Marin3r
Member
Hello everyone,
I wanted to say thanks for the useful information on this forum. After visiting several times, i took the leap, and my very first rangefinder arrived from Japan this morning--simultaneous with a Nokton 50 from CameraQuest. Sweet torture--I had to work all day--but then the fun began.
It was dark. I set the ASA to 1600 and the "film" to night-time settings, and opened the aperture all the way. Walked through mid-Cambridge and discovered that I could shoot at 1/60 in the shadows between the street lights. The shallow depth of field was amazing. I got some shots that I've only imagined in my head over the years, but never been able to make real. No one looking at me imagined I was actually photographing, since there was no flash and it was "obviously" too dark.
But the best part was the rangefinder experience itself. I'd picked up Leica M's before (I'm a long time R user, in love with my 90mm F2 portrait lens), but I'd never actually used one. At first I thought the focusing was really tricky, but I got the hang of it quickly (when I got lost, I covered the viewfinder window, so I could figure out what the tiny rectangle was up to).
I'm astonished at the truth of the ideas so often repeated on this forum--it's amazing to be able to see well beyond the frame lines. It's amazing to not have the viewfinder go black while a picture is taken ( I got several people's expressions perfectly, and knew I did, because I could still see them while the shutter was open). It's amazing that the camera hardly twitches when the shutter snaps. Put together, these facts led to effortless picture-taking, even in my first hour with the camera. I suspect that as I get more used to it (learn where the focus for this lens is by heart) it'll become even more an extension of my hands and eyes than my R-4s.
So far, at least, I don't feel like an idiot for spending $2K on a defunct camera. I'm with those who say the analog gauges are wicked cool, and cocking the shutter by hand just feels right.
Oh--I do have one question. Does anyone know at what angle it's best to store the camera for a bumpy ride (e.g. bicycle touring)? I'm going to cut some foam out, and could put it lens down or lens forward--or upside down--whatever's best for the most delicate mechanisms... not sure if that's the rangefinder or the little analog gauges). Thanks : )
Sanjay
Cambridge, Mass.
I wanted to say thanks for the useful information on this forum. After visiting several times, i took the leap, and my very first rangefinder arrived from Japan this morning--simultaneous with a Nokton 50 from CameraQuest. Sweet torture--I had to work all day--but then the fun began.
It was dark. I set the ASA to 1600 and the "film" to night-time settings, and opened the aperture all the way. Walked through mid-Cambridge and discovered that I could shoot at 1/60 in the shadows between the street lights. The shallow depth of field was amazing. I got some shots that I've only imagined in my head over the years, but never been able to make real. No one looking at me imagined I was actually photographing, since there was no flash and it was "obviously" too dark.
But the best part was the rangefinder experience itself. I'd picked up Leica M's before (I'm a long time R user, in love with my 90mm F2 portrait lens), but I'd never actually used one. At first I thought the focusing was really tricky, but I got the hang of it quickly (when I got lost, I covered the viewfinder window, so I could figure out what the tiny rectangle was up to).
I'm astonished at the truth of the ideas so often repeated on this forum--it's amazing to be able to see well beyond the frame lines. It's amazing to not have the viewfinder go black while a picture is taken ( I got several people's expressions perfectly, and knew I did, because I could still see them while the shutter was open). It's amazing that the camera hardly twitches when the shutter snaps. Put together, these facts led to effortless picture-taking, even in my first hour with the camera. I suspect that as I get more used to it (learn where the focus for this lens is by heart) it'll become even more an extension of my hands and eyes than my R-4s.
So far, at least, I don't feel like an idiot for spending $2K on a defunct camera. I'm with those who say the analog gauges are wicked cool, and cocking the shutter by hand just feels right.
Oh--I do have one question. Does anyone know at what angle it's best to store the camera for a bumpy ride (e.g. bicycle touring)? I'm going to cut some foam out, and could put it lens down or lens forward--or upside down--whatever's best for the most delicate mechanisms... not sure if that's the rangefinder or the little analog gauges). Thanks : )
Sanjay
Cambridge, Mass.
