I cheated; do you?

[Kyle]

In 35mm format, I only shoot rangefinders. I own three SLRs, two of which will be sold very soon (Canon EOS bodies). The other SLR was my first camera (Minolta XG-1), and it holds too much sentimental value for me to sell.

When it comes to medium format... anything goes. I shoot with Holgas, Dianas, and other toy cameras every now and then. I'm looking into getting a TLR. I've done some pinhole work, and I'm planning on building a pinhole camera that will use 120 roll film. I'd also like to get a Hasselblad 500cm body. I do have an Iksra on its way, so I'll be able to shoot with rangefinders in both 35mm and MF 🙂

 

[raid]

I guess, it is OK to use several systems for photography. I invested too much into non-autofocus 35mm SLR cameras and lenses, and then I "saw the light", as they say, and I started building up my rangefinder system. Each has its charm. For example, I like the Vivitar 90mm-180mm flatfield macro zoom. Such a lens is unavailable in a RF.

 

[Heath]

For those who ahve a penchant for all types of cameras, be it rangefinder, SLR, TLR or any of the MF types, there is a forum for you. I am a member, as are a few of the other members here.

http://cameracollector.proboards30.com/index.cgi?

It is a friendly place that dees a small but constant flow of members.

Hope to see some of you over there.

As for cheating, I could be what you call a philanderer. If Hugh Hefner were a photographer he would be me. I sometimes go out with as many as 7 cameras when I go on a shooting spree. But I do try to carry at least 1 rangefinder when I go out. I have been carying one to work every day talely, either my Zorki-4 or my Kiev IIIa.

Heath

 

[tedwhite]

I'm a Pentax Spotmatic slut. Worse, I just bought a Bessaflex TM for all my Super Takumar lenses to mate with. (But when I ride my mountain bike in the desert my constant companion is my Oly XA stuffed in a pocket).

 

[raid]

I'm a Pentax Spotmatic slut. Worse, I just bought a Bessaflex TM for all my Super Takumar lenses to mate with. (But when I ride my mountain bike in the desert my constant companion is my Oly XA stuffed in a pocket).

Ted: Could you tell me more about your Bessaflex camera. Is it new and how much does it cost?

 

[Frank Granovski]

I only cheat when I feel the need to use my not-so-sharp 135mm on the street. So I have to use the Nic' SLR. I have a love-hate relationship with this lens but soon it will be banished to the closet, that is when I get my 105mm from FrankS and I get my R3A from Stephen for the 90mm M. I can't stand the G2's 90mm..., just the 45mm. 😎

 

[Bertram2]

Ted: Could you tell me more about your Bessaflex camera. Is it new and how much does it cost?

Raid,

Stephen Gandy/cameraquest.com provides detailed information. I don't know who in RFF uses it but my friend Roger Williams at CVUG uses this camera exclusively since quite a while, you can contact him at usefilm.com, where he has posted a bunch of pics shot with M42 lenses.

Don't forget Bessaflex means metering stopped down, so if you own nice old M42 lenses and want to use it this camera is fine, otherwise there is no good reason
IMO to buy it.. IMHO at least.

bertram

 

[back alley]

raid
do a search here, i think bill m did a bit of a review of his.

joe

 

[tedwhite]

Bertram is right, Raid. It's designed for use with lenses with the stop-down capability (little pin sticking out of back of lens). Super Takumar and SMC Takumar and Fuji lenses, etc. all in M42.

It's a well built camera with an easy-to-see LED meter lights when stopped down. My eyes are not as good as they were, so it is difficult for me to see the match needle system in the Spotmatic bodies. This, and the ability to use my drawer full of Takumar lenses, made it a very worthwhile buy for me. You can read about it and see lots of pics at Gandy's CameraQuest site.

Ted

 

[raid]

Raid,

Stephen Gandy/cameraquest.com provides detailed information. I don't know who in RFF uses it but my friend Roger Williams at CVUG uses this camera exclusively since quite a while, you can contact him at usefilm.com, where he has posted a bunch of pics shot with M42 lenses.

Don't forget Bessaflex means metering stopped down, so if you own nice old M42 lenses and want to use it this camera is fine, otherwise there is no good reason
IMO to buy it.. IMHO at least.

bertram

Betram,
I have several good lenses in M42 for my old Pentax Spotmatic F. Among them are SMC lenses like 35mm, 50mm/1.4, 85mm/1.8. I have used the 85mm lens on Canon FD bodies in the past, with an adapter and stopped down, and the results were very nice. Cost plays a role here. I can't just keep on adding more and more camera bodies unless justified somehow. I will check out usefil.com. Thanks.

Raid

 

[Doug]

Raid, I think your Pentax Spotmatic F is a better camera than the Bessaflex, whose only advantages are being brand new, perhaps brighter viewfinder, and ability to take the Bessa trigger winder. Your F has a great advantage in allowing open-aperture metering with the SMC lenses. Bessaflex is like the old Spotmatics in metering only stopped down.

 

[back alley]

Betram,
I have several good lenses in M42 for my old Pentax Spotmatic F. Among them are SMC lenses like 35mm, 50mm/1.4, 85mm/1.8. I have used the 85mm lens on Canon FD bodies in the past, with an adapter and stopped down, and the results were very nice. Cost plays a role here. I can't just keep on adding more and more camera bodies unless justified somehow. I will check out usefil.com. Thanks.

Raid

gee raid, i really would like to help you here...maybe it's time to sell that ol' canon 6l...yeah, i might be interested...do you do lay away?

😉joe

 

[terrafirmanada]

Well I am a fairly new rangefinder user, but when I had the CLA on my M3 a few months ago I used the Canon F1 along with the fixed lens rfs while the work was being done. It was nice to have the meter in the system, but I felt removed in an odd sort of way. Now that I am reunited with the Leica, I think I know what that feeling of removal came from.
I am a very active - involved- person. I also have a short span of attention. That being said; if I have to figure out lighting, framing, film speed et cetra, I feel more involved in a process. I like to be at one with what I do, even if my visible product might not be as good as a photo I might have taken with the F1. I LIKE THE STRUGGLE. One day I hope to capture my best, most artistic impressions with a rf.

 

[KEH]

As some of my posts have noted, I use a Pentax istDS2 when my R-D1 decides it is too cold outside. Using a rangefinder has reinforced my desire to use only primes (except in special situations like a safari), and many of the Pentax lenses are superb. I only post rf pictures in my gallery, but will attach the occasional Pentax pic to a message.

Happy new year!
Kirk

 

[raid]

gee raid, i really would like to help you here...maybe it's time to sell that ol' canon 6l...yeah, i might be interested...do you do lay away?

😉joe

Oh well, Joe, if you only knew what goodies I have when it comes to cameras and lenses. My Canon VI-L may be up for sale one day if the price is right. It is very clean and operates like new. Start saving .... 😀

 

[akptc]

"The moment you cheat for the sake of beauty, you know you're an artist." - Max Jacob

😉

 

[Doug]

I like that quote, Andy! 😀

 

[Bertram2]

Betram,
I have several good lenses in M42 for my old Pentax Spotmatic F. Among them are SMC lenses like 35mm, 50mm/1.4, 85mm/1.8.
Raid

You got the right camera already I'd say. And if the old Spotmatic F gives up one day then better look for another one in mint condition.

I once tried an old Praktica with stopped down metering and I said to myself "never ever again !!". And I think stopped down metering was one of the worst probs of SLR technology in the early years which let many photogs stay with RF, worse than weight and size.
In those days the screens were really dark and it could come to a point where you got simply blind (f16, indoor, flash), impossible to focus anything properly.

Even if the modern screens are really bright, it slows you down anyway.

bertram

 

[raid]

Bertram: Where in Germany do you live? I looked at one of your photos taken from the window of your room. This could be Bavaria or is it the Hamburg/Bremen area?

 

[Issy]

I am the opposite... I was raised on SLRs, and despite the fact of owning and using several RFs, I still "see" better with an SLR.

I love the "quiet" of a RF (e.g. M3), as well as the fact that they don't look like a serious camera to the average layman, so they make me much less intrusive. I also love how sharp the 45 Planar is on my Contax... as someone said, so sharp it hurts.

But try as I will I can still focus faster with a split circle in my FE2 than the patch in a M3, and I still compose better looking at the 100% viewfinder of a F3HP than the frame lines in a Leica, despite forced usage and practice with the RFs.

So I struggle with what I want to do, versus what I know I do, well... 🙂 Is that cheating, or torture? 🙂