I Shoot With Rangefinders

[lxmike]

I enjoy using rangefinders and it depends which one I am using as to how fast I am, I have a DSLR but only use it now and again

 

[lxmike]

Hello Mags, you make a good point, I find myself taking just one samll camera like a Rollei 35 etc, small acmeras just slip in the shirt pocket or coat no problem. Years ago i used to carry a Pentax LX, MX as back up, 50'40/28135 lens combo, flash films etc, I was kanckered by the end of the day. Then I moved on to ther combos and recently sometimes a DSLR and spare lens. Weight is an increasing issue as I get older.

 

[jmarcus]

Every once in a while I try a cool point and shoot like the GRD, even less frequently I pick up a friends SLR. Within a few minutes I wonder why I bothered. Its not that others aren't good tools its just that I have become so accustomed to the rangefinder. Plus its really weird to have a camera do things for you.

 

[intense]

For my spare time I use both my digital Pen and the Zorki 4 rangefinder. When working though I don't have a choice and only the Olympus is out of the bag. I have own and used P&Ss, DSLRs, Mirrorless cameras and film rangefinders and I can't tell which I like most. There are periods of time I prefer one type of cameras, then follows another period with another type of cameras.

 

[Instantclassic]

The problem for me is that the camera gets in the way of the photo. Its more of a toy and less making prints to put on the wall.
I like the feel of the Leica and Zorki rangefinder. They make me happy. My Rolleiflex is also an enjoyable toy. The negatives from the Rolleiflex is giving me more...
But I kind of like going out with this selective memory machine. Occasionally they work with me and we create something that will stand the test of time. Probably for my children and their children.

 

[Bill Harrison]

I always have my "Leica Bag" or at least 1 camera with me. Use Efke 25,100; APX 100, Neopan 400 & 1600; plus enjoy odd film occasionally, bulk deals, etc. Gotten into LF & ULF more, lately, 2x3-8x20 and everything in between.... planning a shot at making dry plate with my own emulsions, thanks to thelightfarm.com & Denise. Bought a near mint 8x10 Korona with dry plate holders for the experience....

 

[CaptainMike]

I shoot a Zorki half the time, an Oly 2n half the time, and an Oly waterproof PnS the other half.

Thats right, I have a camera with me 150% of the time. How many of you can say that?

 

[ebino]

To me photography is like hunting, even though I have never hunted and I'm against hunting for sport.

Lets say you're after certain animals/photographs, now you have to decide which is the best approach to go an hunt them. You deliberate and practice until you find the right weapon and then you go for the hunt. But during all these huntings you begin to appreciate a certain weapon more than others, because its versatile, reliable and gets you the animal/photograph, so you stick with it but leave your options open.

What is an RF good for? Its good for quiet and unintrusive shooting, not to mention with Leica M the lenses are really good and one could do a whole project based on the lens signature itself. With their OVF they also provide an intimate shooting experience, which can be a pleasure. Nevertheless, their digital versions are yet to be practical, their film ones, well they use film. if someone has the time and patience not to mention dedication to film, then its fine, but its not for everyone.

So the RF camera is like hunting with a certain weapon because you like the weapon more and enjoy using it rather than the urgency to get the animal/photograph. You're, if i may say so, someone who hunts for sport and not for food or for making a living.

 

[icemendicant]

These days most of my active film cameras are rangefinders - the RF645 and Mamiya 7 mainly for landscape and street shots, and I use my Leica MP3 and Contax G2 a lot for family pictures and portraits. I do still shoot regularly with my Nikon F3 and F4, but find using the RFs more fluid and natural.

When I need the convenience of digital, I also shoot a lot of on-the-fly snapshots with my Canon S95 and iPhone 4 just because they are always with me. The Hipstamatic app for the iPhone is proving to be a bit of a 'digital Lomo' - a toy camera that is liberating because it encourages me to experiment freely and find interesting images in unlikely places. I don't own a DSLR at the moment. I have a feeling that I might end up using a digital compact alongside a medium format digital and skip the '35mm' DLSR altogether, but we'll see...

 

[Doug]

Dan, the future beckons in interesting ways, doesn't it... I've used a medium-format digital, and now I think I have some saving-up to do. And I've been wondering if there will be a medium-format digital rangefinder 😎.

 

[ederek]

Tangent: This thread keeps marking itself unread for me, and shows up in the list as "Roger Hicks, 2 minutes ago" or some other obviously incorrect, very recent time. Anyone have any clue why that happens?

Whenever someone votes in a Poll Thread, it sets it as Unread due to fresh content (a poll entry versus a post). The Last Poster (versus poster OR voter) is displayed in New Posts. It's a bit annoying, and knowing why it displays as it does probably won't make it any less so.. 😱

**

To the thread topic..
Use an RF almost exclusively. Started in RF with film and then to digital a year later. Digital RF is used majority of time but still shoot film (bit more lately).

Dabbling in large format - 2x3 and 4x5 inch for now, but would like add something larger and contact print.

Use a FF dSLR for strobes or when the situation calls for it.

Occasionally carry an LX3 p&s. Would be used more if the digital RF option weren't available.

iphone rarely gets used due to lack of control and quality, but it's an older model and the latest are significantly better.

Will probably add one of those X100 boxes..

 

[Keith]

I just shot nine rolls of film in light bad enough that I needed a rangefinder as nothing else would have worked IMO. 400 film pushed to 800 and 1/30 sec with an f1.5 lens not to mention actually being able to focus quickly and accurately in a hectic environment.

I love my OM system but it couldn't have done this and been as effective as my Ikon was.

 

[wgerrard]

If only someone would make an *affordable* RF that was effectively a classic film RF with a digital sensor. No bells and whistles, yards of menus etc. Just a speed selector, aperture and focus controls. A screen for "chimping" the result, nothing more. That would be ideal for me! Doesn't even need to have a huge MP-count to keep most of us happy.

Such a camera wouldn't need to have an actual RF in it to make me happy. As long as it has a VF that's up to optical standards, and manual focus that is usable, the size, weight and ergonomics became the deciding factors. I have no guilt about AF, either.

Of course, a lot of folks around here, myself included, really want that camera to take M lenses with no crop factor.

 

[wgerrard]

I just shot nine rolls of film in light bad enough that I needed a rangefinder as nothing else would have worked IMO. 400 film pushed to 800 and 1/30 sec with an f1.5 lens not to mention actually being able to focus quickly and accurately in a hectic environment.

I love my OM system but it couldn't have done this and been as effective as my Ikon was.

Entirely agree.

 

[dof]

I shoot rangefinders nearly exclusively... and I vote!

 

[Guaranteed]

If only someone would make an *affordable* RF that was effectively a classic film RF with a digital sensor. No bells and whistles, yards of menus etc. Just a speed selector, aperture and focus controls. A screen for "chimping" the result, nothing more. That would be ideal for me! Doesn't even need to have a huge MP-count to keep most of us happy.

Heck I don't even want the option of a screen, I'd rather not know until I got home. That way I'm forced to remove my head from my butt and pay attention to what I'm doing rather than chimping it and trying to decide if I can fix it in post or not.

Then again it's just a hobby for me and most of what I'm able to accomplish pales in comparison to the work I see here.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I just shot nine rolls of film in light bad enough that I needed a rangefinder as nothing else would have worked IMO. 400 film pushed to 800 and 1/30 sec with an f1.5 lens not to mention actually being able to focus quickly and accurately in a hectic environment.

I love my OM system but it couldn't have done this and been as effective as my Ikon was.

I would have been okay with the OM and totally lost with the RF.

 

[tedwhite]

I'm with you, Dave. Don't have an OM system, but do have a Pentax Spotmatic system that seems to work for me at night. Actually, I've never tried an RF at night because it never occurred to me. Maybe I'm missing something?

 

[Brian Levy]

I am more concerned with the film amd film format than the type of camera when I go out. I regularly shoot both 35 and 120. I have TLR, viewfinder, folding noncoupled rangefinder, MF/35mm SLR, and rangefinder. Also a DSLR.

I do like the DSLR but just can not get used to digital and the overload of automation. A problem for me when I have to spend so much time to take control of the camera. Maybe as I get older I'll appreciate it more. But it is also heavy in relation to most of my other cameras.

My longest owned and I think favorite is a folding noncoupled view 35mm camera; a Zeiss Contina II. I got it used in the early '60s and it was in constant used until the shutter froze a few years ago. I have just pulled it out to get it serviced and suspect it will again be an often user. In 2nd place but sadly no longer with me becaue of reliability issues was the little Minix ML. An amazingly wonderful folding viewfinder but sdaly the electronic shutter in them just was so unreliable. Mine I had repaired at a cost not much less than I paid for it and when it let go again I decided to absorb my loss.

Another regular carrier was a Rolleiflex, also now awaiting a service for the shutter. A great 6x6 carrier.

So far sounds like I really do not have a camera that operates. But, all is not lost. For the past 20+ plus years I've used a Leica CL with the 40mm Sun-C and 90mm Rokkor for my 35mm and a Bronica ETRS SLR for MF and using the 35mm backs as my 35mm slr system. If I had to put a % on use I'd say about 70% Leica and 30% Bronica taking into consideration all types of photography.

 

[pvdhaar]

For holidays, I tend to take an RF with me. With the Bessa-T and a 25/50 combination, I never have to worry about batteries or chargers or electricity.. I have traveled with a digi-P&S as well, but that has always proven to be a bit 'quality-challenged', so the RF remains top dog when on vacation. Around the house, the DSLR sees frequent use.