Help me find the right camera!

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Jeremy_Brotherton

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I'm in need of a good professional camera that can handle being in tough situations and is capable of withstanding drops of about 4 to 5 feet should it fall out / get knocked out of my hands. I really don't think it will happen but you never know. In short I need a camera that would make a good street documentary type camera. One that is able to handle situations like riots, protests, bad weather, street photography and other things along those subject lines. It needs to be light and quiet. 35mm is ok as is 120. Money isn't a problem. If I don’t have enough I’ll just save till I do. I would love to own another rangefinder but I need one that is quick and easy to use. I'll be ok with an SLR but it would need a mirror lock up so it would be silent. It would need to be able to advance quickly so I don’t mis a photo opportunity. I would also need to be able to change the lens. Does any one have a suggestion? Thank you for your help. 🙂
 
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I dont think you will find any camera that can stand being dropped from 4-5 feet very many times without breaking. As for the other stuff it sounds like you want a dependable, quiet, interchangeable lens camera. I would recommend a Leica M rangefinder, a M6 or M7 would probably be best for versatility and MLU isnt a problem as there is no mirror. For the quick advance you could get a motor drive, although that isnt too quiet so a trigger winder is probably what you need. The ones from rapidwinder.com are cheaper and from what I have heard more dependable than their OEM counterparts. There are many more experienced people on the forum that could probably give you more advice, hope my 2 cents helps.
 
Jeremy_Brotherton said:
I'm in need of a good professional camera that can handle being in tough situations and is capable of withstanding drops of about 4 to 5 feet should it fall out / get knocked out of my hands. I really don't think it will happen but you never know. In short I need a camera that would make a good street documentary type camera. One that is able to handle situations like riots, protests, bad weather, street photography and other things along those subject lines. It needs to be light and quiet. 35mm is ok as is 120. Money isn't a problem. If I don’t have enough I’ll just save till I do. I would love to own another rangefinder but I need one that is quick and easy to use. I'll be ok with an SLR but it would need a mirror lock up so it would be silent. It would need to be able to advance quickly so I don’t mis a photo opportunity. I would also need to be able to change the lens. Does any one have a suggestion? Thank you for your help. 🙂
Click to expand...

Sounds like 2 cameras would be better if you are going to drop one... Maybe 2 cheap bessas, each with a different lens.
One in the coat with a 50mm.
One in the hands with a 35mm or wider.
Plus if your at a riot where police might take one - you still might retain the other.

Or an old used 35mm fl rangefinder.
 
Locking up your SLR mirror before every shot is going to slow you down, and that's without saying anything about its effects on framing.

I'd get a crate of disposable cameras in your position.
 
Nikonos (earlier mechanical models).

Nikon F with mirror locked up, scale-focused GN Nikkor (separate viewfinder)

But even these won't survive many drops. The finder on the Nikon will be vulnerable: I'd suggest a custom insert to replace the prism, with a finder shoe and possibly armour around the finder; use a Tewe.

Any rangefinder will go out of alignment and lenses will 'ding' and be pushed out of true. Much the same for reflexes.

There were a few 70mm cameras allegedly designed for this sort of abuse: Komlosy, Combat Graphic. Or in 5x4 there's the Peckham Wray, used with Grafmatics.

I'd back disposables or fixed-lens leaf-shuter cameras.

Cheers,

R.
 
The best tools are probably modern DSLRs. Get a Canon 5D with a 50mm f1.4 and you will have a wonderful photographic tool. Zooms are even more versitile. There is a reason that most professional photojournalists use cameras like this.

Rangefinders were great for their time, but I think their time has passed. They are still briliantly fun to use and excellent tools. They force you into a special way of working because of their manual components. But, to be good you have to constantly think about the camera:

• what f-stop and shutter speed for this light?
• am I prefocused on potential subjects?
• am I going to need to switch lenses for this story enfolding or find a better position (zoom with my feet)?
• how many photos left on this role, I don't want to get caught changing film at an important spot.
• did I advance the shutter?

I think the modern DSLRs help the photographer forget about the camera and concentrate more on the scene and how to capture the moment.

That's my honest opinion. It's more about how to take good pictures than the camera itself. Modern cameras are immensely useful and versatile photographic tools.
 
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I agree with the disposable camera option. Possibly some point and shoots from the thift store with the backs duct-taped so they don't pop open when dropped. One time I ran the Chicago Marathon with a diposable camera paper-clipped to my waist band. I took lots of pics with it; then it fell off at mile 23 or so. It got kicked around in the crowd, and I lost it, but I bet the pictures would have been just fine had I recovered it.
 
sirius said:
Rangefinders were great for their time, but I think their time has passed.
Click to expand...
Wow, that's a bold statement on a rangefinder forum!!

Seriously, the way your question is put, it seems to me like you are looking for a Leica. Bessa is great too (and a LOT cheaper), but noticeably noisier than the Leica. M6, M7 or MP, depending on how much money you want to spend. And if you're considering digital and have the cash, the M8 is supposed to be a great tool too.
 
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Get one or two older Leicas (M2, 3, 4, 4-2, older 4P).

Put them in thick leather half cases (like Luigi with grip) - makes them even quieter and helps when they drop (out of personal experience).

Use neck straps. No bag.

Carry a screw driver and learn how to re-align the rangefinder (trivial really, on the older ones).

Cheers,

Roland.
 
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Ok if I get a Leica what is the diffrence in them all? I mean there are soo many of them why is the Leica M the better of the bunch for what I need? In short is there a site that explains the diffrnet type of Leica and what they do so I can research them?
 
sitemistic said:
Jeremy, maybe I missed this, but have you ever used a rangefinder?
Click to expand...
Yes, I've used both a Fed-5 and an Argus C3 camera and I loved them both. But the Fed started jamming as did the Argus and now I need a new or like new more professional camera that fits the type of photography I have in mind to do. I like my digital SLR but when I use it, it doesn't feel right to me. I feel like I'm cheating on a lover when I shoot with my digital camera. Call me strange but I love film and I like being able to manually adjust things on my camera. I in all honesty love old cameras and hope to one day own a large colection of usable ones to shoot with but with the project I have in mind they wont do and that's why I'm here. I wanted ideas to research into so Ican find the right camera for me.
 
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