I love rangefinders...

menthel

menthel

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I was out around Rye yesterday with the family, shooting here and there. The fact that I could see outside of the shot frame lines was just so useful. Being able to see both what was leaving and what was coming into shot is such a pleasure! Shame my photos will be a poo as usual!
 
I'm developing a fondness for them too. Shame that so many are in dire need of a CLA or used mercury batteries that don't have a modern equivalent so you're left with the need to pad out the battery bay with tin foil.

Currently waiting for my latest purchase to arrive from Japan, a Yashica Electro 35 GX, "pro" black model. It's fairly rare but they do come up on the bay occasionally. I probably paid a bit over the odds, to be honest, but mine's coming from a guy who gives every camera a full service and provides a bit of warranty so I felt it was a better option than buying one with an unknown history. According to the parcel tracker, it's currently at Heathrow :D
 
Musicman said:
A bit pricey, but it works well IME

http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_mr9_adapter.htm
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Yes, I've seen that site but it doesn't work for all camera/battery combinations. For example, the GX uses two PX640 batteries; there's an alkaline replacement (PX640A) but it runs at 1.5v instead of the 1.35v of the originals. From the research I've carried out, this shouldn't make a huge difference to the Yashica but voltage variations can impact on meter readings so running a test roll through the camera is the first thing to do. Often all you need to do is adjust the ISO rating for the film you're shooting to get the correct readings but with the exposure latitude of modern films it should be ok.

The other option is to use zinc-air batteries, for which an adapter is available, but these sometimes require you to drill a hole through the battery cover plate in order to provide the air required by the cell. I'd rather give the alkaline cells a go than start taking a drill to my new toy!

Of course, another option would be to take out the Zorki 4 and there's no battery worries at all :D
 
Love 'em too.
Recent results from the Hexar weren't what I'd hoped for but will be trying again!

Also have an oly 35RC that I need to run through its pace so maybe will try that first.
 
Talking of Oly's, I went to the local big car boot sale a couple of weeks ago and there was a guy selling old film cameras at £3 each. They all looked like old P&S to me so I didn't think much more about it until a few days later when I was surfing rangefinder sites and realised that one of them was an Oly XA with A11 flash.

Still, the clamshell was pretty sticky and I'm sure the internals would have been full of dust and corrosion. If I keep telling myself that, I'm sure I'll get over it. :bonk:
 
The beauty of the M6 is that it takes easy to find batteries. Mind you it should do given the camera price! You can get lr44 batteries by the hundred from eBay. Mind you I first used a range finder when my dad got out his konica s3 auto last year lived it and have been looking for the right camera ever since. Luckily I now have it but the cost means buying lenses will not be cheap and the price of fixing/servicing is rather high.
 
****I love rangefinders...****

Well I get my finger in the way of the lens.....so don't bother using the small ones and ain't got any big ones, anyway with the small P&Ss I've yet to find one with a lens that can equal a VG SLR lens for sharpness.....close but not equal.
 
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I've developed quite a soft spot for them too in the last couple of years.

Here's my Olympus offerings [OK the Trip's not a rangefinder!]

Olympic_Trio.jpg


My RD required a major overhaul for its sticky shutter [a common fault] but is working great now, just need to finish this roll off having got it back from its service.

Also got an Argus C-4, Zorki 4K and a FED 5 that I need to run through their paces.
 
Decided to use my F3 yesterday, quickly switched back to an RF since I found that seeing the DOF was distracting me. :lol:
 
Can't say I've ever used one... looking up the Olympus XA though, I sold one to a friend for the price of a pint and lunch! Doh! :)
 
I've only ever used two rangefinders, a sokol 2 and the XA, love using them, I daren't start looking at more expensive ones otherwise that will start me off!!
 
Another rangefinder fan here. I wish I could afford a "good" one though.
 
The main reason I'd buy a rangefinder camera is because they look so nice!
I don't really like having to focus, whether it's an slr, or a rangefinder. I have a Minox 35 on which I set a guesstimate of the focus, and then just use the viewfinder for framing. This seems more enjoyable for me than having to "work" through the viewfinder, if you know what I mean.
 
Garry71,
You must try out a contax G2, no need to focus and still the same RF feeling ;)
 
They're a bit expensive, and I'd be too scared to take it out of the house!
I have got a Yashica J rangefinder, but the shutter doesn't work anymore:(
 
I've now put five rolls through the Minolta CLE. I think rangefinders aren't for me. I'm a lot faster focusing on a matte screen, instead of recomposing.
 
Just had a look at the CLE - that's a lovely little rangefinder.
 
Cuchulainn said:
Just had a look at the CLE - that's a lovely little rangefinder.
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I love the concept of rangefinders. They have tiny bodies and lenses, focusing is precise. I'm just not quick enough. I keep pushing the focusing tab into the wrong direction.
 
Cistron said:
I love the concept of rangefinders. They have tiny bodies and lenses, focusing is precise. I'm just not quick enough. I keep pushing the focusing tab into the wrong direction.
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Then use it more and learn to push it in the right direction! ;)

I have to agree though, sometimes cameras are just not right for people. I loved my oly OM-2 SP but just didn't get on with my Contax G2- great pictures but just too automated. I love my M6 on the other hand and have just got myself a 35mm summicron to go with it. Lovely!
 
Cistron said:
...I'm just not quick enough. I keep pushing the focusing tab into the wrong direction.
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I found that I got into the habit of leaving the focus at one end of the travel - so you just moved the tab in one direction until things came into focus then pressed the release button. Worked for me anyway (though I may well be a bit wierd!)
 
I had an Olympus 35RC - bought in Hong Kong in the 70s - and the flash unit but threw them away when I moved from South Africa a couple of years ago. AFAIK, they were still working, but I didn't think I would ever want to use them again. Probably a mistake.

I do quite fancy a Leica, probably an M3, and I might buy one eventually. They're - sort of - affordable, about the same as a modest DSLR new. I don't have any particular fetish about Leicas but I like them, the build quality is superlative and I like things that have some history about them.
 
Cistron said:
I've now put five rolls through the Minolta CLE. I think rangefinders aren't for me. I'm a lot faster focusing on a matte screen, instead of recomposing.
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Always reset your focus ring to infinity (or min. distance) so you'll always turn it one direction. Also don't line up the patch, just turn until you see the contrast increase slightly (it's noticeable once you've trained your eye to see it). I find it a lot easier to focus with an RF patch than a ground glass since that contrast jump feels a lot more objective rather than judging whether the subject looks sharp enough.

Also if you think about it, Leicas are quite cheap as if you end up hating it you can sell them on for pretty much the same price. The problem is they're so compelling to shoot with, haha.

Menthel: I'm really jealous, been toying with the idea of buying a 35 'cron myself, but my Hexar does the whole 35 thing wonderfully.
 
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FruitFlakes said:
Always reset your focus ring to infinity (or min. distance) so you'll always turn it one direction. Also don't line up the patch, just turn until you see the contrast increase slightly (it's noticeable once you've trained your eye to see it). I find it a lot easier to focus with an RF patch than a ground glass since that contrast jump feels a lot more objective rather than judging whether the subject looks sharp enough.
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That's some good advice, although I haven't really seen the contrast increase. The contrast increases very clearly on a good ground glass though.

Also if you think about it, Leicas are quite cheap as if you end up hating it you can sell them on for pretty much the same price. The problem is they're so compelling to shoot with, haha.
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That's why I think I will give the Minolta a pass for now an sell it again. I can always get a nice Rangefinder once I've finally got a proper job.
 
FruitFlakes said:
Always reset your focus ring to infinity (or min. distance) so you'll always turn it one direction. Also don't line up the patch, just turn until you see the contrast increase slightly (it's noticeable once you've trained your eye to see it). I find it a lot easier to focus with an RF patch than a ground glass since that contrast jump feels a lot more objective rather than judging whether the subject looks sharp enough.

Also if you think about it, Leicas are quite cheap as if you end up hating it you can sell them on for pretty much the same price. The problem is they're so compelling to shoot with, haha.

Menthel: I'm really jealous, been toying with the idea of buying a 35 'cron myself, but my Hexar does the whole 35 thing wonderfully.
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I have just been playing with it this evening and its tiny! Not sure about tab focusing though, the throw seems awfully long for that. Otherwise very nice. Shame I only have film leicas otherwise I would put some piccies up! That will have to wait.
 
If you want to increase the contrast on your RF patch buy a cheap pack of coloured flash gels on eBay for £5, trim them to fit over the patch window. If you aren't bothered by seeing through the viewfinder in accurate colour you can even so opposing colours on the patch window and the VF window; i have a couple of Watameter RF accessory finders where i have a red gel on one screen and a green one on the other to maximize the contrast between them.

I do like rangefinders i have several, if the Olympus 35RC had aperture priority instead of shutter it would probably be my favourite, the lens on that thing is tack sharp; most of the time though if i feel the need for RF i'll use my Zorki 1 with either a collapsible Industar-22 or a Jupiter-8 and a little Gossen Sixtino selenium meter to complete the no batteries needed package.

Zorki 1B + Jupiter 8 Chrome by Morinaka_2010, on Flickr
 
menthel said:
The fact that I could see outside of the shot frame lines was just so useful. Being able to see both what was leaving and what was coming into shot is such a pleasure!
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I have never really bothered to learn myself but I have heard people say that keeping both eyes open when using any camera with a viewfinder gives the same effect but even more so :D. Most people, me included, close the eye that isn't at the viewfinder but if you train yourself to keep it open then you can see around the shot as well.

btw I used to have a Canonet, it was my first real camera. The large bright viewfinder was nice but I always found the focusing a bit laborious. Never caused me great problems with the sort of shots I used to take though.
 
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It's not hard on a 0.72x finder like on an M4 onwards, but with higher magnification finders (the M3's 0.91x and the Bessa R3's 1.0x) it's very easy, it looks as if there are framelines floating in your vision when you keep both eyes open!
 
I just sold my R3a as I loved it, but used my R far more. the range finder lines of these modern Voigtlanders compared to the older cameras in my collection are in a totally different league.

I had a petri 7 which had a very strange green rangefinder and that was pretty good, for focusing but was odd to try and use both eyes through.
 
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