sounds silly but to ALL BESSA users how you manually focus and shoot using R ??

tedwhite said:
And YES! Hagen_Dazs, no matter how much you stop down with an rf camera, the wonderfully bright viewfinder image never dims. One of life's simple joys.

Hey people!
When i read this on cameraquest website..
"....the RF spot offers BOTH a split image and super imposed rangefinder image. This means you can focus by bringing together the two images inside the RF spot (super imposed), or by using the split images on the bottom and top of the RF spot (split image). ...."

I understand the part about bringing 2 images together because i can see the double images in my RF.

But what do you mean by using split images on the bottom and top?
I dont see anything on top or bottom of my spot.
Is it because i dont have a lens attached yet??

thanks!
 
haagen_dazs said:
Hey people!
When i read this on cameraquest website..
"....the RF spot offers BOTH a split image and super imposed rangefinder image. This means you can focus by bringing together the two images inside the RF spot (super imposed), or by using the split images on the bottom and top of the RF spot (split image). ...."

I understand the part about bringing 2 images together because i can see the double images in my RF.

But what do you mean by using split images on the bottom and top?
I dont see anything on top or bottom of my spot.
Is it because i dont have a lens attached yet??

thanks!
what that means is you focus on using the edge of the rangefinder spot, not looking at what's in the spot
pretty much the same thing
 
When you have a lens on the camera, if you are looking at something that is not in focus, you'l get two more or less over lapping images in the VF spot. When the object is in focus, they will combine into one image. The "split image" reference is when you are focusing on something that is bigger than the VF patch, the image in the VF patch will be slightly displaced from the rest of the image in the VF. Put a lens on the camera and try focusing on something like a telephone ploe and you'll see what I'm poorly explaining.
Some times it's easier to find a sharp edge and focus on that--especially if you're shooting in dim light or low contrast conditions.
Rob
 
To add my bit to the explanation, the point that the Cameraquest comment is making is that the RF spot is sharpely defined all around, and this does allow the top edge or the bottom edge to be used in a split-image method. And this can be more visually precise than matching two overlapping images.

If the RF spot were just a fuzzy patch in the center of the viewfinder, like most non-interchangeable-lens RF cameras, then there's no sharp boundary to use in that way, and the overlapping image method is all there is.
 
FrankS said:
An all manual RF camera is faster and more responsive than any electronic auto-everything SLR
IF
expsoure and focus are pre-set.

Thank you, Frank. I look forward in learning and developing this skill (hopefully I can!).

The HUGE learning curve I experienced this past weekend while shooting with the RF compared to an SLR...

REMEMBER TO TAKE OFF THE LENS CAP!

I wasted several shots as I was looking through the finder, focusing, and clicking away only to find I still had the cap on. This doesn't happen with SLRs! So, with this bit of poor luck, perhaps I wll be challenged when it comes to the RF overall 🙂
 
Mark: If you have the bessa r and begin taking a picture with the cap still on the lens you're going to get some really weird meter readings. That should alert you.

With a rangefinder camera, the moment I pick it up I remove the lens cap and stick it in my pocket, where it remains until I am home for the night. Otherwise, if you take a few shots, then replace the cap, put the camera in the car and start for home and see something that's suddenly right there and won't be 'right there' much longer, you stop, leap out of the car and OOPS - take two shots before you realize the cap is on the lens.

My rule: Take cap off in morning when you get up, put cap on at night when you
go to bed..

Hope this relieves your anxiety.

Ted
 
yooo hooo.
time to bump up this super long thread 😀

My 35mm classic skopar CAME IN THE MAIL!!!!!
YEAH!! its been a long wait since i bought it!

Its such a small lens. It is dwarfed by all my mega canon lenses.

First impressions, i like the metal build all around. Even the cap is made of metal.
Had some problems mounting the lens coz i didnt know how to do it.. didnt seem to screw on .heh. finally did it.

The focusing ring is quite stiff.. Stiffer when i am trying to rotate to the 0.7m end.
Is that normal?
The f stop ring is pretty easy to move..

I realized that i can stop in between the f stop numbers. Am i correct ?

I also realize that for the ISO dial, i seem to be able to make intermediate stops in between 100, 200, 400 etc. Is that normal?


My biggest chanllenge was acutally trying to hold the camera in the most comfortable way. I am used to AF as well as manually focusing by turning the focusing ring. But this was REALLLY odd.

I had to hold onto the knob to turn the ring.
I feel like it is very lopsidded.
I dont kknow how to hold the camera steady.. usually the base of the camera would lie on the palm of my left hand.
But when i am using my thumb and index finger to hold the knob, its lobsided..
=(
any suggestions?
 
My CV 35 is not exactly "stiff" but it does not run freely. For me it has a comfortable resistance.

As for holding and focusing: I grip the camera with my right hand, my left thumb is on the bottom of the camera and I use my index finger to push or pull the lever. There is no "right" way, do what is comfortable for you.

BTW the knob screws off if you want, feel free to be inventive.
 
Lenses can get stiff to focus if they are not used for some time. Try playing with it for five minutes and see if it loosens up.

A lot of lenses have 1/2 stops, and a lot of ISO dials have 1/3 stops, that's normal.
 
Best way to figure these out, as always, go shoot a couple rolls. 😛 I almost entirely hold the R in my right hand. Focus with my left, once in focus, I grab the chunk of camera below the viewfinder between my thumb and pointer finger. I came to this technique because I own the 15mm and you can only have so many close up pictures of your finger before you get bored with them. :bang:
 
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