Rangefinder veiwfinder, lenses ?'s

[Lynn Ross]

Ok! I’m new to rangefinders but have been reading up on them for awhile now, so I have some questions about this RD-1 and the lenses …. Do to the fact that I would like to get the CV 21 f/4 and there is a need to purchase a viewfinder for it, my question is can you use this lens without the D finder (for now) using the distance ring and aperture scale and get good photo’s (I know that it’s not a coupled lens) … or is it a crap shoot doing it this way, or a good way to learn more!
I just purchased the CV 40 f/1.4 and just want a wider view without spending to much more for right now ... or forget the CV 21 and just use the 40 for a while ...
Thanks for any help
Lynn Ross
PS, I forgot to mention what kind of photo's I’m going to take with these lenses, just so you know what to tell me .... I want to do some street photography, city type photo's

 

[Nando]

Hi Lynn,

The 21/4 comes with the viewfinder so there's no need to purchase one. It is also rangefinder coupled though that I rarely use the rangefinder with my 21.

 

[pfogle]

the lens comes with a viewfinder, so why don't you just tape over the edges using packing tape, see the photo...

with a bit of trial and error (camera on tripod!) you can get it more accurate than the bought one, and it's free

- ps it didn't start out looking so tatty!

 

[Terao]

It is rangefinder coupled so you have no issues with focus, although for street just setting it to hyperfocal at f/8 or f/11 will probably be sufficient - it has decent depth of field...

I use the non-D finder for my 12mm f/5.6 and it is frustrating - difficult to get accurate framing, particularly as i wear glasses and its not always easy to get my eye in line with the finder anyway. I'll definitely be doing the packing tape mod to it

Good to hear you went for the 40mm, love that lens...

I'm in the market for a secondhand 21mm myself but they don't turn up that often (probably means its a good lens!)

 

[Lynn Ross]

Thanks Fernando, Phil and Terao the fact that it's rangefinder coupled I knew but forgot but the use of the free finder didn't even cross my mind, I think I will use it for awhile and when the frustration gets to much then I'll pop for the D-finder but I think that they should lessen the price of it or give you one
Lynn

 

[Terao]

Yep, the D finders are very expensive. The pikey in me will go for the packing tape option

 

[kena]

"D" finder

"D" finder

I found mine on the bay for 100.00. FWIW I dont find the 21mm"D" finder very accurate on the RD1s anyways, in fact I find that all the brightlines on the epson are coming up a bit short.

 

[Nando]

Are you using the D-Finders that came with your wide-angle lens? Its my understanding that Cosina-Voigtlander made special D-Finders for use with the RD1 taking the crop-factor into consideration - sold separately of course.

It's true though, I find most vf's being slightly off and I have plenty of them - one for each my lenses listed in my sig plus Imarect and TEWE multifinders. You get used to it though with practise. The trickiest part is remembering to compensate for parallax error. Its sound simple enough but starting out with SLRs, I kept forgetting quite often at first resulting in some bad shots - especially frame-filling portraits with the top part of the head cut off. :bang: I learnt my lesson though and now I hardly ever make any mistake when it comes to parallax.

 

[pfogle]

I found mine on the bay for 100.00. FWIW I dont find the 21mm"D" finder very accurate on the RD1s anyways, in fact I find that all the brightlines on the epson are coming up a bit short.

too true - my modified 12mm is the most accurate I've got