The 'How many have you got' competition :-)

Helen, welcome to the forum. I was curious about your preference for the Plaubel over the Mamiya's. I don't remember much about them, but I sure do like my Super Press 23. I have the 50mm, 65mm (currently shutter not working), and of course, the 100mm f/3.5. Also extention tubes, focusing back, and focusing back/cut film holder with 9 cut film holders, all type A.

bmattock - nice photos. Oh BTW, nice collection of cameras too. :D
 
This is my list, I pulled out all of the scale focusers and auto-focusers since I interpret "rangefinder" to be an optical rangefinder.

1. Agfa Karat 36, 50/2.0 Xenon
2. Agfa Karat 36, 50/2.8 Solinar
3. Anniversary Speed Graphic, 2 ¼ X 3 ¼
4. Anniversary Speed Graphic, 3 ¼ X 4 ¼
5. Canon 110 ED SN-319936
6. Canon Canodate
7. Fed-2c, green,Industar-26m (Jupiter style)
8. Fed-2c, red, no lens
9. Fed-2d, Industar-26m
10. Fed-2f, (no strap lugs); Industar-61
11. Fed-3a, (USSR) Industar-26m
12. Fed-3a, Industar-61
13. Fed-5B (PC connector), Industar-61L/D
14. Fed-5B, (hot shoe), Industar-61L/D
15. Fed-5B, (hot shoe), Industar-61L/D
16. Fuji Semi-Lyra
17. Fujica GER
18. Iskra-1, Industar-58
19. Kiev-4, (CCCP), Jupiter-8m
20. Kiev-4a, (CCCP), Jupiter-8m
21. Kiev-4a, Helios-103
22. Kodak Instamatic 804
23. Kodak Instamatic 814
24. Kodak Instamatic X-90
25. Kodak Pocket Instamatic 60
26. Kodak Retina Automatic III, 45/2.8 Schneider Xenar
27. Kodak Retina IIIc (Model 021), 50/2.0 Schneider Xenon
28. Kodak Signet 40 w/flash
29. Kodak Trimlite Instamatic 48
30. Leica IIIf, 50/2.0 Summitar
31. Minolta AL
32. Minolta AL
33. Minolta AL
34. Minolta Autopak 800
35. Moskva-5, Industar-24C
36. Moskva-5, Industar-24C
37. Polaroid 100
38. Polaroid 340
39. Polaroid Highlander
40. Polaroid Highlander
41. Voigtlander; Vito Automatic, 50/2.8 Lanthar
42. Welta, 75mm/3.5 Tessar
43. Weltini, 50mm/2.0 Xenon
44. Yashica Electro-35 GS
45. Yashica Electro-35 GSN
46. Yashica EZmatic 126
47. Yashica Lynx 5000e
48. Yashica Lynx-14
49. Yashica Lynx-14
50. Yashica Lynx-5000
51. Yashica Lynx-5000e
52. Yashica Minimatic-S
53. Yashica Minister-700
54. Yashica Minister-D
55. Zorki-1(d), Industar-50 collapsible
56. Zorki-1(e), Industar-22 collapsible
57. Zorki-1(f), Industar-22 collapsible
58. Zorki-C (body), no lens
59. Zorki-3M, Jupiter-8
60. Zorki-4(a), Jupiter-8
61. Zorki-4(b), Jupiter-8 (no tab)
62. Zorki-4(c), Industar-50 (rigid/black)
63. Zorki-5(b), (no strap lugs) Industar-50 collapsible
64. Zorki-6, (USSR), Industar-50, (rigid/chrome)
65. Zorki-6, Jupiter-8

-Paul
 
Paul,

Sweet collection! I notice that you're big on those Russian rangefinders. I only have a Zorki 4k, and it kind of fell apart shortly after it arrived. What's your experience been like?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
They are good solid cameras, but the quality control in manufacturing was almost nonexistent and the good ones are usually well used and beat-up. The Russians used simple, basic engineering and simple assembly procedures. Try to imagine what a 35mm rangefinder camera would have been like if it had been made in the 1950's by Ford in a pick-up truck factory.

They appropriated only the best Zeiss lens designs and executed those very well.

Plan on buying 2 or 3 before you get one that works well, and be prepared to do your CLA including lubrication, calibration of rangefinders, lens back-focus and shutter speeds.

Also, the lenses supposedly use interchangeable mount 39mm Leica threads. ytes, they are interchangeable, buth there is enough variation between the lens mounts and rangefinder couplings that you are better off getting a body for each lens you want and not trying the photjournalist's lens jugling routine. Once you get one of these functioning on target, leave it alone!

-Paul
 
Thanks for all the 'welcome' messages. This seems like a friendly forum.

oftheherd,
I like the Mamiya Super 23, but use the Plaubel more simply because it is so compact. I tend to use a 'standard' lens most of the time, so I'm happy to forego the interchangeable lenses.

No doubt the Mamiya will last forever. The Plaubel wont.

Doug,
I've tried to think of the reasons behind my choice of M7 or Plaubel, but haven't come up with anything consistent. Apart from when I'm working on a specific project - for which I'll have decided on format, film and lens focal length(s) - which camera I carry is pretty much down to whim.

Best,
Helen
 
I thought I would bump this and update my tiny rangefinder list.

Bessa R
Canon Canonet QL17 GIII
Konica Auto S3
Minolta Himatic 9
Yashica Electro GSN

and then I have a bunch of other stuff.
 
This is a very interesting thread, one I never looked at before. Since I am new to the forum, my list won't come close to winning (some of you guys are WAAAY out of control), but here goes:

Argus C-3 (my first collectable) w/ flash gun
Kodak Retina IIa
Kodak Retina IIc, w/ 85 mm lens and finder
Kiev IV
Kiev II
Ansco/Argus folding something, uses 220 film

I also have several vintage SLRs, including:
Zeiss Contaflex Super, w/ 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 115mm, and the 400mm monicular attachment
Nikon F and FG w/ several lenses ( the Nikkor f3.5 50-135, and the 50mm f1.4 are superb)
Kodak Retina Reflex (first type)

And they all work!

Cheers, Mike
 
scubaguy10 said:
This is a very interesting thread, one I never looked at before. Since I am new to the forum, my list won't come close to winning (some of you guys are WAAAY out of control), but here goes:

Argus C-3 (my first collectable) w/ flash gun
Kodak Retina IIa
Kodak Retina IIc, w/ 85 mm lens and finder
Kiev IV
Kiev II
Ansco/Argus folding something, uses 220 film

I also have several vintage SLRs, including:
Zeiss Contaflex Super, w/ 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 115mm, and the 400mm monicular attachment
Nikon F and FG w/ several lenses ( the Nikkor f3.5 50-135, and the 50mm f1.4 are superb)
Kodak Retina Reflex (first type)

And they all work!

Cheers, Mike
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum scubaguy10. Some of us are quite rangefinder challenged. I only have two. A Mamiya Press Super 23 and an Argus C3. I have never used the Argus. It just sits on the shelf all sad and forlorn. I take it down once in a while and pet it, but it doesn't seem to help. :D

How do you use your folder if it is 220? Do you have an exposure counter on it?
 
Well I think in fact I never left my stuff in this thread...

so here it goes, in order of acquisition

Fed-2 (the first, the one and only)
Zorki 3M
Kiev 4am
Agfa Isolette III (a repair project)
Moskva-5
Iskra (bought, broken, returned, refunded, paid part of the Kiev II)
Canonet G-III QL17
Minolta Hi-matic 7s
Kiev 4a
Canonet G-III QL19
Olympus 35 SPn
Kiev II

and I think I don't forget anything...

hope the collection doesn't keep growing... but a beaten "cheap" M2 or M4-P... hmmm... :)
 
Whenever there are more than three cameras in the house, I start feeling very nervous: in fact I feel guilty. I never use more than three regularly, and the ones that are not used seem to be screaming their dissatisfaction at being left in the closet to me.
So out they go..

As a result, I've only got a single rangefinder: a Hexar-RF. Of course this list won't put me in first place in the how many have you got competition, but it's a fine user cam anyway.
 
Hi folks,
Pleased to meet you.
My list thus far:
Voigtlander Vito CL
Fed Mikron 2
Fed 4
Polaroid Land Camera I think it's an automatic 100, Takes great looking instants.

I plan to acquire soon, god help my obsessive/compulsiveness (the standards):
Olympus XA
Canonet Q17 GIII
Konica S2
Olympus 35 SP
Minolta Hi-Matic 9
Yashica Electro 35 GSN
Agfa Opitma xx35 (one of 'em)
Rollei XF 35
 
Welcome, A.J.! You've got a good start, and don't count on us to persuade you NOT to buy more cameras! We all have the same disease here...

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Yes, as Bill says we will be glad to add to your "plan to acquire" list. Looking at your list, a Yashica LYNX 14 would give you a bit more speed and manual-only operation. A nice addition to a great set of cameras.
 
Hmmm...Lynx 14 you say. Add it to the list I guess.
Oh yeah, one day I'll get a Kiev 4 also. Can't live without one of those.
How bout a Fujica V2? Nice looking little guy.
 
Another Jeremy said:
Hmmm...Lynx 14 you say. Add it to the list I guess.
Oh yeah, one day I'll get a Kiev 4 also. Can't live without one of those.
How bout a Fujica V2? Nice looking little guy.
Click to expand...

AJ, I've had problems with Fujica rangefinders of that time period, but I haven't owned a V2. I agree, it's nice-looking, and there were two series of lenses (2.8 and I believe 1.9), but I've read that they've got similar problems (frozen shutters) to what I've experienced with my two Fujica ML-35's. I like their looks, but haven't gotten one to work yet. Could be just my bad luck, though!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
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