"Rangefinder-like" SLRs

peterm1

peterm1

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One of my all time favourite classic SLR cameras is the little Pentax S1a. In its day it was one of the cameras that brought photography to a whole generation of keen amateurs and was quite expensive to buy - although its specs list is pretty short by modern standards. Maybe that's why I like it! Here is a link to a page with a nice photo (not mine) although this camera mounts a slightly later lens. ( I should add that my comments go for all of this series - S1, S2 S1a etc. They were all more or less identical except in details. I should also add that these were sold as Honeywell Pentax in the USA and labeled H1, H2 etc.)

http://www.pbase.com/agripix/image/93262399

A link to the history of this era of Pentaxe cameras with some nice photos. The K camera with its front slow speed dial makes the camera feel even more like an early rangefinder but is a bit more rare than the later versions.

http://www.taunusreiter.de/Cameras/Pentax_K_engl.html

Its not obvious from the photo but its a small camera - quite smaller than the Spotmatics that followed and its form factor (tossy words for "shape") is more or less reminiscent of the Leica LTM cameras in my view - much more elegant than later cameras that were produced and sold by almost any manufacturer until the Pentax M series and Olympus OM series came along. With its little semi-auto 50mm lenses and a line of other preset and semi auto lenses it was and still is a gem to use. I find it to have the feeling of my rangefinder cameras in use - even down to not having a light meter!

I was wondering if others have favourites of this sort - especially SLR cameras that they find to be similar in their handling characteristics to rangefinders.

In the digital world I did buy a Panasonic L1 (a cheaper digital camera than the otherwise identical Leica version) in the hope that it would produce this feeling but it does not quite hit the mark in this respect although its a fine camera. Its quite a larger camera with an even larger zoom lens and distressingly I find its focusing seems a tad slow especially in dim light where a rangefinder would excel and its viewfinder a bit dim (likewise re rangefinder.) It works better in this regard when third party lenses are mounted via an adapter although the dim rangefinder still does not help. While I like the results it produces it does not really evoke the feelings I get when handling and using a classic rangefinder.

But lets hear from you. Any one agree about the S1a and does anyone have other favourites of this sort - film of digital.
 
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I have used a Pentax *ist DS since 2004, and it has become quite comfortable to me. I have recently upgraded to the K200D and it is a very nice camera with some excellent features like anti-shake that the *ist DS doesn't have. But I find that the *ist DS might just be my preferred camera after all. It is light and small and fast, and with the split-image rangefinder viewscreen I put in it, and an M42 adapter, it's a treat to use with M42 lenses. With a 50mm lens on it, it's truly tiny. It's obviously not a rangefinder, but it fills so many of the niches that previously I could only hit with my Bessa R, I seldom take the Bessa out to play anymore. So it's rangefinder-like in that sense.
 
My Nikon F3's feel solid and elemental like my M2's, while my smaller Pentax MX puts me more in mind of a screw mount Leica, especially when it wears the pancake 40f2.8 lens.
 
Regarding classic 35mm SLRs', you can't forget the Canon Pellix. Very rangefinder-like in that there was no image blackout because of the pellicle mirror.

Jim B.
 
My Nikon FA has a "rangefinderesque" feel in form factor.
It's a really great camera too.

Cheers.
 
Peter,

I agree on the Pentax S-series. I have an H3v, which is the USA version of one of those cameras, and I loved how it handled. Unfortunately, mine has a shutter that doesn't work right at speeds higher than 1/125 and it couldn't be fixed. I use a spotmatic now when I get out my Screwmount gear to play with, but I like the much smaller H3v better.

My picks for RF-like SLRs would also include some of the Olympus OM-series cameras. They're tiny, fast to operate, light, and have smaller lenses than most SLR systems.
 
...the D700 fits my hand like my old Oly OM2... ;) kidding

Seriously though, the OM2 (or any of the OMs) was the most Rf-like slr I've handled. Its wonderful traits: compact, bright & large finder, quiet.
 
Another vote for the Pentax H3v. A pleasure to use, a really great finder screen and lots of inexpensive and great glass available.

I also have an odd liking for Praktinas, an slr with a separate viewfinder. They are fun but not of Pentax quality. I believe there was also an Alpa slr that had a rangefinder built into it but it would be hard to find and expensive.

I should also add the Nikon FM2. With the 50mm f1.8, small and a pleasure to use. Joe
 
My vote is for the Nikon FE/FM series, the FM being all mechanical. The two lines merged and culminated in the FM3a, introduced around 2005, I think. It was short lived as the digital revolution killed it, but its all mechanical function, small, solid build (ROLLER bearings throughout), bright/snappy viewfinder, and tiny 42mm kit lens make it the most rangefinder-like SLR ever.

/T
 
SLR in a breast pocket? No way

SLR in a breast pocket? No way

While I'm with the OM series and the Nikon FM/FE/FA body style in terms of general simplicity and function, the premise is questionable.

No SLRs I've used come close to the modest size you can get on some rangefinders, even if operation is not far off. I was out yesterday with a FED-2 with collapsible lens, and it fits nicely in my shirt breast pocket. Surprisingly comfortable despite the very considerable heft. Just unthinkable with an SLR.
 
The early Pentaxes are really classic, and compact. My first Pentax was a Heiland H3 which I traded in on a new Honeywell Spotmatic, then bought a new H3v as a second body. I still have a Spotmatic MD from new, and out of nostalgia I more recently found a nice H3 and a K. These are great little cameras and fun to use.

I also use an ES and ESII so most of my screw mount lenses are SMCT for compatibility. As a Pentax fan, I also like the MX and LX for compactness, and for that matter the ZX-5 and ZX-M are very light and small for carry as easy as a Bessa R for instance. Pentax has a good history for smaller bodies, outside of the ES and K series.
 
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Oly OMs here, too --
except that focusing/seeing is clearly SLR/RF different.
actually, I can carry am OM with three lenses more easily than I can an M and three lenses.
 
Armoured said:
While I'm with the OM series and the Nikon FM/FE/FA body style in terms of general simplicity and function, the premise is questionable.

No SLRs I've used come close to the modest size you can get on some rangefinders, even if operation is not far off. I was out yesterday with a FED-2 with collapsible lens, and it fits nicely in my shirt breast pocket. Surprisingly comfortable despite the very considerable heft. Just unthinkable with an SLR.
Click to expand...

The Olympus pro-series bodies (OM-1, 2, 3, 4, 4Ti, 2sp) are all smaller than a Leica M body.
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
I use a spotmatic now when I get out my Screwmount gear to play with, but I like the much smaller H3v better.
Click to expand...

My brother had the H3 (H3v?) and I had the Spotmatic and I don't remember any major size difference. The front assembly was styled differently on the two, the self-timer (but who really uses that?) was totally different, but I seem to remember them both fitting in the same case.

I still consider the 35mm SLR like the Pentax and the 35mm RF to be more alike than different. The setting of the focus and exposure is very similar and the whole picture taking process is more similar than say a MF folder, box camera, TLR, etc. ...
 
The old Leicaflex Standard was designed presumably to replicate the rangefinder mode of shooting in an SLR. It had a a very sensitive central microprism area (which was the focusing aid, a la rangefinder patch) while the rest of the viewfinder was very bright but non-focusing. On the other hand it was (and I suppose still is) quite bulky.

.
 
Do any of these have cloth shutters? I like the Zenit SLRs, rather bulky (!) but a bright unmetered viewfinder and a cloth shutter. I have taken the top plate off in the past and covered it with felt on the inside and it shut the camera up considerably. Gearing also reminds of M cameras to me. Too bad its not small, the Helios lens is quite large as well, but its a Biogon copy and draws very pretty.
 
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