Increasing interest in RF

[artspraken]

Is it just me or do you notice there is increasing interest in RFs. Seems to me that more and more people who get hooked on street photography genre eventually end up with RF.

Another thing is this hobby grows on you. In the beginning rf is just a hobby but for me its becoming a bit of an obsession

 

[Enzokoh]

Yes i agree with you sir.Cos im 1 of them

 

[sinned79]

Is it just me or do you notice there is increasing interest in RFs. Seems to me that more and more people who get hooked on street photography genre eventually end up with RF.

i am interested in street photography... but not buying a RF yet (until DRF is more affordable, i guess i cannot shoot film... not the film shooter type)... so make do with my existing setup.

 

[axis90x]

ya i find it more and more people are attracted to rf

 

[gommy]

RF quite retro mah. Retro-Fotograhie.:bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[mikhail33]

True! I got intrested in photography got a dslr, then found out about street and decided to sell my dslr to fund for a RF!!

 

[artspraken]

For me the sequence is as follows

1. First interested in street genre
2. Second noticed how come all street photographers use RF
3. Third discover advantages of RF
4. Fourth discover power of zone focusing
5. Fifth hooked on RF

 

[artspraken]

Some delinquent symptoms as a leica man

6. Gear acquisition sydrome (gas) attack
7. Wife complain
8. Talk abt bokeh appreciation like wine appreciation
9. Fantasize abt noctilux, summilux and canon tv lens
10. Sudden panic attacks on holidays abt walking around with expensive equipment
11. Start looking at everything in terms of 50mm compositions. (nowadays i walk ard i imagine framelines also)
12. Try to justify leica lenses as an asset class in investment portfolio

 

[kaxdd]

So is it true that RF is always tied to street photography? I personally use my RF for landscape and also various things around my life. I haven't done street photography because I'm still scared of the reaction people might give me when I point my camera, even when I'm just using a P&S. :embrass:

 

[artspraken]

I must say i do not know RF user who specialise in landscapes.

Ya i think alot of street shooters are RF user. Only rf is full frame and small enough for street candids and stealth shoots. Dslr if fullframe is abit big and obtrusive

 

[raytoei]

Artspraken,

I whole-heartedly agree with your 1-7, as for 8-12, well, it depends.

There are some who won't regard non-Leicas as RFs, and would not want to be caught with a non-leica for street shooting. There are many among us who like the notion of street shooting but don't really shoot much.

But I agree, thanks to the mystique of Leica, there is renewed interest in Range Finders.

3 things makes RFs possible for street shooting:

a. The view frame is visible at all times. With a SLR, 90% of the time is spent focusing whereas with a RF, you see the picture as frame and wait for the decision moment to happen.

b. Very small without the mirror pentaprism. In most quarters, SLR equals Zoom Lens. Zoom Lens is a target of hostile stares, and even missile strikes.

c. Lastly, RF means manual focusing (mostly, the Contax G is auto), this is deliberate and slow picture taking, whether on the RD-1/M9 or Film. Hence composition will rule over sloppy shooting.

Last week in dangerous Karachi. Captured on the XA, Tri-x pushed to ei of 800, developed in D-76.

 

[ed9119]

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[Dslrman]

I feel DSLR is more easier for street photography, but I choose RF anyway because personally I feel it got more tactile feel to my whole photographic experience. To make me feel more tactile and holistic in my shooting my favourite camera is definitely a soviet RF because its the most basic and fully mechanical. Else I will use the autonomous DSLR.

 

[xherion]

I guess other reason of the renewed interest in RF is also due to the emerging trend of mirrorless cameras that redefines the usage of M lenses.

I agree with you on below bro, I found myself justifying that to my wife lately :bsmilie:

But of course, with M9, the depreciation will largely offset whatever capital gain you had from the leica lenses and then some :bigeyes:

Some delinquent symptoms as a leica man

12. Try to justify leica lenses as an asset class in investment portfolio

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Yep, quite a few people are picking up RF from what I see.

Just last week, I saw a couple of people walking pass my me while I was at the pub below my office, with RF in their hands.

I do use RF to shoot street quite a lot. Tried with a friend's nikon D700 as well, same, both are just tools just that the DSLR si beh heavy after 30mins of shooting

 

[ed9119]

some of you guys very notti..... accusing me via PM of being a M9 whore.....

truth be told..... its the only FF digital rangefinder now on the market next to its M8 M8.2 cousins and the older Epson rf

I am seriously hoping for Cosina and whoever bought over Contax to come up with competitive digital rf offerings

 

[BananaDiver]

imho... not only need a RF to shoot street... i happen to use a huge bulky DSLR to shoot...
but then RF usage is not only for street shooting use... i do see a lot of people using it for other purposes...

but yah... RF interest is increasing as i do see lots of RF users on the streets... lomo users too... lol

cheers

 

[sinned79]

I feel DSLR is more easier for street photography, but I choose RF anyway because personally I feel it got more tactile feel to my whole photographic experience. To make me feel more tactile and holistic in my shooting my favourite camera is definitely a soviet RF because its the most basic and fully mechanical. Else I will use the autonomous DSLR.

RF is more discreet for street photography... whenever i bring up my DSLR, somehow most of the time i got spotted and shoo off :sweatsm:

 

[raytoei]

oh yes, one more observation, RF lens tend to be prime, and they have DOF markings. Not sure if modern SLR lens have any markings at all. This, of course, is essential if one were to scale focus (ie. in distance) rather than through the prism.

 

[justshot]

Shoot with DSLR, people with P&S camera looked at you...

Shoot with RF, people with DSLR looked at you...

But those with P&S camera leave you alone...