Thinking of diving into RFs, advice please.

[d_e]

Hello to this wonderful forum. This is my first post. I am an advanced hobbyist who never had any experience with FILM, so I am scared getting a non-digital camera. The benefit of having a digital camera is for instant output of pictures, no time and money wasted to developing prints and then scanning them for web use. My current DSLR is a Canon 30D with all the L zoom lenses.

Readling thru the threads I am more and more drawn into rangefinders...I want one!!! My purpose for getting a rangefinder is portability, better indoor natural light photos and getting a unique look that is lacking with digital pictures.

Problem is that there are no RF dealers in my country, luckily I found 2 persons selling their kits. Can you help me choose what's best for me? The three options cost the same around $2000, may max budget!

Option 1:
Epson RD1s and Summicron 35 f2 - My conern is that I shoot a lot indoors at ISO 1600 with my Canon 30D. Will the Epson yield cleaner images? Or just be noisier then I would be disappointed.

Option 2:
Leica M6 TTL and Summilux 50 f1.4 - I am sure this will give better images but I really don't wish to go FILM. I will definitely shoot a lot, so stocking on rolls of film, then developing will add to bigger costs and time.

Option 3:
No more RF, just upgrade to a Canon 5D and get a 35 f1.4L - The 5D has the cleanest high ISO images. Drawback though is that I lose the portability and light weight again...I will remain as a reader of this forum with no RF 🙁

I appreciate any advice. Thanks so much!

 

[markinlondon]

The advantage of an RF in low light is focussing. RF viewfinders are just so much brighter than SLR screens. The drawback with an M6TTL is that in those kind of conditions the rangefinder patch will often flare out leaving you with no double image with which to focus. For difficult light conditions I would advise any model of M except the M6's. I can't comment on the RD1s. In the long run you may be best sticking with what you know and going the 5D route.

 

[mfunnell]

I think option 3 might cost more than $2000 🙁 I'd try a decent 2nd-hand film RF & experiment to see if you like the different way of seeing, composing & shooting that RFs encourage. Shoot colour process film (colour neg or C-41 BW) and find a decent minilab that does decent developing, scanning & prints (not all will, esp. for BW).

If you decide RFs aren't for you, sell your kit - resale should get close to what you paid. The same applies if you want a digital RF. And, hey, you might like film!

Its what I'm doing.

...Mike

 

[rogue_designer]

RD1s and the VC 35 1.2 -- with the extra stop and a half, you can shoot at iso 800. 😀

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

if portability is really your main factor, and you don't like film, then

option 1

prices and issues for the Epson RD have settled, so you can unload it at relatively little loss if you don't like the RF method.

option 3 will not give you any portability at all ... Don't get me wrong, the Canon 5D is an amazing camera for its purpose, but portability is most definitely not one of its virtues.

What country are you in?

Why don't you email Tony Rose at www.popflash.com and see if he ships to your country? He is a classy trustworthy dealer 🙂

 

[d_e]

I know somebody who will accept $1000 plus my mint 30D with grip to get his 5D. And he's the same guy selling his 35 1.4L for around $1000 too.

I appreciate the fast responses! I still can't get RFs out of my mind 😀

Thanks for the popflash link!!!. Wow the VS 35 1.2 sounds interesting, will google it now...

 

[Spyderman]

d_e, if you love the clean images you get from digital, and fear grain or noise - don't buy a film camera, just get the 5D.

Most of us here, aren't as much concerned with noise, grain, or however you call it. I personally even like the film pictures, because they have more life to it. (There were more threads about why we (RFF-ers) still use film - BTW very interesting reading.)

But if you still can't get RFs out of your head, maybe you aren't lost yet. Maybe you can still find "the way of light" (or darkness?) 😀
In such case I would recommend that you get a modestly priced RF outfit just to try it: Bessa R[2] + some lenses. Maybe you fall for rangefinders, maybe you don't. You can still sell it if you don't like it.

 

[w3rk5]

I agree with what Spyderman said. You can cut some cost of shooting film by bulk loading and developing your own B&W. It really isn't difficult or expensive to do it yourself. The scanning part is the worst for me, but I can live with it.