Way too anal....

[Russ]

Yo;

What an indecisive idiot I am! I am departing in a couple of days to visit the old stomping grounds. (Mammoth, Yosemite, Bodie) The crux is, that I can't decide which rangefinder to bring along for the "record" snaps. The serious color and B/W work will be done with SLR's. However, I plan on burning copious quantities of celluloid with a rangefinder. So what do I bring along, the Canon GIII QL-17, the Oly RC, or the Viv ES? What do you think, and why?

Thanks
Russ

 

[Todd.Hanz]

I think they are all very similar so take the one you are most comfortable with.
I like the Canon for it's 40mm lens but you may like the others.

Todd

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

It is really very simple, I would take the Canon GIII QL-17 with Kodak HIE and a #29 red filter,, the Oly RC with Velvia film and the Viv ES with Ilford HP-5. I would also pack a 4x5 with a couple of graphmatic holders one loaded with Arista 125 and one with Arista 400 and a Polaroid 545 back with a box of Polaroid Type 55 P/N film. Cause I would rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!!.

Wayne

 

[Rich Silfver]

Between the three of them (Canon GIII QL-17, Olympus RC and Vivitar ES) I don't think it really matters - they're all pretty equal in functionality and lens.

Heck, bring the Vivitar and make it a 'real' California experience (since Vivitar is a California founded company (1938) whose HQ still remains here) 🙂

Trivia:
"HISTORY:
In the late 1930s, Hollywood was firmly entrenched in its Golden Era and Los Angeles was beginning to come of age. The nation was emerging from World War I and the economy was beginning its transition to a more stable pattern. The city of Los Angeles was a magnet for innovation, invention and creativity, attracting the eyes of two German immigrants, Max Ponder and John Best who decided to capitalize on an emerging industry – amateur and consumer photography. The two men made the decision to form a company in 1938 and named it Ponder & Best after themselves.
Ponder & Best served an integral role in the transition to post-war times. Utilizing 2,000 highly skilled employees, the company begat an extensive design and manufacturing facility that manufactured lenses as well as photographic accessories. In 1979, the company changed its name and the Vivitar Corporation was born. "

 

[back alley]

i think i'm gonna go with wayne on this one.
except i would use ilford sfx (?) near infrared film instead of the kodak.

 

[Rich Silfver]

Russ, what did ya take and how did it work out?