how to use a film rangefinder?

[greg]

...The zone technic ( nearly said zone system!), allows us to always be prepared to shoot quickly. The Leica M style of shooting is to get close, shoot fast and get on to the next frame. It is a dynamic style, yet we remain stealthy and therefore it is reflected in the photos. ..

how true...

..ultimately it is the results that count...

whatever cameras/medium you chose to capture your image, they're just tools to help you achieve that. With the right tool, getting a better shots is not 100%, but definitely helps. I always laugh when I see ferraris on jam-packed Jakarta roads trying to outdo the slower taxis, but same thing can't be ignored, if you need to ramp up a speed of 100kh/n in less than 6 secs, a toyota aldis won't do. Now whether you get to the destination faster is really quite another story driving these 2 extreme cars. In Jakarta, at least I know time to get to your place is not measured by distance. I often ride an 'ojek' (commercial motorbikes rides) on rainy days during rush hours to my destinations, no lambo can get me there in time to close my deals than a 20k rupiah ride. But they can get me there in style and miss my opportunity

 

[leej0038]

Hi Greg,

The zone technic ( nearly said zone system!)

good thing you didn't, bet there are lots of people people waiting to "correct and educate you" on that kind of slip up.. :bsmilie:

 

[greg]

Hi Greg,

I always believe if I can share then I can learn...

definitely! coffee on me when we meet up when I'm back in town. I need to get more tips from you on b&w printers.

 

[cocoa]

..... in other words, Zone Focussing is one of many techniques attributing to inconspicuous shooting style, offering you more than one options of capturing that special moment off the conventional eye-level way too. Results from these shots usually yield unbelievable natural expressions of your subjects, unposed, that explained how many great street shots containing human elements were achieved.

I guess coupling this technique with the right gear, in this case, an inconspicuous RF would be an advantage, no?

It almost sounded like combining a right tool with the right techniques to achieve that natural extension of your 'eyes' to capture that moment in time makes it increasingly possible.

....

This sounds like an advertisement/sale pitch for a LOMO LC-A. Yeah right, "zone focusing" :bsmilie: (BTW, Leica did make a blind camera before, viz M1. must be a right tool for "zone focusing" & "inconspicuous shooting style". Many however considered that BS or a joke at best...HAHA..)

cocoa

 

[nsng]

This is not a flame nor a bait, but an attempt to engage you on a serious discussion. Obviously I have my own opinions, but I do want to understand your point of view a little more. We may agree, or may not. But is that not the premise for discussion?

I agree 110% with you that ultimately it is the results that count.

You talk about the use of ZF and the use of RF and how useful these are in street photography. You talked about RF and stealth, and how it is reflected in the pictures. You talked about not alerting the subject with a rangefinder.

With what you said thus far, I would be most thankful if you can show from your portfolio some photographs would be good examples of RF photography. Which show closeness to your subjects, and relect stealth. The ultimate, as you put it. It will be ideal you can provide links, or better still, show these pictures in this thread.

BTW, I own and use M3, and 2 M6s.

Here are some photos captured with my M8 in San Francisco during a vacation with my family. Lenses used 15, 21, 28, 35, 90. With the 15, I prefocused and stopped down to f5.6 or f8.0. Usually I set the EV to -1/3 stop.

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p796287849


Here are some photos captured with my R8/DMR.

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p351772460/h39bc1c27#h39bc1c27

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p351772460/h3fd26c43#h3fd26c43

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p351772460/h3cf2038c#h3cf2038c

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p573937385/h2a42fafa#h2a42fafa

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p573937385/h26176b90#h26176b90

A DSLR can be used to do street shooting. All you need to do is to be inconspicious. The M's are smaller and easier to handle in a crowded city.

I made a decision to go totally digital after my getting my DMR. The first time I saw the DMR files, my jaw dropped. It was digital Kodachrome!

N.S. Ng

 

[nsng]

This sounds like an advertisement/sale pitch for a LOMO LC-A. Yeah right, "zone focusing" :bsmilie: (BTW, Leica did make a blind camera before, viz M1. must be a right tool for "zone focusing" & "inconspicuous shooting style". Many however considered that BS or a joke at best...HAHA..)

cocoa

Get a Rollei 35 or 35S. Only focusing by scale. The Zeiss 40mm Sonnar is a great lens. Smaller than a M. Or one of the Minox 35's. Used to own a Rollei 35S, great 40mm Sonnar lens.

N.S. Ng

 

[cocoa]

Get a Rollei 35 or 35S. Only focusing by scale. The Zeiss 40mm Sonnar is a great lens. Smaller than a M. Or one of the Minox 35's. Used to own a Rollei 35S, great 40mm Sonnar lens.

N.S. Ng

Ditto Rollei 35S.

Point is: if one is so good with zone focusing, there is no need for an RF at all (try shooting Rollei 35 wide open within 1-2m and see how many shots are keeper?). OTOH, using a Leica (with the very best of rangefinder built-in) like a LOMO/Rollei 35, is lame lor. (to show off is another matter of course.)

 

[hookonclassic]

Here are some photos captured with my M8 in San Francisco during a vacation with my family. Lenses used 15, 21, 28, 35, 90. With the 15, I prefocused and stopped down to f5.6 or f8.0. Usually I set the EV to -1/3 stop.

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p796287849


Here are some photos captured with my R8/DMR.

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p351772460/h39bc1c27#h39bc1c27

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p351772460/h3fd26c43#h3fd26c43

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p351772460/h3cf2038c#h3cf2038c

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p573937385/h2a42fafa#h2a42fafa

http://nns555.zenfolio.com/p573937385/h26176b90#h26176b90

A DSLR can be used to do street shooting. All you need to do is to be inconspicious. The M's are smaller and easier to handle in a crowded city.

I made a decision to go totally digital after my getting my DMR. The first time I saw the DMR files, my jaw dropped. It was digital Kodachrome!

N.S. Ng

Great photo in your example! :thumbsup:

Fully agree with N.S. Ng. I also find hip shot using "zone focusing" (not limited only to RF) come completely shealth, even so if you are using RF with discreet shutter sound (unlike SLR, RF no mirror flap).

Zone focusing is very easy with wide angle lens. The smaller the focal length and aperture (i.e. larger f no.), the longer the Depth Of Field (DOF), the easier it is to have all your subject in focus, without having to focus through the viewfinder.

Below photos are all hip shot from 15mm CV lens, even at f4.5, subject remain sharp. The rangefinder becomes a point and shoot tool.

 

[alucard]

There is a rather interesting thread now in the street section in Photo.net.

The title of this thread is:

"99.98% of Street Photography pictures are c#&p".

Might be good to read the discussions and different points of views.

Sorry, I do not know how to give a link to that thread.

Here you go. Link

 

[alucard]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/essays/vanRiper/040226.htm - I think this is a great story and a must read.

 

[falterego]

There is a rather interesting thread now in the street section in Photo.net.

The title of this thread is:

"99.98% of Street Photography pictures are c#&p".

Might be good to read the discussions and different points of views.

Sorry, I do not know how to give a link to that thread.

Interesting thread, especially Blake's blog. This is going off topic, of course, but I purchased a book titled No Rules Street Photography by Nitsa recently, after finding her blog -- Non Photography to be quite intriguing. The book was crap and I returned it and it's quite sad for many reasons but it did fortify the fact that Street, unlike Portraits or Landscape or such, is rather completely undefined. The merits of the photograph notwithstanding, could a picture of something anything on a street be considered Street Photography? Is it supposed to be art or reportage? Are there boundaries on content and context? Frankly, I see too many 'street photos' that I feel are better classified under travel photography or lomography but without any guidelines, who am I, or anyone for that matter, to say?

 

[YOL925]

99.98% means nearly but not all , rite?

This must be one of those 0.02%. :bsmilie:

 

[snits]

Zone focusing is very easy with wide angle lens. The smaller the focal length and aperture (i.e. larger f no.), the longer the Depth Of Field (DOF), the easier it is to have all your subject in focus, without having to focus through the viewfinder.

I think Bruce Gilden's should be using zone focusing right, else how to shoot like him? whahahah

 

[wizard_de_weird]

Would like to pose a question here.

Let say if I want to use a 35mm lens together with an external viewfinder on a M3 which only has the 50/90/135 framelines in the VF. Can I still use the camera VF to focus (might not see the full view) if I don't intend to use ZF?:sweatsm:

 

[Royale With Cheese]

as long as the lens is rangefinder coupled, it can be focused through the camera's VF

 

[Yoricko]

Would like to pose a question here.

Let say if I want to use a 35mm lens together with an external viewfinder on a M3 which only has the 50/90/135 framelines in the VF. Can I still use the camera VF to focus (might not see the full view) if I don't intend to use ZF?:sweatsm:

Why not?