How many of us use rangefinders?

[netdog]

When you've grown accustomed to auto-focus auto-exposure DSLRs, your inner photographer gets a bit flabby.

Use the camera as much as possible for a month and you'll find that you are learning to ride again.

What glass did you get?

 

[Sesshi]

The 35mm for now. Seemed like the logical choice for an uber-P&S.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Have two main kits right now; my Leica M8/M6TTL and my Nikon D90 and D60IR. The Nikon kit is when I want fast and easy... the Leica kit when I want to take things slower and smaller.

 

[peskaa]

M7 TTL and an MP. Love them to pieces.

 

[toxic]

Sorry to drag up a thread, but I walked into a camera store recently intending to buy a P&S - which I did, but also came out with an M8.2.

I had fond-ish memories of my old film Leica, on which I got some excellent shots... but playing with the new one for a while, I have a nasty feeling that it may all have been a fluke. Recalling how I used to use it, I really had no idea what I was really doing in the moment that I took the shot. I just pointed, did the technical basics and hoped for the best.

Maybe I need to be in a similar situation, but the shots are not coming out as I thought they might. I think some informal tuition may be in order. Does anyone know if this sort of thing can be done online, or if there's some sort of class for it?

an $8000 rangefinder is quite different from a $200 point-&-shoot.... if you just want to, well, point and shoot, a rangefinder isn't for you. a rangefinder is more or less a miniaturized SLR, and that entails learning everything you would if you had an SLR, and some more since the viewfinder and lenses function differently.

and just to be clear, an LX3 or similar does not qualify as a miniature SLR. you can't swap lenses and the "film" (sensor) is far too small, leading to lack of resolution and little DoF control.

 

[Sesshi]

an $8000 rangefinder is quite different from a $200 point-&-shoot.... if you just want to, well, point and shoot, a rangefinder isn't for you. a rangefinder is more or less a miniaturized SLR, and that entails learning everything you would if you had an SLR, and some more since the viewfinder and lenses function differently.

and just to be clear, an LX3 or similar does not qualify as a miniature SLR. you can't swap lenses and the "film" (sensor) is far too small, leading to lack of resolution and little DoF control.

Thank you Captain Frackin Obvious.

As I said, I did get a P&S - a D-Lux 4, aka the LX3 - and the rangefinder. You couldn't call me a professional photographer and most of my photo moments tend to be of the P&S variety. I just can't justify the bulk of a DSLR even when I'm prepared to take better pictures.

 

[toxic]

Thank you Captain Frackin Obvious.

As I said, I did get a P&S - a D-Lux 4, aka the LX3 - and the rangefinder. You couldn't call me a professional photographer and most of my photo moments tend to be of the P&S variety. I just can't justify the bulk of a DSLR even when I'm prepared to take better pictures.

unless i missed something, you didn't say you got an LX3. you just said you intended to get a p&s, and walked out with a rangefinder.

you also asked about learning how to use it. as i said, it's similar to an SLR. you need to know how to meter and get the exposure you want, what focal length to use, etc. the major difference is how to read the viewfinder.

 

[Sesshi]

Use the camera as much as possible for a month and you'll find that you are learning to ride again.

Yeah - I'll see how it goes. I just don't have the ability to reflexively come up with the magic settings anymore. Perhaps I think too much these days. As you say, it is probably about familiarisation. The rest may still be luck but I guess I'll find out.

There isn't really a sort of journalist-lite photography class with a bent towards rangefinders, is there?

 

[jpfisher]

Which 35mm did you get? The Summilux ASPH hood blocks part of the viewfinder, which may be leading to some frustration if you are looking for careful, precise framing.

My advice would be to work slow with the camera at first. Take your time, work with some still subjects (architecture, sleeping hoboes, whatever tickles your fancy), use a tripod, and compare what you're seeing within the framelines to the image you're capturing. Get a feel for how accurate they as you focus at different distances.

Once you get that down, the rest should fall into place. I generally shoot with the shutter dial set to 'A' and my auto ISO ranging from 160 to 1250. If I'm working in extreme lighting conditions or if I'm working a bit slower I'll set all that manually.

 

[NightGeometry]

Strange this popped up, I've been seriously considering getting a Contax G2 over the past couple of days (wanted one for a couple of years, and now the want has turned into a definite hunger...)

Anyone got any experience with a G2?