Rangefinder or DSLR, when?

[Brad Bireley]

For the last couple of weeks since I've been bitten by this rangefinder/real film bug I have a question for the photographers who still use a DSLR. How do you decide what to use? I have to go to the dump this afternoon & it's a wonderful ride in the mountains(plus it's just beautiful outside today, in the 70's!) to get there. I know I'll take all of my stuff with me. Do you shoot the same scene with both formats? It's still hard not to take the DSLR. I hope I make sense!

 

[grizzz]

If planning a trip for photography I always take my DSLR and some form of Film camera depending on the location. this morning it was the Tidal Basin on the mall in DC with the DSLR and the xpan. Used the DSLR for close up of the cherry blossoms and the xpan for pano's and regular format shots wides. Normally I'd have a bessa with B&W film as well but was just thinking color for the cherry blossoms.....


The one thing I do find is I will slip into an almost point and shoot mode with the DSLR at times and always seem to concentrate more with the rangefinders. Could just be me???

 

[JoeFriday]

The one thing I do find is I will slip into an almost point and shoot mode with the DSLR at times and always seem to concentrate more with the rangefinders. Could just be me???

same with me

I use my DSLR quite often.. to take photos of my rangefinders 😉

and of course a DSLR is a good choice for macro shots.. they're also nice to have around when you don't know what you'll be shooting.. it sucks to stumble into some lushly colored environment and have your camera loaded with Tri-X.. or be half a roll into an ASA 100 roll, and have a beautiful candlelit portrait opportunity

but if I'm limited to just one camera, I'll almost always choose an RF.. the camera might not be as versatile, but I almost always take better photos with it

 

[GeneW]

When I take both a DSLR and a RF with me, I first evaluate what I might want to shoot. If colour predominates (let's say spring or autumn colours) I shoot with the DSLR. If I see mainly textures, shapes, patterns, or people opportunities, I shoot B&W film. If I see both I usually split my time and use DSLR for part of the shoot then switch to RF. I'm unable to switch back and forth rapidly between the two types of camera. I need to be in SLR mode or RF mode for exclusive periods of time while shooting.

Gene

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I use the DLSR's at work for technical reports.

I use the DSLR at home to photograph my RF's.

I use Film cameras, RF's and SLR's, for "my" pictures.

Just took the Nikon S3 and SP to the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum. I was the only one not using a flash.

 

[bmattock]

Just like Brian - same for me. DSLR for making money with. RF and SLR film cameras for everything else. But I have no Nikon SP or S3 - for me it is usually the Bessa R and a 50mm lens. For my recent trip to NYC, I took a pair of fixed-lens rangefinders, the Yashica Lynx 14 and Olympus 35 RC. Nothing else but film and lens-cleaning cloth.

But since I had to hump whatever I brought with me all through NYC, I wanted to fly light without overbyte.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Socke]

I have one of my Contax G's with me most of the time and take one or two of my other film cameras on a walk every now and then when I feel like using them.

The dSLR is for situations where I know I'll shoot a lot of pictures for which I don't want to waste film or when I think a SLR is the right tool. I haven't used my film SLRs much since I have the digital.

What's funny, I nearly never convert to B&W and don't have any plugins, actions or whatever to do so.

 

[jaapv]

For me- DSLR for work, for macro and tele/wildlife. RF film for everything else and Digilux2 to carry at all times.

 

[Ken Ford]

For my railroad action stuff - DSLR.

Street shooting - usually my M6, sometimes a DSLR instead.

I *never* work with both at the same time. Two completely different mindsets!