RFF is an oasis

[sf]

Rangefinderforum is a great place. The quality of the discussions, the quantity of knowledge changing hands. The trading, selling, sharing, teaching, learning. . .it is a unique webspace. I have passed in and out of other online spaces with similar intent, and RFF is truly different.

I used to work at a Cigar shop in Issaquah, WA, and it was a nice place to work because of the conversation and the atmosphere. All the old guys and the young guys found common ground there as well as women young and old, and the rest of the world stayed outside. It was place where people went and experienced the value of community.

I really appreciate the sincerity with which members post, and the constant creation of knowledge. Nowhere else on the net can I find such a rich collection of information on about rangefinders and photographic technique in such a well organized and very user friendly interface.

I hope I can add something to this community, because I have already learned tons - and it has only been a week.

Thanks to all

 

[RubenBlaedel]

it is a great place and people are really nice and helpfull

 

[DougK]

I've been on a few 'Net forums (non-photography related) in the past, but never have seen another one that keeps me coming back like this one does.

I definitely appreciate soaking up knowledge from everyone here, even if y'all do evilly tempt me into buying more gear 🙂

 

[jorisbens]

RFF is obviously one of the best forums on the internet, and I now even visit RFF just before going to school :bang: And RFF is the first site I open when I open my browser! Am I getting addicted to RFF? 😀

 

[parks5920]

I have a full blown addiction to the RFF. It's the only site I check a couple of times a day, I think it's that good. Now all I have to do is post some pictures in the next couple of days.

 

[nwcanonman]

themirana,
And to think it all started in the fertle/peaceful Pacific Northwest ..........
just like Microsoft ...... LOL.
Yep, it's my 'homepage' too!

 

[Penguin_101]

This place is like the Cheers of the internet. Who here is on the most so they can be Norm?

 

[taffer]

"Hey...joe; joe are you there?

Penguin is talking about you!

ManGo"

LOL !!! 😀

 

[Rockford]

I, too, like this forum. It has a nice feel. I have an interest in all older cameras, TLR's, SLR's, and RF's---even a folder or two. I tend to have just one or two at a time. My point is that this is a knowledgeable group. Is it appropriate to post questions that do not have to do with rangefinders in general? Let me give a for instance:

Are leaf shutters like those on TLR's and older non-interchangable lens RF's infinitely variable? In short is my Yashica A limited to 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, and 1/300, or could I aproximate 1/30, 1/60,1/125 and 1/250? I realize I am talking fractions? I realize too that the shutter may slow, etc. I just wish to know in principal. I suppose this would also apply to leaf-shtter RF's like my old Konica S. Thanks. WNG

 

[Rockford]

Second Thought: This is not as big an issue on the Konica S as it has geometric speeds from 1 to 1/500 second just llike most more recent cameras. WNG

 

[Pherdinand]

Rockford - The old compur-type mechanical leaf shutters (also the yashica A should be similar to this - copal shutter i guess) are not a very easy case, in my experience. I have here a compur right in front of me, taken out from a busted folder, half way open. In some speed ranges there's no reason not to put it in between the 'official' speeds and approximate it. Like, on this compur, from 1 s to 1/10 s it is changing continuously.
But then, there's a little lever disengaging part of the slow-speed escapement unit that starts to act at 1/10 s. Between 1/10 and 1/25 s, this lever is on its way from position A to position B and I don't think the shutter set between these two speeds can be expected to give consistent in-between values. It's just like putting the gear of your car between two consecutive gears.
Then, from 1/25 to 1/100 there's a continuous change again, so i'd be confident using it at say 1/75 s. Then after 1/100, to go to 1/250 the extra spring is engaged (in some faster shutters like compur rapid, synchro-compur etc this happens only from 1/250 to 1/500) and that is fully engaged only when you set 1/250. Between 1/100 and 1/250 it's partially lose, so i'd say it can't be accurately set.

OTOH, some electric leaf shutters like the yashica GSN series offer a stepless speed range from tens of seconds down to 1/500 s.That's the advantage of electronic shutters, on one hand, that they can be used at any speed since it's all about loading a capacitor in a certain time. No extra springs, no rotating little wheels.

 

[Roger Hicks]

As an addition to Pherdinand'sd excellent post I would add that old shutters are rarely accurate enough for intermediate speeds to matter, unless freshly cleaned and lubricated. 1/500 is usually 1/300-1/400 (the latter at best); 1/250 = 1/200 if you're lucky; 1/125 maybe 1/100; and so forth, with 1/15 and longer normally close enough. Reckon on 1/3 stop slow and you will generally be pretty accurate with most older cameras. Best of all buy a ZTS speed tester -- there's one that doubles as an exposure meter and doesn't cost too much.

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)

 

[back alley]

i'm here!

finally had to come back to work this morning, so i'll be in and out.

joe

 

[nwcanonman]

Hi Norm!
Oh, I mean Joe .... LOL. I'll buy ya' a beer.

 

[peter_n]

I think we all appreciate the culture on this forum, and it is interesting to see that threads like this break out every now and then. I don't think any of us take RFF for granted - we all work at it...

 

[dmr]

Rangefinderforum is a great place. The quality of the discussions, the quantity of knowledge changing hands.

I joined last February, and I've been saying this so often everybody's probably getting tired of it. This place is truly the rose among thorns of online forums (fora?) and seems to attract people who act like adults, as opposed to those who act otherwise and haunt many other systems.

and it has only been a week.

Welcome. 🙂 I'm sure you will find this place very addictive. 🙂

 

[back alley]

we all work at it...

that is one of the keys to our success.

joe

 

[sf]

RFF causes GAS

RFF causes GAS

about GAS attacks and my bank account dropping to zero. . .

well, yes. And no. Coming here drove me to sell my medium format gear and my Nikon D70 so that I could buy an R3A, a Nokton 40, and a 75mm Fujinon for my large format project. So, it could have cost me a couple grand, but I made up for it by sacrificing the others.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Glad you like the forum, themirana. It's a place we all take pride in!

Now... I really like your avatar. What's it from? Reminds me of a still of a movie... Please, explain...

Thanks!

 

[sf]

about my avatar

about my avatar

that shot was taken with a Mamiya 645e medium format camera. I took it about three years ago in rural Washington state. We, my *friend* and I had finished a shoot, and were standing in the road between two fields about to get in the car. It was cold, she was tired, and she closed her eyes. It was windy and cloudy. As soon as she closed her eyes, the hair went across her face and I took the picture. It was very candid, no posing.

I think it was on Ilford HP5, I played with the exposure. I cropped it from a really wide panoramic to get it in the 125 pixel size for the avatar.

I hope it's OK since I did not take it with a rangefinder. I didn't even own one yet. I think it is a good example of capturing the moment. It's my favorite people picture.