Increasing interest in RF

[Cactus jACK]

haha, I am sure...

No I'm not joking...

let's let cooler head prevail here... there is no need to get into realm of personal attacks here.

yes, keep things constructive and cordial. i do encourage everyone to read the full thread before jumping to reply to a single post, as clarifications may have been posted further along the thread. also be careful with your language... i don't expect everyone to be speaking / typing the "queen's english", but i'm sure we can all try to communicate better, which includes not just clarifying our own thoughts, but also the patience to clarify what others might have meant.

this thread has already strayed from the initial post, but i'll let this discussion carry on, on the condition that all keep the discussion constructive and cordial.

 

[alantcs2010]

Three weeks aqo I met a guy in Labrador Park using a Nikon D7000. We spoke and he appreciated my rangefinder M9. He is a guy who like to shoot macro subjects like insects and spiders. I told him that there is no better camera who can do this type of photography. I even told him that my M9P can't match his camera if we will to shoot marco subject together. He smile and said that he liked my camera. So I told him that Rangefinder camera does has some advantages when you shoot streets photography. We exchanged ideas. What I am trying to say here is that we respected each other and the equipment we use. Everybody has to start from basic. It can be a point and shoot camera to a DSLR or those Sony NEX camera. All professional photographers started with these cameras and go all the way up to medium format or even large format. If you ask them about DSLR and rangefinder camera, they will usually tell you that these cameras have some differences but they all can take great pictures as a whole. This is a form of respect in life. To me DSLR is great for streets because it is auto focus and fast. Rangefinder is smaller and lighter and do not attract too much attention most of the time. Rangefinder can be very fast if you do hyperfocusing.

 

[DeepZpace]

What's really nice (for me) while using RF is bumping into and chatting with random strangers while traveling who are either using film or RFs themselves. A warm fuzzy feeling that's by the way.

 

[Benji77]

See lah you all. Kena from our Moderator already. **tsk tsk**.
Control...control....breath...you will get better hand holding techniques and the possibility to shoot at 1/2 sec with your camera. (**Ahem, whatever camera**)

 

[Royale With Cheese]

No I'm not joking. Please give some constructive comments so that I'm won't think that I'm replying to a 12 yr old kid.

Er... Bert is actually pretty hmm, in his senior years already.

What's really nice (for me) while using RF is bumping into and chatting with random strangers while traveling who are either using film or RFs themselves. A warm fuzzy feeling that's by the way.

Yea, myself & Ernest bumped into a check in Pokhara, Nepal shooting Bessa L :heart:

 

[oceanpriest]

you can install external viewfinder on SLR camera
you can mirror lock up the SLR camera
you can use zone focusing on SLR camera
you can use manual setting on SLR camera

so what's make RF different?

 

[Royale With Cheese]

you can install external viewfinder on SLR camera
you can mirror lock up the SLR camera
you can use zone focusing on SLR camera
you can use manual setting on SLR camera

so what's make RF different?

wahahahahahahahahahaha! This is funny!

 

[woeilee]

I am also very tempted to try out RF esp Voigtlander RF since they are generally 'cheaper'
However, though film can be quite affordable, the processing fee can cost a fortune over time.
Any bro can advise on the cheaper way of processing film, DIY or by photo shops? Do most of you who shoot film own a film scanner or do you print the photos then scan?

 

[mazeppa26]

actually RF seems to be pretty much getting a revival... maybe because of the popularity of m43, etcetc more lens can be shared over systems.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I am also very tempted to try out RF esp Voigtlander RF since they are generally 'cheaper'
However, though film can be quite affordable, the processing fee can cost a fortune over time.
Any bro can advise on the cheaper way of processing film, DIY or by photo shops? Do most of you who shoot film own a film scanner or do you print the photos then scan?

I load films manually into canisters, called bulk loading.
DIY processing of B&W film & self scanning of 135 & 120mm film

colours I still sent them to the lab to be processed but scanned at home.

Every lab scan is about $10 I believe? not that great as well. So might as well buy a scanner & get it DIY yourself & saves a lot in the long run.

 

[chrisli]

In the past one month 4 of us went into RF, all of us have been using DSLR for many many years, the difference is we are rediscovering photography and the joy of looking at the end results, all of us are bird photographer and that means we use top of the range equipments. But the difference between DSLR and RF is in many ways different and of a different Genre. As Bird Photographers, and getting that elusive bird is also important to us and the joy of getting both the details and that rare bird can throw us into estacy. However, RF we can a different feeling, which I have not sure how to describe, but we all enjoy it. Maybe we are new to RF.
Anyway, I have always want to shoot street but do not have the courage running around shooting people with a DSLR, may it was just me, until I discover RF, which is compact and not intrusive, and the IQ is extremely good.
I wouldn't have taken this shot if I were using a DSLR, but using the M8, I was pointing directly at her and she is not even bothered, maybe she thought this is a lomo camera.

What I am trying to say is DSLR and RF has its advantages.

 

[newghost]

Be it dslr or rf, what's important is that you use it regularly and be really familiar with your gear... when a street scene catches your attention, you want to be really quick to capture it (not start to fumble with your camera settings then...) a missed opportunity is a missed shot and its no use remembering how decisive the moment was...

That said, i've had my fair share of missed shots and the reason why I'm sticking with a RF over any other medium (be it dslr, m43 etc) is the simplicity in its application and of course, the shooting process and the cloth shutter (??) experience. Even for street, its already proven that dslr gets you the results (just see the co-winners of the street photography project last term... both dslr users!)

 

[aomoon]

I load films manually into canisters, called bulk loading.
DIY processing of B&W film & self scanning of 135 & 120mm film

colours I still sent them to the lab to be processed but scanned at home.

Every lab scan is about $10 I believe? not that great as well. So might as well buy a scanner & get it DIY yourself & saves a lot in the long run.

Scanning manually by yourself is one of the most critical workflow for film photog.
This is because local photo developer will scan and adjust based on their experience and average preference.
So yes, get a scanner and software to enjoy the process

 

[pikapig]

Y no one say this?

U look more attractive with a RF over ur neck compared to DSLR?
Put a rf and a dslr side by side n see the girls will rush to molest which one first

 

[pikapig]

Be it dslr or rf, what's important is that you use it regularly and be really familiar with your gear... when a street scene catches your attention, you want to be really quick to capture it (not start to fumble with your camera settings then...) a missed opportunity is a missed shot and its no use remembering how decisive the moment was...

That said, i've had my fair share of missed shots and the reason why I'm sticking with a RF over any other medium (be it dslr, m43 etc) is the simplicity in its application and of course, the shooting process and the cloth shutter (??) experience. Even for street, its already proven that dslr gets you the results (just see the co-winners of the street photography project last term... both dslr users!)

My friend n i spent de whole yesterday shooting n we only managed to finish 1 roll of film each..she was telling me that she has never fired so little shots before..given her dslr n a session like yesterday would be at least few hundreds shot..lol..converting her in the process..

 

[crispy12]

I find that I can make an equally good photo, probably better with a DSLR. Better dynamic range, sharpness etc. However it's just not as enjoyable. I love rangefinders so much that using a slr seems like a chore. Does anyone here agree? I take the best photos when I'm in the right mood, and RFs always make me happy!

 

[Shahlan]

I find that I can make an equally good photo, probably better with a DSLR. Better dynamic range, sharpness etc. However it's just not as enjoyable. I love rangefinders so much that using a slr seems like a chore. Does anyone here agree? I take the best photos when I'm in the right mood, and RFs always make me happy!

Well said..

 

[sweat100]

Cameras are just the equivalent to "toys" we play when we are teens or adult. By saying all film cameras are toys (from the way you intended to portray to forumers) is too shallow to the types of film cameras you encountered. I suppose you have not tried technical film cameras such as large format. You take the picture as the way you vision it by manipulating the lens focal plane with respect to the film.
Be it film or digital, its just a capturing medium.

 

[zk-diq]

in fact all the film cameras i own are like toy cameras to me.. and when i say toy cameras i'm not insulting them. I mean they are non-sophisicated, simple fun things to use, like toys.

you need wisdom and knowledge to understand how well and precise those instrument were build.

 

[gommy]

hey...why you make fun of my toy camera....

Nikon 600AF "Toy Camera"
Kodak Ultramax 400
No PP.

Wow the lens from this Toy Camera is do highly regarded that it has been converted to M-mount!