What are the benefits of a rangefinder camera?

explody pup · May 22, 2004

Just curious what your opinions are. Who here uses a rangefinder camera? What kind?

Benefits I can think of:
Smaller since there's no prism like in a SLR
Less moving parts = more reliable, quiet
Good for "street photography" since it's less intrusive than a SLR

Hinderances I can think of:
You don't get to immediately see the effect of the DOF you chose
Off-set of what you see and what your lens sees will make composition tricky

I take a lot of close photos (anywhere betwen 1 to 3 feet of disance) where the ~2" of viewfinder/lens offset would make a noticable difference. How do you get around something like this w/ a rangefinder, or do you just not do it at all? I guess macro shots are out of the question. Is this more of a people camera? How do you adjust for different focal lengths on the models where you can change the lens? I'm guessing with these cameras, you gotta know your DOF scale pretty good. What is your favorite color? Why does my jaw sometimes click when I chew my food? Who do you think will win the Stanley Cup?

Thanks in advance.

Mitica100 · May 23, 2004

explody pup said:
Just curious what your opinions are. Who here uses a rangefinder camera? What kind?

Benefits I can think of:
Smaller since there's no prism like in a SLR
Less moving parts = more reliable, quiet
Good for "street photography" since it's less intrusive than a SLR

Hinderances I can think of:
You don't get to immediately see the effect of the DOF you chose
Off-set of what you see and what your lens sees will make composition tricky

I take a lot of close photos (anywhere betwen 1 to 3 feet of disance) where the ~2" of viewfinder/lens offset would make a noticable difference. How do you get around something like this w/ a rangefinder, or do you just not do it at all? I guess macro shots are out of the question. Is this more of a people camera? How do you adjust for different focal lengths on the models where you can change the lens? I'm guessing with these cameras, you gotta know your DOF scale pretty good. What is your favorite color? Why does my jaw sometimes click when I chew my food? Who do you think will win the Stanley Cup?

Thanks in advance.

Hmm.. so many questions, so little time to answer... :lol:

OK, here it is:

I use a Zeiss Super Ikonta A for MF and a Canon SBIV (great Leica copy) for 35mm RF.

Benefits: you're right on! They can also be used where noise is a factor, such as a concert.

Hindrances: you're right on as well. The adjustment one needs to make when subjects are closer depends on the camera make. Some of the upper crust ones (such as Leica's M series) come with a parallax correcting viewfinder.

As to the close ups, there are kits made especially for this purpose. Something like an attachment to the lens which also has a viewing attachment to compensate for it. Leicas have it, I also have an attachment for the Canon SBIV.

A people camera? More like a collector's camera, if you ask me... :lol:

You need to know the DOF regardless of which camera you work with, although more so with some cheaper models of RFs.

Black.

I was going to mention TMJ (aka temporomandibular joint syndrome, very common) but I think I need to know how loud your jaws click.

Tampa Bay.

explody pup · May 24, 2004

Mitica100 said:
Hmm.. so many questions, so little time to answer...

OK, here it is:

I use a Zeiss Super Ikonta A for MF and a Canon SBIV (great Leica copy) for 35mm RF.

Benefits: you're right on! They can also be used where noise is a factor, such as a concert.

Hindrances: you're right on as well. The adjustment one needs to make when subjects are closer depends on the camera make. Some of the upper crust ones (such as Leica's M series) come with a parallax correcting viewfinder.

As to the close ups, there are kits made especially for this purpose. Something like an attachment to the lens which also has a viewing attachment to compensate for it. Leicas have it, I also have an attachment for the Canon SBIV.

A people camera? More like a collector's camera, if you ask me...

You need to know the DOF regardless of which camera you work with, although more so with some cheaper models of RFs.

Black.

I was going to mention TMJ (aka temporomandibular joint syndrome, very common) but I think I need to know how loud your jaws click.

Tampa Bay.

You should get a prize for answering all my questions. :shock:

Sadly, I have nothing to give, so you'll have to settle for reverence.

I ask because I'm thinking about picking up a MF folding camera from ebay sometime in the near future instead of getting a new lens... or maybe get both. I saw a wide angle on ebay I wanted, too.

I ask the DOF question because I'm still getting used to the scale on my SLR, though I'm slowly getting better at predicting the results.

Black isn't really a color, is it? But more of an abscence of color? :?:

Sorry, I'm just being a turd.

I'll try to figure out a way to measure how many db my jaw makes when it clicks, then I'll report back.

Yes. I hope Tampa Bay brings Calgary to their knees after they defeated my beloved Wings. :twisted:

voodoocat · May 24, 2004

Yes. I hope Tampa Bay brings Calgary to their knees after they defeated my beloved Wings

boooooo.

I'm hoping for Galgary to win for defeating the evil red wings.

drlynn · May 24, 2004

explody pup said:
Black isn't really a color, is it? But more of an abscence of color? :?:

It depends. If you're talking about light, then yes, black is the absence of all color.

If you're talking pigment, black is (at least theoretically) the combination of all colors.

That's the highly simplified, not quite scientifically accurate answer, anyway.

In general layman's parlance, tho, I believe black is accepted as a color. Crayola makes black crayons, after all.

explody pup · May 24, 2004

drlynn said:
It depends. If you're talking about light, then yes, black is the absence of all color.

If you're talking pigment, black is (at least theoretically) the combination of all colors.

That's the highly simplified, not quite scientifically accurate answer, anyway.

In general layman's parlance, tho, I believe black is accepted as a color. Crayola makes black crayons, after all.

I was going to argue that we don't actually see pigment, but the light that is reflected off of it, like we don't hear the walls, but the sound that is reflected off of them. Or something equally as weak and aimless as that. But then you brought out the Crayola argument and that kinda shut me up.

Oh... and... DEATH TO THE FLAMES! :twisted:

Mitica100 · May 24, 2004

explody pup writes:

I ask because I'm thinking about picking up a MF folding camera from ebay sometime in the near future instead of getting a new lens... or maybe get both. I saw a wide angle on ebay I wanted, too.

There are many folding MF cameras on Ebay. I suggest looking at the Russian copies of the Super Ikontas, they're cheap and if you don't like the MF after all, you know you haven't spent too much on it.

My first MF camera was a Wardflex TLR, my second a Yashica D TLR (which I strongly recommend, great lens!!). But they are non folding cameras, bulkier and more cumbersome carrying around than a folder.

Let me know when you measure your clicking...