What is a rangefinder in the digital world?

[ABarGrill]

Before I went digital, I used my Bessas, Konica and X-Pan and was pleased to post photos in the gallery. However, now I am using digital equipment and cannot afford the Leica or the Epson and imagine that most folks are in my situation. Yes, I use DSLRs, sometimes, and have no problem construing them as "not rangefinders." But, in the main, I use my Oly EP1 and Pany LX3. They are not "rangefinders" in the sense that a Leica M is a rangefinder. But I use them much as I would a rangefinder, often pre-setting the focusing distance and doing the sort of candid street photography stuff that I used to use rangefinders for. Do these have a place in this forum? Just curious and interested in "returning home."

Alan

 

[newspaperguy]

Good question.

I use my Canon G-5 with its CV 35mm finder like a "RF"

but probably would identiify it as a VF or a P-N-S.

 

[pvdhaar]

Imagine what existential doubts I labour under when I mount a non-coupled CV25 on a Bessa-T 😀

 

[ABarGrill]

I actually use the same uncoupled 25 mm on my EP-1. Wonderful lens!!!

 

[Merkin]

pretty much any camera can be used in the method you describe- setting a small aperture and using a hyperfocal focusing method. It isn't strictly the provenance of rangefinder cameras. You can shoot a d3x like that just as easily as you can a d-lux 3 or an M9. The original spirit in which the rangefinder camera was developed was that of a small, fast to operate, miniature format camera. At the time, in the thirties and forties, a Leica or a Contax was pretty much the fastest thing out there for taking pictures, but in today's world of built in metering, autofocus, and PASM modes, rangefinder cameras are pretty slow to operate, especially if you want precise focus and exposure. Today, the small, fast to operate (ish), miniature format cameras are the compacts and the evf cameras. I look forward to the Samsung NX camera that should be coming out eventually, as I think that camera is going to be the real modern day heir to the original concepts behind the rangefinder camera.

 

[Chris101]

Good question.

I use my Canon G-5 with its CV 35mm finder like a "RF"

but probably would identiify it as a VF or a P-N-S.

I consider my Leica a P-N-S.

 

[JoeV]

Alan, your question, as I read it, involves your concern about social acceptance amongst the RFF community, and nothing about the hardware feasibility. Assuming my interpretation of your question is correct, I'll state (with the cavaets that 1)I'm not a moderator, and 2)I don't speak for everyone else here at RFF) as far as I'm concerned, you're welcome here. There's even a sub-forum for digital point and shoots. Welcome home. Post some pictures.

~Joe

 

[ABarGrill]

Joe, thanks for your kind words. You put your finger on my concern!

 

[Merkin]

I agree with Joe. I switched to shooting mostly with a DSLR a few months ago, and I haven't been kicked off yet 😉

The nice thing about RFF is that the people here are knowledgeable about pretty much everything photographic, and pretty much everyone is civil, if not friendly. Even though I don't shoot Leicas at the moment, this is still the best photography forum I have encountered on the internet.