you do take to it, this'll teach you what you really want - so you can add lenses, or get a different RF body (on-selling the R or keeping it as a 2nd body).

Or, if you really want AE, there are other deals on the Cameraquest web site (as well as a wealth of information on RF cameras old and new). Or, I'm sure, others will pop up here with a different take from mine.

...Mike
 
My take is, the RF's are best in the wide to normal FL range, say up to 75mm, while if you can limit yourself to a 50 mm that's better.

RF's excel in fast, available light photography, should be light and compact, so that you always feel like carrying one with you.

AE is helpful if you do quick shooting, street, events, etc. For slow photography MF or LF cameras are better anyway, so try to get an AE.

The gear strategy can be:

- try something cheap first, and sell it later to get what you really want, once you know it
- try something proven with a compromise on the body or lens, as you won't easily get both for $1000.

I would say a ZI or M7 would be ideal as a body, but there are people who swear by the Hexar bodies, and I use Bessas as well as the ZI, and I think they deliver the goods.

Start with one 0.7-0.74 body and the best 35mm lens you can afford (F 2.0 if possible) The best quality/price in this FL is the CV Ultron 35/1.7.

Enjoy!
 
for starters, i would recommend the konica hexar (af). aside from being the most economical choice, it also has a terrific 35mm f2 lens, which is the mainstay of rangefinder photography. the ae and autofocus make this a fast and easy camera to use, while the leaf shutter and stealth mode make it significantly quieter than rangefinders with interchangeable lenses (leicas, voigtlanders, zeiss ikons, etc.).
 
What about the kit that is in the classifieds at the moment? R3a + CV 40/1.4 ? No relation to the seller, it just looks like a very nice combo...

My advice is don't get Bessa R. They are nice, but the R2 and later are sooo much better built...

Take a look at http://cameraquest.com/classics.htm
 
Bessa R3a with 25mm snapshot skopar and 40mm Nokton can be had new at cameraquest for USD 1133. A good deal, I think, though slightly higher price than your limit. I'd push that limit just a bit...:)
 
Stick to one lens until you get the hang of the RF. I'd suggest a 35, 40 or 50 depending on your tastes, then decide which way you want to expand your outfit. A good and cheap intro is an old fixed lens RF which will get you the basic outfit for peanuts. If you get on with that you won't lose money trading up to an interchangeable lens RF. My personal RF arc went Olympus XA>Bessa R with a 35>Leica Ms with 35, 50 and 90 lenses. The XA got me used to the RF focusing process and the Bessa got me into the Leica mount system cheaply.
 
I'm more of a Get the Best you can Afford guy myself. That way you do less buying and selling, buying and selling. Also, having good gear might make the difference between enjoying it and getting frustrated.

Whilst the recommendations to get a Bessa are sensible - I'd see if I could somehow wangle a Zeiss Ikon. The BEST viewfinder of all rangefinders by all accounts. Only slightly over your budget, new!

One doesn't see many offered second hand - which is a good sign.

No lens though. That might be a problem. :) You could probably find a used Voigtlaender lens for not much at all though. Again 35, 40 or 50 is where you want to start. I'd suggest 50 mm first. Wide angle lenses need to be used properly to avoid getting boring shots.

Then you need to read a couple of books, remember a few basics ("get closer!", depth-of-field, exposure-correction), buy a LOT of film and shoot loads of images quickly (without thinking too much) and be really happy and satisfied if you get a few "good" shots. Even experienced photographers get 0, 1 or 2 good shots on a roll.

colin
 
A good fixed lens RF, circa 1980, for les than $200, a film scanner and lots of film will give you the best possible prints for your money; not as much fun as the other suggestions however
 
Thank you all for your suggestion.

Just wondering if there is any reading material (sort of an Idiot Proof ~ How to use a RF camera) available on the web?
 
If you can afford the price ( as far as I can recall it is about 30$) you should subscribe to Reid reviews, where you will find lots of interesting stuff about the gear. For a first rate introduction to rangefinder photography and film photography in general, look the site of Roger and Frances - there's some stuff free, and again a full subscription is, I believe, around 30 bucks. This is all real world experience coaching - these people use the rangefinders for their work.
 
I'd chip in a vote for voigtlanders here - I'm using R3 and R4, but if you want a do it all body you might be better with an R2 - and go for the R2a to get the AE you want

35mm and 75mm lenses are a nice combination

If you can get to play with them in a shop. However in the UK its next to impossible to do this as so few stock them, and the best solution is to order online

If you watch ebay etc though you'll see that these sort of bodies and lenses don't really lose much value if you sell them. That was my thought when I initially got the r3a and 40mm lens - I got them mail order and felt that if I didn't get on with them I could sell them and not lose too much

Jump on in - you'll like it

Glyn
 
If you have never used RF's before, I would have to agree with Sparrow and get a 70's or so fixed lens RF. Buy it here from greyhoundman if you can, as it will be in perfect working order as some of these can be a crap shoot from *bay. That way you can see if you like this style of camera and then if you like it or not you can probably get every penny you spent back.
 
Revolucion Artistico said:
If you have never used RF's before, I would have to agree with Sparrow and get a 70's or so fixed lens RF. Buy it here from greyhoundman if you can, as it will be in perfect working order as some of these can be a crap shoot from *bay. That way you can see if you like this style of camera and then if you like it or not you can probably get every penny you spent back.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. I think you should hold off the plan to get the Bessa or Leica for your "graduation" point, that is, when you are *sure* that you like the rangefinder photography style.

If you're not willing to be patient on ebay, definitely you should get one from RFF classifieds or gman.

Take a look at the list in my signature, I chose and kept these cameras for good reasons. Ask me about any of them.
 
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