Rangefinder users?

Red Dawn · 20th January 2003

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 · 20th January 2003

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

lavenderlilz · 20th January 2003

am not but hope to get one someday.

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

funksoulava · 20th January 2003

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

rochkoh · 20th January 2003

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 · 20th January 2003

Quote:

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 · 20th January 2003

Woah!!! Thanks Greg!

Quote:

Originally posted by greg

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

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

Derrick · 21st January 2003

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 · 21st January 2003

Hey Derrick,

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

regards,
rOCh

Quote:

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 · 21st January 2003

Quote:

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? :P

Derrick · 21st January 2003

Quote:

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.

rueyloon · 21st January 2003

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

Red Dawn · 21st January 2003

Quote:

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 · 21st January 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by Derrick

just one lens can cover my whole contax system.

interesting read

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

Red Dawn · 21st January 2003

Quote:

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 · 21st January 2003

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

kn34 · 22nd January 2003

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

DAMIENO · 23rd January 2003

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

Dagger · 23rd January 2003

One more little xpan here.

Red Dawn · 24th January 2003

Hi

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

20th January 2003	#1
Red Dawn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 2,212	Rangefinder users? 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?

21st January 2003	#12
rueyloon Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,539	I use a Mamiya 7 and a Konica Hexar AF........ Holga can be considered ? __________________ 36frames Wedding Photography - http://www.36frames.com rueyloon - http://www.rueyloon.com

20th January 2003	#2
szekiat Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: London Posts: 2,378	hi, xpan and bessa R2 here....xpan ppl fall in! can't seem to find many here if any.....

20th January 2003	#3
lavenderlilz Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: hErE lAh Posts: 1,058	am not but hope to get one someday. Reddawn - why do u say the contax is not exactly a rangefinder?

20th January 2003	#4
funksoulava Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 572	Rollei 35S user (have the Rollei 35T also but have not used it as it needs some CLA.....).

20th January 2003	#5
rochkoh Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Under your skin Posts: 582	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..

21st January 2003	#8
Derrick Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 667	contax and leica user. also a ex-bessa r2 user. never really used a slr before. jumped straight from point and shoots to rangefinders.

21st January 2003	#16
kraterz Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 208	I sometimes use a Bessa R2 with the 35mm lens.

22nd January 2003	#17
kn34 Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: S'pore Posts: 110	I own some cheap rangefinder like Olympus 35sp,Minolte Hi-Matic 9,USSR Zorki-4 and FED-3.

23rd January 2003	#18
DAMIENO Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: BUKIT TIMAH Posts: 140	me? i'm using a mamiya 6 system, ricoh 500g, contax g1 system. good tools for travel and street. damien

23rd January 2003	#19
Dagger Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,294	One more little xpan here.

24th January 2003	#20
Red Dawn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 2,212	Hi wow more than i tot :P hopefully the number will increase to the point we can have our own forum here