r4m

I have an R4A, very nice camera, great wide angle finder. Only downside is that after 35mm, the frame lines get really quite small. If you want to shoot a 21mm or maybe a 28mm, it's great.
 
Only have R4A, which I use with 21mm and 28mm lenses. Great with glasses and 28mm. I go back and forth between preferring the Zeiss viewfinder and the R4a with the 21mm. The 21mm f/4.5c and the little CV make a really nice combination. I suspect that the electronics/shutter are shared with the Ikon.. which might have a slightly quieter shutter.
 
I've had mine a few years now and it is wonderful for me, an eyeglass wearer, when using a 21mm lens as the 21 frameline is bright and clear, so no need for a finder. I use a Zeiss 21mm f4.5 Biogon lens and it lives on my R4M. 28 also works, but I would not go higher; this is best as a wide angle lens camera, and for that it is superb. My 21 stays on all the time.
 
I consider it a land mark camera, up there with the Leica M3, the Nikon SP and the Nikon F. For the first time we dont have to squint through a aux. finders and also break the concentration having to shift the eye from one finder to another!
Mine is a very early, almost pre-production and it has seen a lot of film going through it - never a hick-up. Meter is very good and it is small enough that you can dedicate a 21/25/28 to it and free up another body for the rest.
I have used it with 35 and it does work - with the 50 it is a bit of a peep-hole finder, but again, consider the 50 an emergency finder.
Even today, it is cheaper than a Leica 21 mm finder by almost $200 and only about $200-250 more than a Zeiss 21 finder!
Mine usually has the Biogon 21f4.5 or lately the Super Elmar 21f3.4 on it - and sits in my camerabag whenever I go out - just in case.
In a pinch you can stick a 18 mm on it too - just use everything you see in the finder as a guide line.
 
It's a camera I regret selling. The finder is excellent, though the Biogon 25 intrudes quite a bit, but I can see all the framelines with glasses. Mine also had a lovely feel to it, smooth wind, good shutter release and so one.

I keep thinking of another for my 25 and, as Tom says, 18 at a pinch.

Mike
 
I'd repeat Tom A's endorsement. I have the R4A and I use the CV 21/4 and 28/3.5 on it mainly. I did have a 25 but in the end sold it as I thought the difference between 21/25 and 25/28 combinations wasn't warranted. I also use the CV 15/4.5 with an accessory finder.
On the M6 I use a 28/2, 35/1.4, 50/2.5 - also have the 75/2.5 and 90/3.5 if needed.
 
Superb camera design, and very well built!

I use it with my 28 for those clean, lonely framelines, and for my 15 without external finder considering the whole viewfinder shows most of the image "a la SLR"... A great meter indeed: I've found it doesn't get fooled easily as other cameras' meters... In general it has a really solid feel... Small set with the 15, and with my 28 it even fits in my jeans pockets!

I'd say it's a camera for ultrawide and wideangle lenses up to 35mm, but I can focus my 40 at 1.4 on it. Of course if a 50 is being considered a constant shooter on it, there are better cameras for that... There's no better camera for wide & 35 shooting...

Cheers,

Juan
 
I have an R4A and I use 25 f/4, 28 f/1.9, 35 Summicron bu like the pevious posts I shy away from the 50 and put that on the M4. The R4A is light and feels good when you pick it up.
 
Juan Valdenebro said:
Superb camera design, and very well built!

I use it with my 28 for those clean, lonely framelines, and for my 15 without external finder considering the whole viewfinder shows most of the image "a la SLR"... A great meter indeed: I've found it doesn't get fooled easily as other cameras' meters... In general it has a really solid feel... Small set with the 15, and with my 28 it even fits in my jeans pockets!

I'd say it's a camera for ultrawide and wideangle lenses up to 35mm, but I can focus my 40 at 1.4 on it. Of course if a 50 is being considered a constant shooter on it, there are better cameras for that... There's no better camera for wide & 35 shooting...

Cheers,

Juan
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I agree, but prefer the Zeiss Ikon for 35 and above. I had an r2M as well and prefer the ZI to that (though it's still a realy nice camera), but the R4m alwasy seemed special.
 
I like mine a lot, too. I usually shoot it with the CV 25 or 35, but also use a 50 on it sometimes. It can be a bit of a challenge with the 50, though. All in all, it's a great little camera.
 
R4M and Fifties

R4M and Fifties

I have an R4M - I picked it over the R4A because of the no-battery-needed aspect (all "mechanical"). As above, lovely feel & light heft, and (here I'm a contrarian) it is very good with a Fifty. First lens I mounted was 50 Summicron. Excellent focus AND....you see a lot of scenery around the framed subject.

Helps framing the shot, and you keep track of stray dogs, children or tourists that are about to amble into-frame.

Second lens mounted was a 35/2.5 C-Skopar (older type). Excellent. I've had 28s and the 25 Snapshot on board, but oddly, like the camera best with the 35/50 set. Go figure. The all-mechano "M" is very quiet, in spite of the metal blade shutter.
 
Thanks!

I too like all-mech. instead of automatic. For automatic, I shot digital non-rf.
I like the r4m since it has an unique rf. However, there is no CV-shops where I live, so I am concern about buying one without seeing and "touching" it. I only have experience with CV-lenses.
 
Some years ago I got a free flight with the 'Iron Annie' the JU 52 for my 60th birthday.
As a regular camera a Nikon D300 sits in my bag but for this event I thought that b&w film would be more suitable for these shots. Mainly inside the cabin and the cockpit with a 21mm f4 VC as a plan.....

It happenend that the light and the direction of the sun was better outside and my tiny R4A made my best shot of that year.......

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36573929@N00/3841510135/in/set-72157621975498333

At that time I had a M6 or M7 too and rangefinder shooting was new to me as an old NikonF guy.

This cam is so unique and so cheap that Leica shooters start moaning when they see the comfort of framing, exposing and ---loading the film.....:D
 
When I got my ZM 21 and 25 I thought about an external vf, but then i said to myself, what the hell, with that money I could just go out and by myself a R4m! So i did, and now the 21/4.5 lives on it.
 
I had an R4A and after buying and selling a number of rangefinders the last few years this is the only one I regret selling. It's absolutely brilliant for 21/24 or 28mm lenses, just a really unique camera that retired the 0.58x Leica (IMO). If you like wides, you'll love the R4M!
 
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