Why the R4 and not an M-body with external finder?

Tuolumne said:
I am actually trying to avoid finishing my taxes and doing some very important work, why else would I be here at 3:30PM EST on a Thursday. 😀

/T

P.S. But I do want someone to either put my GAS attack out or convince me to just buy the damn thing and get it over with. After all, I do already have an M2, 2xM3, M4, 2xM5, MP3, R-D1...oh never mind. :bang:

/T
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If you like viewfinders on a RF and I can get into that "look" then stay put. There's nothing like pulling out an RF with a viewfinder to stop all conversation at a camera club full of digital users... but when I'm working with a camera.. I'm liking this R4A. Not perfect but it's as good a solution as you can find today

Buy it. It's a good one in my opinion. Some have been hard on the "finish" of the R4A.. thats just obsessive in wanting some custom camera to have all the features of one's dreams. It's a nicely finished camera. Now if I could get a rebate from the original price and when the CDN$ was at 86 cents.. that would be nice.

Good luck.

BTW : I use VF's for the CV 15, 25 .. now only for the 15! I like that.
 
jan normandale said:
If you like viewfinders on a RF and I can get into that "look" then stay put. There's nothing like pulling out an RF with a viewfinder to stop all conversation at a camera club full of digital users... but when I'm working with a camera.. I'm liking this R4A. Not perfect but it's as good a solution as you can find today

Buy it. It's a good one in my opinion. Some have been hard on the "finish" of the R4A.. thats just obsessive in wanting some custom camera to have all the features of one's dreams. It's a nicely finished camera. Now if I could get a rebate from the original price and when the CDN$ was at 86 cents.. that would be nice.

Good luck.

BTW : I use VF's for the CV 15, 25 .. now only for the 15! I like that.
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The new lower price may have just tipped the scale. 🙂

/T
 
r4a/m is a solid camera

built in framelines for 21/25/35/50

50 framelines work well, despite what some say

i like the 25 as a standard lens these days
and being able to add a small 50 i can have it all and with no extra finder for my bag or pocket

good feel to the camera

the only time people stare at me when shooting on the street is when i change film and when i use an external finder

i prefer a smaller, lighter package which is why i use the r4 more than the zi

it's a long list...
 
"it's not a Leica" must be part of this list too .... 🙂

Seriously though, why don't more people use .58 Leica bodies
instead ? Too expensive ? Branding ?

The missing 21 FOV isn't that popular ...
 
Roland, I think to get a new or like new Leica with the features listed and then add a viewfinders cost onto that to obtain the framelines in the R4 series is a cost factor.

An M5, M6, M7 is more $$ and a used M5-6 has no warranty. Those are some of the reasons for the R4's attractiveness.
 
ferider said:
"it's not a Leica" must be part of this list too .... 🙂

Seriously though, why don't more people use .58 Leica bodies
instead ? Too expensive ? Branding ?

The missing 21 FOV isn't that popular ...
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Resale value? Or does that just beg the question?

/T
 
jan normandale said:
Roland, I think to get a new or like new Leica with the features listed and then add a viewfinders cost onto that to obtain the framelines in the R4 series is a cost factor.

An M5, M6, M7 is more $$ and a used M5-6 has no warranty. Those are some of the reasons for the R4's attractiveness.
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I agree Jan.

But then, I never buy new cameras or cars.

Cheers,

Roland.
 
Tuolumne said:
Ok, guys - fess up. How many of you have ever "pocketed" your rangefinder except for a few brief minutes, after which your clothes were stretched out of shape and you swore you would never do that again?

/T
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I pocket my Leica every day-often pants pocket, with finder.

Of course, it has an Elmar. And it isn't one of those great big Ms.
 
For me one of the advantages of using just the one internal viewfinder of the R4 really is the parallax correction - I know you don't get critical framing with an RF, but I do frame much better with an internal finder.

Also, I do personally find changing from one finder to another to be a pain - even if I don't really need to focus a super-wide, I still need to meter, and so I need to use both finders.
 
and let me add...

leicas are not the end all for all shooters.
many mock rff for being a gearhead forum but many of us also shoot and enjoy the process of photographing and the subsequent images, but we don't need a leica to that.
i love the zi and i really enjoy using the r4m, it's a comfortable camera and, as i have said before, feels great in my hands.
 
A Bessa is simply not a Leica.
Sometimes it is a basic fact like this that makes the personal difference.
The key word here is : "personal".
There has been a thread : Why don't you buy a CV lens?"
I always have the same answer: "Why would you buy a CV lens?"

Again, it is a personal choice.

The rest is your skill in using the camera and lenses.
 
And a Leica isn't a Bessa either. I wonder if the R4 has affected the sales of the 0.58mag M7? To me it's a no-brainer between an R4A and a 0.58x M7. I use mine with a Leica 24/2.8 lens and the combo is just really quick and practical in use. Also no more shoes breaking on the CV finders! 🙂
 
just to be clear that i was not directing my little rant at anyone in particular.
i just sometimes think that many rf folks are leica centric and i wanted to say that i am not one of them.
nothing against leica it's just that i don't need one, new or used, aand that i sorta like not having one.
but then i have always been a pita to someone or other.

😉
 
peter_n said:
Shoes, feet, whatever they're called. They can break or fracture if the external VF gets a knock.
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Oh, the feet of the external finder. 🙂 Now I get it. I was thinking of feet "breaking" in the photo because they were chopped off by the framing of the finder or perhaps someone stepping on a loose one and hurting themselves. :bang:

/T
 
If I wasn't so interested in the Zeiss Ikon I would probably use the R4 cam mainly because i never shoot anything over 50. 50 is pretty much one of my favorite lengths and wider so there's no need for anything longer.
 
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