Rangefinder Myths I - I look outside the frame lines

[Tuolumne]

There are a number of benefits claimed for rangefinder cameras that I never find myself taking advatnage of. One of these is the ability to look outside the frame lines to see what may be coming into view or how a different framing may affect the picture. Here is an eloquent statement of this benefit by one of our RFF members from another thred:

"With the RF, you're in the moment. You are capturing a feeling, a moment, a more inclusive kind of photograph. This is partially due to the nature of the RF - you can see what's around the photograph you are taking, your view isn't ever blocked, so you can capture HCB's "decisive moment."

For myself, I never look outside the frame. Perhaps it is too many years of using SLRs or P&S cameras. I think the fact that I wear glasses also contrubutes, since I frequently can't see outside the frameline presented. Heck - on 35mm and wider I often can't even see the frame line.

Anyway, I wonder how many RF users are like me and never, or almost never, see outside the frame and how many do. I guess you'd call this seeing outside the box. 🙂


/T

P.S. I was going to make this a poll, but for some reason it posted before I could create one.

 

[FrankS]

I wear glasses like you, so with some (wider) lens/viewfinder combinations it is not possible. When it is however, I do look-see outside the framelines.

 

[kmack]

Composing is much faster when you can see outside the frame lines. You can see what is excluded as well as what you included. Decisions on how to frame a shot can be made quicker.

 

[kevin sykes]

I also have an SLR "background" - where frequently the viewfinder is only 90-95% - so looking outside the framelines doesn't come naturally.
But I don't see the big advantage claimed of seeing what is coming into the frame, after all how much more can you see? If for example it is a figure walking into the scene - how close do they need to be to the scene to be in the viewfinder but not within the framelines?
And, if it's just general composition - well compared to an SLR the framelines generaly only seem to be an aproximation so I tend to make sure I capture more than I want and crop later rather then be inch accurate and cut something off.

kevin

 

[Dogman]

I think we probably notice the area outside the frames more than we realize but we concentrate on the area of composition. Does looking outside the frames help much? For me, not really. The framelines are only approximations of the actual image on the film anyway so the lines aren't precise enough to determine for sure what is at the edge of the frame and what is outside it. I like rangefinders for the ability to shoot loose and open. Going back to an SLR always makes me feel a little claustrophobic at first but SLRs are better for precise framing.

 

[oscroft]

Anyway, I wonder how many RF users are like me and never, or almost never, see outside the frame and how many do

Interesting. I came to RF cameras from decades of SLR use, and the "outside the frames" thing struck me immediately as a benefit. Now, when I use an SLR, I catch myself trying to see round the edges of the viewfinder view.

 

[wgerrard]

Isn't the real difference that you need to move an SLR to see what you might include in the frame, while an RF gives you at least a little "window" outside the frame. How much you can see in that window, of course, depends. Still, if, for example, a guy chasing his dog is about to run into your beautifully composed shot, you will see the dog just a few milliseconds earlier in an RF. To me, that's an immaterial difference.

When the window around a particular set of framelines is large enough, I do find that it helps me compose a shot. But, I don't find this feature of RF's to be compelling, or the lack of it in SLR's to be offputting.

 

[ferider]

It's a technique. You can also use it on SLRs by keeping both eyes open.

Very useful for 35-50mm focal lengths and action shots.

If you don't use it, probably means you don't need it.

 

[DougK]

There are a number of benefits claimed for rangefinder cameras that I never find myself taking advatnage of. One of these is the ability to look outside the frame lines to see what may be coming into view or how a different framing may affect the picture. Here is an eloquent statement of this benefit by one of our RFF members from another thred:

"With the RF, you're in the moment. You are capturing a feeling, a moment, a more inclusive kind of photograph. This is partially due to the nature of the RF - you can see what's around the photograph you are taking, your view isn't ever blocked, so you can capture HCB's "decisive moment."

For myself, I never look outside the frame. Perhaps it is too many years of using SLRs or P&S cameras. I think the fact that I wear glasses also contrubutes, since I frequently can't see outside the frameline presented. Heck - on 35mm and wider I often can't even see the frame line.

Anyway, I wonder how many RF users are like me and never, or almost never, see outside the frame and how many do. I guess you'd call this seeing outside the box. 🙂


/T

I rarely see what's outside the frame line and for the same reason: I wear glasses. I do like the brighter view of things through an RF viewfinder, though, and find that to be a bigger advantage.

 

[cmogi10]

I do in conjunction with shooting with both eyes open. I like to see the big picture as well as my potential shot.

 

[thomasw_]

being a spectacled man, i find when i remember to wear contacts before i go out to shoot, that i enjoy my rf-experience just a bit more.....especially with my m3.

 

[gns]

I guess the longer the lens (and the smaller the framelines in you finder), the more one might do that. But I don't think I do it much. I'm not really looking through the finder that much at all. Mostly I'm looking with the camera away from my eye (maybe right next to my eye) and then moving it to my eye just to shoot. I mean, do people really sit there with the camera glued to their eye? I guess if they do, then this would be more important.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[ibrando]

I too wear glasses and cannot see the 35mm framelines. I do like to see what's out-of-frame so I usually use 50mm and that allows me, with glasses, to see outside the framelines.

Cheers,
B.

 

[cmogi10]

I guess the longer the lens (and the smaller the framelines in you finder), the more one might do that. But I don't think I do it much. I'm not really looking through the finder that much at all. Mostly I'm looking with the camera away from my eye (maybe right next to my eye) and then moving it to my eye just to shoot. I mean, do people really sit there with the camera glued to their eye? I guess if they do, then this would be more important.

Cheers,
Gary

I watched a video on James Nachtwey, and yes, that's exactly what he does.
He also shoots SLR's...but it doesn't matter what tool he uses to get his results.

 

[Rafael]

Maybe some will feel that the two amount to the same thing, but for me the difference is that SLR framing involves adjusting the placement of subjects within the frame and RF framing involves moving the frame to adjust to the subjects.

 

[PlantedTao]

I too wear glasses and cannot see the 35mm framelines. I do like to see what's out-of-frame so I usually use 50mm and that allows me, with glasses, to see outside the framelines.

Cheers,
B.

Same for me and is one of the reasons why I have been restricting myself to 50mm for street (although I prefer the 35, but that is as wide as I can go with glasses)...a 50mm lets me see the action before I have to shoot, allowing me a bit more time for composition.

Jason

 

[JNewell]

I really do that...pretty much perfectly fulfill the old Leica ad talk (and Leica School advice). Doesn't help a lot with static subjects but I find it very helpful when photographing people.

 

[Feanor]

A DISadvantage?

A DISadvantage?

...
For myself, I never look outside the frame. Perhaps it is too many years of using SLRs or P&S cameras. I think the fact that I wear glasses also contrubutes, since I frequently can't see outside the frameline presented. Heck - on 35mm and wider I often can't even see the frame line.

...

Like you, perhaps I've developed bad habits with SLRs and digital displays. Sometimes I "see" outside the frame and forget that I'm not going to get everything in the finder. 🙄

 

[Morca007]

Using a 50, I look outside the framelines when I compose...

 

[Anupam]

I find seeing outside the frame a great way to compose, set exposure, focus and then let people walk into the frame and have them precisely where I want them in the pic.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/primelens/1820885706/

-Anupam
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/1820885706_386ef3b335.jpg