Medium Format Rangefinders

waxycamera

waxycamera

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Lewis
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Just a quick question as googling only gives me a limited results.

I want a Medium Format rangefinder for shoot holidays and every day stuff, love the mamiya 7 but way out of budget. any chance there's a usable MF rangefinder or similar for £100 or less?

Cheers
 
I think the closest you will get to £100 would be a folding camera with an un-coupled rangefinder such as the Agfa Isolette III - or the Ansco version of it like I have.


Steve.
 
Mmm, don't think there's much out there for £100 Lewis. Ross Ensign 12-20, 16-20 might be in budget but they're not true rangefinders more a viewfinder. They are however very good indeed.

16-20

St-Paul's-1-b&w by andysnapper1, on Flickr

12-20

Weardale-Railway4 by andysnapper1, on Flickr

Andy
 
Thanks, yeah I know £100 is very tight but Im a little worried I wont use it as much as my 35mm.

Might be able to push the budget if it was for something that i would never be able to put down ;)

Folders are an option but every one ive used feel a little fragile and prone to light leaks.
 
Lewis, the Ensign are very sturdy although I understand your concern over the bellows.

Steve, I would love one of those or a Mam 6 or 7, cracking cameras and lenses.

Andy
 
An ikonta 524 can be had for about £50 it's an uncoupled range fin. Mine has done me fine for about 6 months but you risk it having light leaks. Nothing flimsy about it though.
 
Have you seen the price of the Mamiya 7? I couldn't afford just a body and the lenses cost a fortune too. I could probably scrape together enough for the Fuji one day though.

Strangely the Mamiya 6 doesn't interest me* as it is a square format - however, I would rather have a Bronica SQ over an ETRS because it is square!

(* but I would accept one as a gift!).


Steve.
 
Steve Smith said:
Strangely the Mamiya 6 doesn't interest me* as it is a square format - however, I would rather have a Bronica SQ over an ETRS because it is square!

(* but I would accept one as a gift!).


Steve.
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Mamiya 6 FTW. The square is infinitely better than the 6x7 format, the bodies are beautiful things that are a joy to use. They aren't cheap in any way at all though
 
I've been using a rangefinder on a hotshoe with a afga, don't know how good the results are, its abit bad ergonmicly, tiny hole, stiff movement, and uncoupled too... Using a cheapo watameter off ebay.

I used 3d fabric paint to repair the bellows, tulip I think is the brand.
winding on feels better on 35mm, if you have a nice lever like on a spotmatic pentax :-), is kinda fun to set the folder tho
 
Mamiya 7 take fabbo photos but I found them too uninvolving and a relatively big piece of kit as well. A bit of a "look at me" camera. The Mamiya Six folder is heavy, heavier than the 7, takes square photos as has been said and they're rising in price. I wish I hadn't sold mine when I did: I didn't persevere long enough to learn how to use it with a light meter. My fault, my loss.
 
Steve Smith said:
This is about the cheapest I could find: http://www.ffordes.com/product/13032717264581

They made a 6x9 version too.


Steve.
Click to expand...

I'v seen the standard 45mm equivalent version for as little as £300 but you are looking at a meterless camera there which I'm not sure the OP wants considering he's talking about a Mamiya on a budget.

Its still not within his budget but perhaps one of the various Fuji 645 rangefinders would be worth considering? to the best of my knowledge they all have meters and I'v seen them starting around £250 on ebay.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the info, I can only dream of the Mamiya's and Fuji's for now :)

Will look into a nice folder, the ones suggested look really nice for the price, thanks steveo and andy!

If all else fails i will just use my ETRS and buy and Prism for it.
 
The Mamiyas are definitely a lottery win camera... but the folders are a real joy to use and you'll certainly get some comments when using them.
I believe that the lenses in the Ensigns were considered to be in the same league as Zeiss and Leica (although possibly mid-table rather than table toppers).

Andy
 
At your desired budget, I personally think a TLR offers far more usability and 'bang for your buck'.
 
I did think about a TLR but i want something that feels nice in the hands and is a joy to use, and I find my Bronica a bit of a brick for casual everyday shooting. Dont get me wrong I love it.

Also do any of the folders have lightmeters, my guess is no :/
 
I know it's above the OP's budget... I know it's above my budget... I know it's a big beast as I finally got to handle one... but I STILL want a Mamiya 6 (not the folder, and not the 7, as that's not square).
 
Me too......
 
raathistle said:
Mamiya 6 FTW. The square is infinitely better than the 6x7 format, the bodies are beautiful things that are a joy to use. They aren't cheap in any way at all though
Click to expand...


QFT ^


£100 won't go nowhere, you have to commit and not worry about whether you'll use it or not, because you just will...lol
Never had that problem, mine is whether to buy that 35mm camera on the basis that I'll use it, because I just won't.
Anyway, there are a few RF's between £100 and £silly, there are a lot of Fuji RF's with unfamiliar prefixes, that and the fact they are mostly fixed lens might see you get lucky in Ebayland.
Fujica G & GL, GW & GSW, GF & GM, and if you're prepared to go 645 there's GA, GS, GS645zi zooooooooooom.
 
I think folders are mostly pre light meter, so either use a digi camera or buy a lightmeter

you could buy a super cheap folder off ebay, see if you like the feel of it, mine are light and feel nice :-), and pocketable in my coat pockets
 
Look for a Franka Solida III - the version with the rangefinder. They go for around £100 and they shoot 6x6 and have the Schneider 80mm f2.9 lens - bargain IMO - I've got one but sadly the shutter does not work :'(
 
I've never owned a Mamiya Press but did have a play with one once. They're very big and ungainly, but are supposed to be very good.

As for 35mm rangefinders, there's a huge range to choose from! If you're OK with a fixed lens, maybe have a look at things like the Olympus 35RD or Canon GIII. There's lots of information about these here: http://www.cameraquest.com/classics.htm
Of course, if money's no object, a Leica M6 or M7 is the only sensible choice ;)
 
I used to have a Voigtlander Bessa R3a and the Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 lens which was a thing of beauty and a joy to use. A little more expensive than some but a good compromise if you're not in the market for a Leica.

Andy
 
The Electro 35 is pretty good, and has a lovely 45mm f/1.7 lens. Renders colours well.

Ease of use - it's aperture priority, and it has two lights if you are overexposing (the leaf shutter goes up to 1/500s) or if it's going to be a slow shutter speed. And it's a rangefinder, so pretty simple all in all.
 
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