Rangefinders.

yellowjeep · Apr 4, 2008

Can somebody explain the cameras to me? I am intrigued by them and I know of a few antique stores that have piles of them.

What should I look? I mean I can recognize brands like Leica, but I doubt there is anything like that in the stores. What are some other brands? Are there any tip offs that a camera might not be worth the money?

bhop · Apr 4, 2008

How much do you want to spend? Do you want interchangeable lenses, or is a fixed lens ok for you?

I recently bought a Canon Canonet QL17, with a fixed 40mm f/1.7 lens. It's all i've used since I got it about a month ago. I paid around $50 shipped for two broken ones.. used the parts to make one working one. They usually sell anywhere from $20-$150 depending on condition.

for further reading, check this thread:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112090

yellowjeep · Apr 4, 2008

I would like to spend no more than about 100 bucks. I would like interchangeable lenses, but I would settle for fixed if was good and the price was right. I read an article in Shutterbug about the Canon 7 and its f0.95 Dream lens. :drool:

but that is a little more that out of my current price range.

Thanks for the link btw.

bhop · Apr 4, 2008

I don't think i've seen any with interchangeable lenses for anywhere near $100..

yellowjeep · Apr 4, 2008

What are peoples thoughts on the Russian Lecia copies. I thought some of them were interchangeable... but I am probalby wrong.

Something along these lines.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fed-3-Russian-L...ryZ15234QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

christopher walrath · Apr 5, 2008

Anything that has the name Ziess Ikon on it would probably be worth picking up. And folding cameras are fun. Even if they are junk you can experiment by tearing them up and building things that make people think that your are a bit on the loon. Have fun.

ully · Apr 6, 2008

bhop said:
I don't think i've seen any with interchangeable lenses for anywhere near $100..

bhop, $100 give gets you a lot of choice. I have a Fed2 and a Fed5 both are very good, paid less than $30 for both of them. They have interchangeable Lieka Thread Mount lenses. Kievs are also quite popular on the RFF. The lenses are quite small and high quality.

I have also to two Yashicas, two Minoltas, and two Konicas and one Olympus.
I have never paid more than $50 for any of them. There are many other brands out there on ebay.

Modern ones would be Hexar, Voightlander and of course Lieca but all are much more money.

Battou · Apr 6, 2008

A few months ago I picked up a Kodak Signet 40 complete set in box for under twenty, Takes good pics and makes an exellent prop.

It also appears in these pictures

http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-857.html

http://www.photo-lucidity.com/pic-871.html

Worst case scenario you could always take pictures of it if you are not going to use it a lot.

yellowjeep · Apr 6, 2008

That Kodka is um cute. It does look very cool. Thanks all for your advice so far. I really like the looks of the Fed cameras, I am having problems finding them stateside though.

Smith2688 · Apr 6, 2008

You can get a Kiev, Zorki, Fed, or some other Russian rangefinder that has interchangeable lenses for $100 or under. The Kiev's and Zorki's (and I think the Fed's) are Contax rangefinder copies.

EDIT: Your best bet for finding them is probably eBay or the Fedka store: http://www.fedka.com/catalog/

You can also look into an Olympus 35RC, or a Canon Canonet QL17, or a Yashica Electron GSN (or one of its several siblings) if you don't mind a fixed lens.

bhop · Apr 6, 2008

On a related note. I took my Nikon FE SLR out today. First i've used it since I got the Canonet and the shutter seems very loud in comparison...

Helen B · Apr 7, 2008

Smith2688 said:
You can get a Kiev, Zorki, Fed, or some other Russian rangefinder that has interchangeable lenses for $100 or under. The Kiev's and Zorki's (and I think the Fed's) are Contax rangefinder copies.

I've used a Fed 3 and a Zorki 4 - I had the Zorki for many years. They have Leica screw lens mounts, as already mentioned, and they are compatible with Leica screw-mount lenses. The Kiev is a Contax copy.

For info: Leica screw-mount lenses can be used on an M-mount via an adaptor.

I was quite happy with the Zorki 4. I would have preferred the lever-wind version. I was lucky and got a good lens with it. Lens quality is very hit-and-miss.

Best,
Helen

Mitica100 · Apr 7, 2008

Helen is right, the Soviet quality control was very weak at the time these lenses were produced and the usual ratio between good lenses and bad lenses is 1:10 (one good lens in ten). If you're lucky enough to find a few good lenses, you can start a Zorkii or a Kiev (Fed also) system. One thing though with the Zorkii cameras, they must have the film advanced in order to set the speed of the shutter. The reverse operation could lead to disaster.

yellowjeep · Apr 7, 2008

So, after reading this and the other recent Rangefinder theard(that I missed before.) I decided that since I have a DSLR and an 35mm SLR that fixed lens would be the way to go. I picked up a Konica S2 for $30 shipped. Its coming from 2 states away so hopefully it will be here this week

ully · Apr 7, 2008

yellowjeep said:
So, after reading this and the other recent Rangefinder theard(that I missed before.) I decided that since I have a DSLR and an 35mm SLR that fixed lens would be the way to go. I picked up a Konica S2 for $30 shipped. Its coming from 2 states away so hopefully it will be here this week

Good choice, they are very nice cameras and good glass.

Cheers