Why do you use a Rangefinder?

[Pirate]

I was reading through some threads here and noticed a comment that got me curious about these cameras...

So, the question to you all, Why do you use a Rangefinder?

P^)

 

[35mmdelux]

simple: compact, fast and accurate focusing.

 

[cweg]

For me it's the handling, the flair, and I fell in Love with Leica, as I saw the first pictures in the LFI. I also love my D70s and F801s but in another way and for other stuff than Streetfotografie.

 

[back alley]

because it's there...

 

[mike kim]

Smaller and lighter than SLRs, silent shutter, simple functions. Some may claim that they have cloaking properties, much like Frodo's ring.

 

[sevo]

At the core, because I am increasingly presbyopic and rangefinders are far more vision neutral than ground glass finders.

 

[StaaleS]

The M is a welcome change size- and weight-wise from my über-Canon DSLR, and is refreshingly different in use. At the same time I can get optics that are every bit as good as my Canon L lineup, and good film through a good scanner rivals the digisensor in my 1DsII. And the M hardware (staying WAAAY clear of the latest generation body and lenses, of course) doesn't cost an arm and a leg either. What's not to like?

 

[Nando]

Primarily for the bright viewfinder with infinite DOF. Second, for the quality and diversity of lenses available. Third, for the handling.

 

[brainwood]

Small, light, simplicity of use and good quality images as an end result. I have been down the DSLR route and still have a nice Canon D60 and range of lenses but it soon became apparent to me that to think long term with a single DSLR is a non starter - in a few years it will be out of date and worthless, superseded by the latest whistles and bells. To enter the DSLR 'arms race' is a commitment to spending for several years to come for essentially the same camera but with more 'xxxxxx' (fill in the blanks)
In the end and after rediscovering the delights of film I bought myself a Leica IIIg as a long term user camera. It won't be out dated next week... its already 'outdated' and will I'm sure continue to perform for the next 50 years as well as it has for the last 50 , hell I might even have to get serviced !!.
I'm sure it wont be my last purchase but at least future purchases will at least be to further my photographic journey rather than merely to keep up.
Photographing with these rangefinder cameras is very tactile process which is hard to appreciate unless you have tried it. I suppose what I'm trying to say is I enjoy the craft of photography and the rangefinder camera allows the user exploit this to the full.

Cheers Chris

 

[cmdrzed]

So I can hang out with the cool kids

 

[Jason Sprenger]

35mm-sized cameras have very high quality lenses even out to f1.4. An RF camera kit is generally handy size-wise allowing one to do other things and still wield a mighty image-maker.

But most important for me with 35 and 50mm lenses is a bright-line finder, I just seem to do better when I can see more of a scene and frame it than to simply see what is transmitted through the lens. Yes, with an SLR, I can shoot looser then crop later, but it just doesn't come-out as well for me.

 

[robinsonphotography]

Small package with high IQ, plus much easier to focus for me than a film SLR.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Here's a manifesto:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps rf.html

Cheers,

R.

 

[biomed]

It is easier for me to focus with degrading eyesight. The light weight and small size allow me to carry a body and three lenses plus film in a very small case.

Mike

 

[alexz]

Just love fine and precision mechanics, simplicity, precision of manual focusing and of course form-factor as well as access to a legendary optics.
And last but not least: easy handling allows just throw the camera over the shoulder and get out to any place, even when kids hanging down from my neck...

 

[johannielscom]

Because I only need the basics of shooting.
It's all about ASA/ISO, shutter speed and aperture, nothing more. Depth of field you need to learn from experience with your lens. Hyperfocal shooting for street or faster moving objects is fun to use.

I find shooting itself as enjoyable as the results with the right gear. DSLR's take too big a part of the fun from it, being automated and autofocus and all.

 

[Ezzie]

I never was particularly mainstream. And rangefinders look and feel like real cameras, industrial design masterpieces many of them. SLRs just don´t hack it in the same way. My first camera, I was 7 or 8, was a cheap East German VF, can´t remember what. Only recently have I found out what I´ve been missing all these years.

If it was technical quality and ease of use I was after, I´d stay with the SLR most of the time, but where´s the challenge in that?

 

[Pablito]

....why not?

 

[Roger Hicks]

I never was particularly mainstream. And rangefinders look and feel like real cameras, industrial design masterpieces many of them. SLRs just don´t hack it in the same way. My first camera, I was 7 or 8, was a cheap East German VF, can´t remember what. Only recently have I found out what I´ve been missing all these years.

If it was technical quality and ease of use I was after, I´d stay with the SLR most of the time, but where´s the challenge in that?

Where's the challenge?

In trying to work out which of the 33 buttons, switches, dials and knobs does what, especially in combination, and in trying to regain control after you've pressed the wrong button/combination of buttons.

In trying to get a decent picture despite all that.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Sonny Boy Havidson]

Plenty of reasons:
- Quicker to focus
- Esier to focus indor or with filter on the lens
- More silent
- Cool factor
- Compacity in the case of my Leica III (not for my Hi-Matics 7s and 9)