hepcat
Former PH, USN
Greetings! This is my third post to RangefinderForum, so I hope you won't think me brash... but I started shooting rangefinder cameras in 1972 with my acquisition of a Canon IIF outfit with a Serenar 35, 50, and 85mm lens outfit. I shot everything from studio portraiture to stock car racing with that old camera. I sold it somewhere along the way and have had a parade of Leitz bodies... nothing newer than an M4-2 tho. I sold my last M4 kit some years ago when I switched to digital DSLRs as there were no digital rangefinder offerings yet.
I've been a working pro off and on my entire adult life, and there isn't much equipment I haven't used over the years... like our choices in many things in life, we find we have preferences as we go along. "This" gear or "that" piece just fits... it works for us... for our shooting style, and I have always found that rangefinders are comfortable for me. Unfortunately, the price of admission to digital rangefinders have been a huge impediment to me returning. Selling my Leica lens kit lo those many years ago was foolish in 20-20 hindsight.
In an effort to recreate my "rangefinder experience" at a price point I was comfortable, I bought a Fujifilm X-Pro1. It reinforced for me all of the things I really, really like about brightline rangefinder bodies, and highlighted all of the techno-wonders that I find inhibiting as well. Don't misunderstand... it is an amazing piece of equipment. The XF glass is superb and the image quality is out of this world. It is a techno-laden camera system. It is NOT a split-image, bright-line rangefinder and I expected it to be.
I gave it my best effort, I really did, but it didn't offer the simplicity I was looking for. I found that I really had to understand, consider, and actively think about the algorithms that the autofocus system uses... selecting the proper focusing points, and the various and myriad options available for every setting. That style of shooting isn't in my comfort zone. I found the technology getting in the way of my process rather than assisting me.
As an old "M" (and Hassy 500, and Mamiya C TLR) shooter, my comfort zone lies in selecting my film ISO, evaluating the exposure needs, setting what I want to capture what I want, sliding that split-image together (or zone focusing as required) and releasing the shutter without technology dictating so much about how I work. Other folks love that stuff... and more power to 'em. it's just not for me.
So... I'm back. I've paid the price of admission back into the rangefinder shooting style I'm so comfortable with. I've managed to reacquire my Leica kit. I picked up an M8 anti-panda (yes I'm familiar with the M8's strengths and weaknesses) and I'm waiting for three more lenses to arrive at my door this week (and probably early next.) While still more than I wanted to spend, I've acquired the kit for about $4k total for the body and like new 28 Ultron f/2, 50mm Nokton f/1.5, and a used 90mm Summicron f/2 Canada, and a 135 Elmarit f/2.8 Canada with goggles.
I still have my DSLR gear... an Olympus E5 setup with my pride and joy, the 35-100 f/2 zoom which I'm convinced is THE most amazing piece of glass in the world for studio work and portraiture... but you buy a sports car to go fast, and a pickup truck to haul building materials... each camera system has similar uses.
So, I guess to summarize, in this more-complex-daily technical world, it's nice to find a kit that retains the simplicity of film equipment, yet gives real-world competent digital results.
I've been a working pro off and on my entire adult life, and there isn't much equipment I haven't used over the years... like our choices in many things in life, we find we have preferences as we go along. "This" gear or "that" piece just fits... it works for us... for our shooting style, and I have always found that rangefinders are comfortable for me. Unfortunately, the price of admission to digital rangefinders have been a huge impediment to me returning. Selling my Leica lens kit lo those many years ago was foolish in 20-20 hindsight.
In an effort to recreate my "rangefinder experience" at a price point I was comfortable, I bought a Fujifilm X-Pro1. It reinforced for me all of the things I really, really like about brightline rangefinder bodies, and highlighted all of the techno-wonders that I find inhibiting as well. Don't misunderstand... it is an amazing piece of equipment. The XF glass is superb and the image quality is out of this world. It is a techno-laden camera system. It is NOT a split-image, bright-line rangefinder and I expected it to be.
I gave it my best effort, I really did, but it didn't offer the simplicity I was looking for. I found that I really had to understand, consider, and actively think about the algorithms that the autofocus system uses... selecting the proper focusing points, and the various and myriad options available for every setting. That style of shooting isn't in my comfort zone. I found the technology getting in the way of my process rather than assisting me.
As an old "M" (and Hassy 500, and Mamiya C TLR) shooter, my comfort zone lies in selecting my film ISO, evaluating the exposure needs, setting what I want to capture what I want, sliding that split-image together (or zone focusing as required) and releasing the shutter without technology dictating so much about how I work. Other folks love that stuff... and more power to 'em. it's just not for me.
So... I'm back. I've paid the price of admission back into the rangefinder shooting style I'm so comfortable with. I've managed to reacquire my Leica kit. I picked up an M8 anti-panda (yes I'm familiar with the M8's strengths and weaknesses) and I'm waiting for three more lenses to arrive at my door this week (and probably early next.) While still more than I wanted to spend, I've acquired the kit for about $4k total for the body and like new 28 Ultron f/2, 50mm Nokton f/1.5, and a used 90mm Summicron f/2 Canada, and a 135 Elmarit f/2.8 Canada with goggles.
I still have my DSLR gear... an Olympus E5 setup with my pride and joy, the 35-100 f/2 zoom which I'm convinced is THE most amazing piece of glass in the world for studio work and portraiture... but you buy a sports car to go fast, and a pickup truck to haul building materials... each camera system has similar uses.
So, I guess to summarize, in this more-complex-daily technical world, it's nice to find a kit that retains the simplicity of film equipment, yet gives real-world competent digital results.
kshapero
South Florida Man
I guess the hallmark of Leica is, whether it is film or digital, is simplicity. This allows me to "focus" on the image and not the technology. My preference.
And they are just a joy to use too.
hellomikmik
Well-known
"Latest" is valid just for a very short time.
"First" is valid forever.
"First" is valid forever.