Rangefinder users?

[Red Dawn]

Hi

following the lead of other CSers who asked similar qn about other equipment, this is a curious and informal poll to find out how many active rangefinder users in clubsnap, and wat rangefinder(s) do you use?

it may be a cheap but good Canonet or Yashica Electro 35, or a top of the line Leica, the excellent Cosina / Voigtlander Bessa R series camera, or the high quality medium format Mamiya 7II. Or it could be the exotic Fuji 690BL or Fuji GA645. Or maybe u shoot with the modern panoramic Hasselblad Xpan.

ok, after some deliberation, Contax users are allowed to post (though Contaxes are strictly not rangefinders)

so, are u a rangefinder user, and which one do u use?

 

[szekiat]

hi, xpan and bessa R2 here....xpan ppl fall in! can't seem to find many here if any.....

 

[lavenderlilz]

am not but hope to get one someday.

Reddawn - why do u say the contax is not exactly a rangefinder?

 

[funksoulava]

Rollei 35S user (have the Rollei 35T also but have not used it as it needs some CLA.....).

 

[rochkoh]

i'm interested to know more about rangefinders.. it's capabilities, it's pros and cons..

been looking for a decent travel system. and rangefinders are known for their bulk (or aparent lack of). which makes then easy to store away. (unlike say a Nikon F100 + 105mm)

but are they good for streetshots where AF is an advantage? and apart from the Contax G series are there any AF rangefinders for the 135mm camera?

all help/referrences/links appreciated..

 

[greg]

Originally posted by rochkoh


all help/referrences/links appreciated..

u r in luck, this is the mother of all RF info site

http://www.cameraquest.com/classics.htm

 

[rochkoh]

Woah!!! Thanks Greg!

Originally posted by greg


u r in luck, this is the mother of all RF info site

http://www.cameraquest.com/classics.htm

 

[Derrick]

contax and leica user. also a ex-bessa r2 user. never really used a slr before. jumped straight from point and shoots to rangefinders.

 

[rochkoh]

Hey Derrick,

So which one do you use most, which one do you like best, and why?

regards,
rOCh

Originally posted by Derrick
contax and leica user. also a ex-bessa r2 user. never really used a slr before. jumped straight from point and shoots to rangefinders.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by szekiat
hi, xpan and bessa R2 here....xpan ppl fall in! can't seem to find many here if any.....

Hi

I believe jasphotography uses an Xpan......not too sure if there are any others........

Rueyloon uses a medium format Mamiya 7II rangefinder (often with the 35mm panoramic attachment)

who else?? so little how to start our own forum here?

 

[Derrick]

Originally posted by rochkoh
Hey Derrick,

So which one do you use most, which one do you like best, and why?

regards,
rOCh

I got the contax first then the leica later. Currently, using the leica the most. May just be a phase but i really enjoy the manual fiddling around, so far don't find the lack of AF, auto exposure, etc a disability at all. Its also nice to have some visual focus confirmation that i cannot really get on the contax. Also just love the quietness of the shutter. The cost though is really horrible...... just one lens can cover my whole contax system. :cry:

 

[rueyloon]

I use a Mamiya 7 and a Konica Hexar AF........ Holga can be considered ?

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by lavenderlilz
am not but hope to get one someday.

Reddawn - why do u say the contax is not exactly a rangefinder?

Hi

well rangefinders use a mechanism to find the the distance to the target / subject. Rangefinder are often employed at golf courses (to find out distance to the hole from where the golfer is) and other applications. They work based on the principle

Rangefinder cameras use a version of this mechanism to allow the photographer to precisely focus the lens. RF cameras measures the distance of an object by superimposing two images of that object and noting the degree of coincidence of both images. in other words, manual focusing.

The Contax in this case does not employ such a mechanism, being a AF body, hence it's not a true RF camera.

This does not in anyway diminish the significance of the Contax cameras, however. They are just as small and light and portable with very good lenses. Anyway for the purposes of this survey, i consider them all equal as long as they do not employ through the lens ground glass focusing like the SLRs

 

[greg]

Originally posted by Derrick

just one lens can cover my whole contax system. :cry:

interesting read

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004O0Z

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by rueyloon
I use a Mamiya 7 and a Konica Hexar AF........ Holga can be considered ?

oh yes, forgot about your super quiet Konica Hexar AF.....

nope....Holga not counted

 

[kraterz]

I sometimes use a Bessa R2 with the 35mm lens.

 

[kn34]

I own some cheap rangefinder like Olympus 35sp,Minolte Hi-Matic 9,USSR Zorki-4 and FED-3.

 

[DAMIENO]

me? i'm using a mamiya 6 system, ricoh 500g, contax g1 system. good tools for travel and street.
damien

 

[Dagger]

One more little xpan here.

 

[Red Dawn]

Hi

wow more than i tot
hopefully the number will increase to the point we can have our own forum here :devil: