Rangefinder for portraits

andre mueller

andre mueller

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Hi Everyone,

My great passion is portrait photography. In the weekends I take pictures of my friends, my girlfriend and sometimes hire a model if nobody is available.
My main cameras at the moment are a Rolleiflex K4B and the RZ67.

I'm considering the ditch the RZ and just work with the Rolleiflex.
I like the "non-system" camera better. One lens, one frame, one roll... get's the camera out of the way. And the lens looks great on Tri-X.

I have only one problem. The waist level finder often makes me shoot from a lower angle. I often prefer this because I'm a tall guy but sometimes it's hard to shoot down to your subject if you really want to.

A rangefinder would allow me to shoot from any angle.
But will a rangefinder focus good enough for portraits?
Which rangefinder would you recommend for that?
 
Rangefinders are excellent for portraiture! Because they do not rely on the appearance of the image, many of us find them easier to focus than other types of cameras. (Check the galleries for examples.)

And welcome to RFF!
 
You can also shoot from a lower angle with a rangefinder by adding a right-angle finder - I found that both my old Voigtlander R3A, and my current Fuji GS645, will take a Nikon DR-3; and they're far easier to focus with it than is an SLR.
 
SLRs are perfect for portraits, but I guess you're avoiding them deliberately for some reason. You're giving up DoF preview, a representation of lighting through the lens, etc. Not many RFs have AE, but you'll have more time to think about exposure I suppose.

Your best bet is to look for rangefinders with magnified viewfinders for use with telephotos or as focusing aides, assuming you intend to use fast lenses and need to know exactly where the center of your DoF is. I'm not up on which RFs have magnification, but plenty of people here can enumerate.
 
It depends, on what angle of view you like for portraiture. If you are a "normal" guy, then there is hope, the 35mm rangefinders will work OK, with 0.85x Leicas, Leica M3 Nikon SP or Bessa R3x giving you the best frames. In MF you can get Bronica RF with the 100mm/4.5 - a bit difficult to find, or a Mamiya 6, 7 or Plaubel Makina 67 - the last has the fastest lens: 80/2.8. Remember however, that rangefinders force you to recompose after focusing, which can be tricky with fast lenses.
If I were you, I would just look around for a good copy of the Pentax 67 (look for later models with brighter screen) with the 105/2.4 and possibly 165/2.8, it is difficult to beat these lenses and negatives at that price.
 
I have a Leica M7 with .85x viewfinder. When paired with a 1.25x magnifier, it makes focusing with 50mm-90mm lenses super easy.

My favorite combination for portraiture these days is the Leica Monochrom with a 75mm lens.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/segedi/sets/72157635358384659/

You could easily do a Voigtlander R3A with a Voigtlander 75mm lens and have 1:1 viewfinder allowing shooting with both eyes open for a nice film kit.
 
Actually, after reading your post again, I would say, that the simplest thing to do, would be to get rid of ALL the equipment you have now, and get a Rolleiflex with a 2.8 lens, plus the prism and grip, this way you can shoot it more effectively at the eye level. It is a truly great camera, probably the best MF rig ever made.
 
The rangefinders can be great for portraiture. They tend to get out of the way a bit more, in my opinion.
One thing you will gain with using a rangefinder is that you have an amazingly vase selection of lenses to choose from which will impart a characteristic signature all their own to your portrait.

The 10.5cm f/2.5 Nikkor is legendary and so are the SLR lenses that follow it but they are planar formulations, like so many other SLR lenses so although the images the later versions draw are outstanding, they don't have the same signature that the Sonnar does.

One of the great things about using an interchangeable lens rangefinder is this ability to find the lens that draws the way you want. With the older formulations, you'll find these characteristics are truly unique and even different between different versions of a lens by the same manufacturer.

The Leica M mount cameras would give you the most flexibility in finding lenses, either thread or M mount (with adapter.) Once you find the lens you like, you can just leave it there and concentrate on the photography. There is no need to change lenses. There is also no need to buy new versions of Leica or Zeiss lenses because the old formulations are still outstanding and many can outresolve the best films and sensors made today.

Phil Forrest
 
What are your favourite RF portrait lenses, if you don't mind?

And by the way I think RF's are wonderful for portraits. Just get out the way. Virtually every portrait on my website is with an m6 or 9, although I did also love the nikkor 105 2.5 on an old nikon body.

Phil_F_NM said:
The rangefinders can be great for portraiture. They tend to get out of the way a bit more, in my opinion.
One thing you will gain with using a rangefinder is that you have an amazingly vase selection of lenses to choose from which will impart a characteristic signature all their own to your portrait.

The 10.5cm f/2.5 Nikkor is legendary and so are the SLR lenses that follow it but they are planar formulations, like so many other SLR lenses so although the images the later versions draw are outstanding, they don't have the same signature that the Sonnar does.

One of the great things about using an interchangeable lens rangefinder is this ability to find the lens that draws the way you want. With the older formulations, you'll find these characteristics are truly unique and even different between different versions of a lens by the same manufacturer.

The Leica M mount cameras would give you the most flexibility in finding lenses, either thread or M mount (with adapter.) Once you find the lens you like, you can just leave it there and concentrate on the photography. There is no need to change lenses. There is also no need to buy new versions of Leica or Zeiss lenses because the old formulations are still outstanding and many can outresolve the best films and sensors made today.

Phil Forrest
Click to expand...
 
I find 35mm RFs particularly useful for being less obtrusive when it comes to interacting with the subject, in addition to all the other technical advantages. I'm sure you find this to be the case with TLRs, too.
At first I thought you'd probably want to sick with medium format, but depending on where and how you take portraits, 35 is a nice alternative.

I wouldn't give up on SLRs though, since you otherwise give up DOF preview and direct viewing, as others have mentioned, which is always nice in a studio setting, especially with artificial lighting.
 
That's some great food for thought everybody. Thanks a million!
You pointed out one more thing which is looking through both eyes!
For that reason I initially went for TLR's. To be able to see with both eyes. But now I find myself more peaking through the magnifiers.

So yes, a rangefinder. This might just be the thing...

At the moment I'm thinking of GF670, GW680, Mamiya 7 + 80mm.
 
andre mueller said:
That's some great food for thought everybody. Thanks a million!
You pointed out one more thing which is looking through both eyes!
For that reason I initially went for TLR's. To be able to see with both eyes. But now I find myself more peaking through the magnifiers.

So yes, a rangefinder. This might just be the thing...

At the moment I'm thinking of GF670, GW680, Mamiya 7 + 80mm.
Click to expand...

Handling aside, probably my favorite thing about RFs is that I can tell what's in focus without actually seeing what's in focus. I could never really tell with waist-level finders.

You wouldn't be going wrong with a Mamiya 7. I've lusted after one for years.
 
I have an Argus C3,,, well 3 of them and one of the 100mm lenses and am going to do some studio work with that. I making a PC for it to fire the strobes but until then I'll just use one of the CLS I have. I also have a Kodak Retina Reflex II and a 135 as well as a Practica FX2 and a 200mm I'll try as well. Should be fun. I have a good TF model coming in and should have time for that.
 
TennesseJones said:
What are your favourite RF portrait lenses, if you don't mind?

And by the way I think RF's are wonderful for portraits. Just get out the way. Virtually every portrait on my website is with an m6 or 9, although I did also love the nikkor 105 2.5 on an old nikon body.
Click to expand...

I love the DR Summicron and the 10.5cm Nikkor. Haven't had any serious time with any 85/90mm offerings besides the thin Tele-Elmarit but that didn't stay long. I did own the CV 75mm f/1.8 and thought it was stellar. It handled great and made gorgeous images. Not to mention that it was inexpensive when compared to a ZM or a Leica and the CV lens is very close when it comes to image quality from what I've seen.
Then I also love the wides for portraits. I love 28mm in the hands of Winogrand. I'm barely comfortable in that focal length only because with a rangefinder I'm usually shooting 50mm, 35mm or 21mm but now I have the 50mm Mamiya 6 lens and that is about a 28mm equivalent.
I love the 21mm Super Angulon when put to use by someone like Jeanloup Seiff. Again, I haven't come close to using it to its full potential but do love it so.

Shot this with the DR Summicron:
KateMask_E.jpg


This with the 75mm f/1.8 CV lens:
L1010109_E.jpg


This with a 35mm Summilux V2:
l1001199_E.jpg


I have yet to see the results from the 150mm Mamiya 6 lens but I'm sure it's quite awesome. As for the portrait look, it might not cut it but we'll see.

Phil Forrest
 
Frank Petronio said:
I used to use a Fuji GW690II and III. Great cameras, don't worry about the bokeh police. The more experienced I get the less bokeh matters....
Click to expand...

Hi Frank, are those the 90mm or 100 mm lens? I'm a fan of your model portraits! i tried a fuji once with a 50mm wide angle lens but they are a bit too big for daily use. but i'm curious to hear your opinions. Those 6x9 negatives are awesome.
 
It all depends on the kind of portraits you have in mind.
I do not like rangefinders for portraits because using long lenses does not work comfortble and normal lenses do not focus close enough.
Nothing beats a Hasselblad or Contax 645 for me. I use both with wlf or prism finder.
 
About as non-portrait lens as you can get - 35mm lens on 35mm film. "They" told us not to use a wide for portraiture, but it makes for a different look, works especially well for couples, for adding a bit of context, or space around the subject.
 
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