Rangefinder or SLR??

Tirpitz

Tirpitz

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well this might be trying to run before i can walk but i'm feeling a strong pull to shooting some film on an old/classic camera.
would i be better off with an old SLR or a Rangefinder?
and does anybody have any recommendations in either?
the old stuff just looks so cool :thumbs:
 
I have both and I still find an SLR easier and more intuitive to use than my Leica - which I dearly love because...well, it's a Leica...

I just find that the lack of a pentaprism (meaning I'm not seeing what the lens is seeing) and the parralax focus system on the Leica gives me a sense of disconnect from the subject...also the fact that the 'subject-view' is constantly in focus using the Leica means it's sometimes difficult to judge exact focus when trying to shoot quickly.
Also it's not that much less obtrusive and quiet than a good film SLR...despite what we're told by the cogniscenti...

With an SLR I can 'see' when the shot is in focus or not and also see how far out it is at any given time...

It's one of the reasons I recently bought an F3 to play with...that camera goes out with me every day, whereas the Leica used to sit unused and wrapped in a couple of cloths for protection in my day-sack...
 
an SLR does seem to be the obvious direction i should go :thinking:

i have an old Agfa Super Siliette at home that i could try for the price of some film & processing but after a quick browse online reading other peoples recent experiences i'm left thinking its going to be a bit rubbish :shrug:

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If you've never used a rangefinder they can take some getting used to, and you might not like it once you do. I love them so I have 3 rangefinder systems which do all get used, including a leica. If you really want to try I would suggest you pick up a cheap model with a fixed lens, just to see if the focussing mechanism works for you.

As Rob said above there are some differences such as the viewfinder all being in focus and not seeing exactly what the lens will see, although in many ways the old SLRs you are likely to buy probably won't have 100% viewfinders either

One big plus to a good rangefinder is they are much easier to focus in low light as the rangefinder patch remains well illuminated compared to an SLR viewfinder, especially if stopped down slightly for increased DOF

Unfortunately it's all a very personal thing, and the only way to really know is to try
 
If you've already got a rangefinder, give it a try - for the cost of a roll of film and a couple of quid processing at Tesco's you can see if you get on with it or not. Personally, I'm definitely in the SLR camp, though this may well be because my rangefinder isn't a Leica, its a FED-3 :lol: I still use the FED, of course - no shelf camera's chez Yin... but it tends to be used more in situations where I need a camera that's free of any electricals (ie in the rain), or when it would just "look more the part" - e.g. something like the 40's Weekend at Howarth (which I forgot about this year - dammitt!)
 
i could always just wear it around my neck as a pendant to make me look more "authentic" while i'm shooting digital :naughty:
 
Arkady said:
Pity - I'm not terribly impressed with the latest shots coming from there so far that are appearing in the gallery-threads......
Click to expand...
On the other hand, If I had gone, I may well just have been adding to the carp shots - only shot on Rollei Retro rather than something digital :lol: At least I wouldn't have been worrying about a bit o rain on the camera though - though I may have been shot as a spy, what with having a "disguised" chermann camera and all :lol:
 
I think you'd find a rangefinder a struggle to be honest - even in experienced hands they're not that easy to use. I'd love to own a Leica, but I know in my heart I wouldn't use it, and for pretty much the same reasons as Rob. I love my Contax G2, which is a rangefinder with an AF system to rival a DSLR, and very much like an SLR to use, but noting that two of your key words were 'old' and 'classic', I think it has to be an SLR. Pretty well any SLR of any vintage will be easier to use than a rangefinder.
 
CT said:
I think you'd find a rangefinder a struggle to be honest - even in experienced hands they're not that easy to use. I'd love to own a Leica, but I know in my heart I wouldn't use it, and for pretty much the same reasons as Rob. I love my Contax G2, which is a rangefinder with an AF system to rival a DSLR, and very much like an SLR to use, but noting that two of your key words were 'old' and 'classic', I think it has to be an SLR. Pretty well any SLR of any vintage will be easier to use than a rangefinder.
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Some of the older SLR,s dont have a split prisim, so can be more difficult to focus than a R/F, and dont laugh at the FED range, better R/F patch than the early, ( Pre 'M') Leica,s.

Dave
 
When did I laugh at the Fed range - I owned a couple a gazillion years ago. ;)
 
Tirpitz said:
well this might be trying to run before i can walk but i'm feeling a strong pull to shooting some film on an old/classic camera.
would i be better off with an old SLR or a Rangefinder?
and does anybody have any recommendations in either?
the old stuff just looks so cool :thumbs:
Click to expand...

It depends what you want to be taking pictures of. I find my rangefinder (Canonet QL19) massively easier to use than a SLR for walking round and taking quick 'street' snaps.
 
I actually prefer a range finder.
My SLR was too big and noisy today, it also afforded too much choice, I was fannying about too much trying to change lenses to order.
I'm only really shooting 3 but buggering about with a body, two lenses and four caps without putting anything down is a pain in the arse.
Sometimes its good to leave all that rubbish behind, keep it simple and shoot to the strengths of the camera nice and relaxed...:cool:
 
Those who use rangefinders for street photography often use wide angle lenses and pre-focus, effectively shooting on 'auto' and concentrating on the composition. I've never used a rangefinder long enough to be completely intuitive while still needing to focus because the majority of the screen is always 'in focus' in a way an SLR's viewfinder is not.
 
Old film cameras can be picked up so cheaply these days you might as well get one of each have a play and decide, I've picked up an Olympus Trip and an OM10 for a combined total of less than £20 I'm just looking to complete my set with a reasonable rangfinder I'm hankering after an Olympus 35RC but haven't found a nice one for a price I'm willing to pay yet so I may settile for a Ricoh 500G as they seem to go for very little.
 
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