Recommended Rangefinders?

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Recommended Rangefinders?

TWoK
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p.3 #1 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Sam N wrote:
Then I showed him the ZI's viewfinder (arguably the best on any RF) and he suddenly became more interested in them.
Are we talking size here, because it is decent, but there are even larger Bessa finders like the R4.

Oct 06, 2009 at 07:14 AM

TWoK
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p.3 #2 · Recommended Rangefinders?

randomlinh wrote:
Indeed. The Oly 35 SP was quite nice and small... but I couldn't really focus very well. I was terribly frustrated with "I can't entirely tell if that's focused or not." I didn't quite understand there were better patches though. I gave the Canonet a try, and thus learned they all pretty much suck (ok, this is probably subjective, and I come from the SLR world, but whatever).

All of the compact RFs are super old, which is why they suck to focus. My freshly overhauled Canonet is at least as easy to focus as my M6, but with a smaller patch.

Oct 06, 2009 at 07:18 AM

TWoK
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p.3 #3 · Recommended Rangefinders?

mikethevilla wrote:
Haha. I'll keep Bessas in mind. I just snagged a GSN off ebay for $25. Good price? Ripped off? Seemed decent to me. Can't wait for it to get here. If I like it, maybe I'll sink some money into a REAL RF, but for now I'll just mess around with that sucker and see what happens.

I did realize something important though... I look through the wrong eye! It's not as big of a deal with SLRs, but I look through the viewfinder with my left eye. Weird, since I'm a righty. But I'm gonna have to switch that up. Haha.
Lots of people do that on RF. You'll want a rapid winder if you shoot left eyed.

Oct 06, 2009 at 07:20 AM

TWoK
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p.3 #4 · Recommended Rangefinders?

cgiff wrote:
This thread is great for us not so hip with rangefinders (hip? rangefinders?). Thanks for all the info (and starting the thread.)

The size, quiet operation, and general coolness have my interest... but how much smaller/more discreet will one of these be than, say, my OM-1 with a 40/2 or 50/1.4? If at all? That seems to be the real draw, and those Canonet/Konica/Yashica cameras are CHEAP.
The OM-1 and 40/2 is really as good if not better in every single way. The thing is thought that many RF lenses are as small as the OM 40/2, but are even faster.

Oct 06, 2009 at 07:22 AM

ulrikft
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p.3 #5 · Recommended Rangefinders?

The GSN is superquiet, quite small and sexy. but the RF-patch on those are quite bad compared to modern leica/zeiss-variants.

Oct 06, 2009 at 08:47 AM

RustyBug
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p.3 #6 · Recommended Rangefinders?

My first 35mm camera was an old Yashica rangefinder with a fixed 50mm 1.4 lens.
It was full manual control only & had a needle type light meter. It was very simple & very good. I used it extensively on a world cruise in the Navy, till I got to Hong Kong where I bought a Canon A-1 in Kowloon ... kid in a 'Candy Store'

If I had known then about rangefinders with interchangeable lenses ... I may have never gone SLR

Sorry I don't remember more about it ... a little help from the forum ??

Oct 06, 2009 at 09:45 AM

RustyBug
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p.3 #7 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Sorry I don't remember more about it ... a little help from the forum ??

Oct 06, 2009 at 09:46 AM

koenrutten
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p.3 #8 · Recommended Rangefinders?

I really like my black yashica electro 35 GX.
This image is copyrighted by the owner

pros:
- It's got a slightly wide 40mm f/1.7 lens, which is pretty sharp but not that contrasty and pretty sensitive to flare (which isn't a bad thing for me).
- Aperture priority
- Not that big or heavy (~600gr)
- costed me 25 euros

cons:
- No exposure compensation
- max iso is 800

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:44 AM

mawz
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p.3 #9 · Recommended Rangefinders?

TWoK wrote:
Sam N wrote:
Then I showed him the ZI's viewfinder (arguably the best on any RF) and he suddenly became more interested in them.
Are we talking size here, because it is decent, but there are even larger Bessa finders like the R4.

Magnification + size. The R4's finder is big, but the magnification is very low. The ideal RF finder is large and high magnification (the latter is what nets you more focus accuracy for a given RF baseline)

Oct 06, 2009 at 12:49 PM

weezintrumpete
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p.3 #10 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Left eye shooting is not a problem. I do it all the time.

I was surprised at how small the OM-1 is with the 50/1.8. I think it's smaller than the GSN...but shaped differently. That OM-1 really is small.

The RF patch is kinda crappy on the GSN but it works. As for sound, there is an audible "clunk" when the film is advanced...but the actual shutter sound is quiet.

$25 for one if these is a great price...assuming it works!

Oct 06, 2009 at 03:02 PM

sirimiri
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p.3 #11 · Recommended Rangefinders?

The R3M/A would be the ticket for higher focal lengths with it's 1:1 viewfinder - but it still has the shorter baseline/offset in all the Voigtlanders that is less desirable for focus accuracy, than the Zeiss.

Oct 06, 2009 at 03:45 PM

cgiff
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p.3 #12 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Spyro P. wrote:
Not at all. Discreet is a function of the photographer, not the camera.

Dont stare, dont track people with your lens, dont fire bursts. Make all your decisions re aperture/dof, focus range, ISO and shutter speed and dial them into your camera before you even start looking for photos. Use the same lens for a while, learn its fov and get used to framing without looking through the camera. Then lift the camera to your eye, take the photo, put it down again, dont stare and move on to the next photo. Do that and you've done everything possible not to be annoying, if people still have a problem with a split-second *click*, the problem is theirs, not yours.

Thanks for the input, it is appreciated and I get the sentiment. But there's definitely something to be said for a discreet camera... I would carry my D700 & 35/1.4 every day for a few months, and prefocus, shoot from the hip, etc. But carrying a big dSLR with even a small prime always grabs attention more than an OM-1. But even then, it's an SLR and feels a bit conspicuous on the subway late at night. That's all I meant.

TWoK wrote:
The OM-1 and 40/2 is really as good if not better in every single way. The thing is thought that many RF lenses are as small as the OM 40/2, but are even faster.
That's what I figured, thanks for the confirmation.

That said, I'm still awfully interested.

Oct 06, 2009 at 08:34 PM

pingflood
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p.3 #13 · Recommended Rangefinders?

I'm a Leica guy myself (have an M4-2 and a IIf) but I think one of the biggest bargains today is the Minolta Hi-Matic. I paid like $12 for one and the lens was excellent and the meter nice and accurate. It did take merc batteries so I used a zinc-air cell one.

Oct 06, 2009 at 08:59 PM

Spyro P.
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p.3 #14 · Recommended Rangefinders?

cgiff wrote:

Thanks for the input, it is appreciated and I get the sentiment. But there's definitely something to be said for a discreet camera... I would carry my D700 & 35/1.4 every day for a few months, and prefocus, shoot from the hip, etc. But carrying a big dSLR with even a small prime always grabs attention more than an OM-1. But even then, it's an SLR and feels a bit conspicuous on the subway late at night. That's all I meant.

I know sorry, sometimes I'm thinking outloud and end up way off topic

To be more on topic: I have an OM2n (which is essentially an OM1 with aperture priority) with a 35mm f2 zuiko and a Zeiss Ikon with a 35mm f2 biogon. I can assure you that the Ikon/Biogon combo is not smaller in any dimension, or lighter, or quieter, or easier to pack, or looks more retro or old than the OM, therefore I dont see how it can be considered more discreet.

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:01 PM

TWoK
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p.3 #15 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Sell the 35/2 Biogon is probably the absolute worst example of a small setup. That lens is large in RF mount, I mean really huge compared to the 35 'cron and bigger than the CV 35/1.4.

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:14 PM

mawz
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p.3 #16 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:32 PM

TWoK
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p.3 #17 · Recommended Rangefinders?

mawz wrote:
TWoK wrote:
Sell the 35/2 Biogon is probably the absolute worst example of a small setup. That lens is large in RF mount, I mean really huge compared to the 35 'cron and bigger than the CV 35/1.4.

The current Zeiss 35's are massive in either RF or SLR versions.

Word.

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:37 PM

Spyro P.
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p.3 #18 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Υeah its thin but long. Dunno why I bought it, I dont really like this focal length anyway. Just saw some photos that I liked... I'll probably swap it for something else, probably a 28.

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:38 PM

TWoK
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p.3 #19 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Spyro P. wrote:
Υeah its thin but long.
That's what she said.

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:41 PM

Spyro P.
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p.3 #20 · Recommended Rangefinders?

You putting me off lenses now

Oct 06, 2009 at 11:46 PM

mikethevilla
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p.3 #21 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Spyro P. wrote:
Υeah its thin but long.
That's what she said

Owned.

Oct 07, 2009 at 02:25 AM

Tom Hicks
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p.3 #22 · Recommended Rangefinders?

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/modules.php?name=Jig

go here and read all about it .

Oct 07, 2009 at 02:29 AM

weezintrumpete
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p.3 #23 · Recommended Rangefinders?

Damn you guys...you have me looking at old rangefinders now and I told myself that I wasn't going to spend any more money on this stuff!

Oct 07, 2009 at 02:41 AM

kidtexas
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p.3 #24 · Recommended Rangefinders?

TWoK wrote:
Sell the 35/2 Biogon is probably the absolute worst example of a small setup. That lens is large in RF mount, I mean really huge compared to the 35 'cron and bigger than the CV 35/1.4.

It is big for a 35/2 in RF, but it is over emphasized a *wee* bit on how large it is. It's the size of a 50 Summicron. Yeah you can get smaller lenses, but it's not large and unmanageable. It is a really nice one too. I used one pretty much for all my shooting for a year - it's great. It was just the wrong focal length, so I sold it

Oct 07, 2009 at 03:53 AM

trifilmer
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p.3 #25 · Recommended Rangefinders?

What about a Voightlander Bessa? Interchangeable lens, classic look. Nice.

Oct 07, 2009 at 04:51 PM


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