Uncoupled Rangefinders

[3rdtrick]

Lately I have been shooting with cameras that have an uncoupled rangefinder or no rangefinder at all. Landscape photos are easy because I can guess pretty close. When photographing people, I set the estimated distance on both the rangefinder and focus scale then move back and forth until the subject lines up in the rangefinder. Are there any other techniques or suggestions for using these cameras?
Pete

 

[hepcat]

If you're a fairly good judge of distance, don't bother with the rangefinder unless you're up close and shooting large apertures or using a long lens. Zone focus, note your DOF scale on the lens and let the DOF carry you. You'll be accurate just as often as if you'd stopped to mess with the rangefinder, and you likely won't miss nearly as many shots. Only use the rangefinder when you have time, and for those occasions where a more critical focus plane assessment is required.

 

[BLKRCAT]

truth^ ive taken the "ditch the rangefinder and zone focus" approach the last couple rolls ive done and the results are faster shooting, more or less correct focus and for those slower opportunities to shoot swith over to the rangefinder

 

[3rdtrick]

What I thought, just wing it and get good at estimating... My Polaroids have a max aperture of F8 so I should be OK.
Pete

 

[ZeissFan]

Don't be a loser and think that everything has to be shot with the aperture fully open. Take advantage of the lens' depth of field by shooting at f/5.6 or smaller. That will help to compensate for small focusing errors, especially when shooting close up.

 

[Rodchenko]

I have some accessory rangefinders, but I find guessing to be accurate enough for most purposes.