Rangefinders - One Year

[Nathan King]

It has been one year since I first put my eye up to an old Kodak Retina IIIc and realized what I had been missing. I joined Rangefinderforum.com and purchased a Leica M6 with a 50mm Elmar-M lens very shortly after my discovery. Choosing to keep everything simple, my kit for the last year consisted of only a Leica M6, 50mm Elmar-M lens, and a yellow filter. I had been using a Mamiya RZ67 with a set of three lenses, so having only a small camera slung over my shoulder with one choice of focal length took some getting accustomed to. My back immediately thanked me, and I immediately noticed that I was taking more photographs because I always had the camera with me. Looking back at a year's worth of contact sheets, it is clear that I still have much to learn, but I can't help but smile looking at all of the memories I captured! I have dry mounted, matted, and framed fiber prints on my wall to prove it! 😎

The 50mm focal length works very well in my suburban environment; however, it quickly felt slightly awkward in larger cities with congested sidewalks and narrow blocks. After a day or two I was able to work around this issue with a bit of creativity, and I attained some interesting compositions that I never would have thought to make without being forced to look at things from a different perspective. Last week I decided to purchase a 35mm V4 Summicron because I found f/2.8 to be a bit slow and 50mm a little long in some instances. I honestly don’t see myself needing a third lens for the type of photography I am interested in. Hopefully this body and two lenses will give me many more years of enjoyment.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Respect to you and pleasure to me!
No smart phone talks, no digital b/w, just something classic here!

 

[bence8810]

Well done and thanks for sharing.
I can totally relate to you - I've been shooting for 14 months now and have one body one lens (M3 + 50f2 summitar)

I will stick to this for another while without confusing myself with choices. It's just simple to have one setup - as that's the one you always reach for to take.

Keep up the good work!
Ben

 

[farlymac]

I'd say you're doing okay with it. Splendid photos.

PF

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

very inspiring.

 

[antonynorthcutt]

I have a very similar story, I used to shoot Nikon, owned a ton of lenses, carried them everywhere, spent more time changing my lens than pointing it at the subjects. But then I sold it all and bought a Sony A7, things changed quite drastically. I still had all my Nikon lenses as I thought I could use them with the A7, they didn't quite match the new fancy Sony sensor, so they all got sold too. I bought the 35mm Zeiss lens and that was it for a year.

I loved loved loved the freedom of just using one camera, one lens. But something was missing, or rather something was too much.

The A7 + Zeiss lens was too sharp, digital was slowly losing me. It was then that I sold the A7 and jumped to a Leica M8. Sold instantly. Rangefinders are just the best experience for me, they just feel right. But I still had one more step to go.

I'd found the camera I wanted to use for the rest of my life, now I needed the image. I figured that I needed to try some film, so yes you guessed it, I sold the M8, bought an M2, and shortly afterwards an M6 both coupled with a glorious 35mm lens ..... complete happiness has been found !!

 

[GWT]

Nathan, thanks for sharing your experience, is there any where online where more of your images can be seen?

It has been one year since I first put my eye up to an old Kodak Retina IIIc and realized what I had been missing. I joined Rangefinderforum.com and purchased a Leica M6 with a 50mm Elmar-M lens very shortly after my discovery. Choosing to keep everything simple, my kit for the last year consisted of only a Leica M6, 50mm Elmar-M lens, and a yellow filter. I had been using a Mamiya RZ67 with a set of three lenses, so having only a small camera slung over my shoulder with one choice of focal length took some getting accustomed to. My back immediately thanked me, and I immediately noticed that I was taking more photographs because I always had the camera with me. Looking back at a year's worth of contact sheets, it is clear that I still have much to learn, but I can't help but smile looking at all of the memories I captured! I have dry mounted, matted, and framed fiber prints on my wall to prove it! 😎

The 50mm focal length works very well in my suburban environment; however, it quickly felt slightly awkward in larger cities with congested sidewalks and narrow blocks. After a day or two I was able to work around this issue with a bit of creativity, and I attained some interesting compositions that I never would have thought to make without being forced to look at things from a different perspective. Last week I decided to purchase a 35mm V4 Summicron because I found f/2.8 to be a bit slow and 50mm a little long in some instances. I honestly don’t see myself needing a third lens for the type of photography I am interested in. Hopefully this body and two lenses will give me many more years of enjoyment.

 

[Nathan King]

Nathan, thanks for sharing your experience, is there any where online where more of your images can be seen?

I do have a small website at www.cookedpixel.com. Remember I only claimed to be a photographer, not necessarily a good one. 😛

 

[John E Earley]

I do have a small website at www.cookedpixel.com. Remember I only claimed to be a photographer, not necessarily a good one. 😛

Very nice work.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

I've tinkered and toyed with rangefinder shooting over the past 5 years or so - having come from a uniquely SLR (35mm and 120) background going back to 1973/4. I love the fact that you've persevered with your self-imposed one body, one lens set up and I'm sure it'll pay dividends; your photos certainly seem testament to this.

I used to have an M6 and various lenses but always leaned towards the 35mm angle of view. My only rangefinder these days is a Fuji GW690iii as it has a 3:2 aspect ratio but 120 quality. The fixed 95mm f3.5 lens is roughly equivalent to 35mm-50mm angle of view (as far as I can gather) and it's not too heavy, depite being quite large. The only drawback is that I only get 8 shots on a roll - so I'm getting quite picky over what I point it at.

I was considering looking at buying an M2 and 35mm lens of some description but I already have an Olympus OM2n and 35mm/f2 - so there seems little point doubling up - just foir the sake of having a rangefinder quivalent.

Anyway, sincere "well done" and keep posting.....

 

[varchs]

I am one switcher as well!
I am into ZI ZM + Biogon 35f2 for almost a couple of years now!
And I feel relieved and happy!
Enjoying taking pictures!
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts!

 

[leicapixie]

I like your photographs and your blog.
Keep the fire going of happy enthusiasm !
A simple camera, a normal lens is all anyone needs..
The Leica is a simple camera, the complexity is how it's managed.
I almost only use a 50mm Collapsible Summicron on my M3.
Been together since 1967..
Professional work had me move most assignments to a SLR system.
My personal work almost always the M3.
Film is fun.
Look forward to more postings.

 

[noisycheese]

Over the last 20+ years, I have shot with Nikon MF and AF, Hasselblad 500 series, Mamiya 7II and Hasselblad XPAN.

All the above are gone now; only my XPAN, Rollei 35SE, Nikonos V remain - along with my Leica M4-P and M-P 240. The M-P 240 accounts or 90% of my photographing these days, although I chide myself for not using my other rangefinders more. Gotta work on that.

At the end of the day, I have no interest in returning to SLR or 120/220 cameras. Rangefinders fit my style of shooting like a hand in a glove.

 

[Archiver]

Sadly, Nathan King's flickr page has gone, and his website no longer exists, apart from snippets captured by the Wayback Machine.


https://web.archive.org/web/20150703071012/http://www.cookedpixel.com/?page_id=11

 

[Out to Lunch]

??? Weird revival of pics that do not feature any longer. It's not he took them a lifetime ago...2015!