End of rangefinder days...? [Archive]

AusDLK

07-21-2007, 08:58

Being unable to develop film for the past four to six weeks, I decided to take a different view of photography.

I bought a FujiFilm S5 Pro (a modified Nikon D200), a 20mm Nikkor f/2.8 wideangle (30mm on the S5), a Tokina 12-24mm f/4 (18mm to 36mm), and borrowed a Nikkor 35mm f/2 (52mm).

I love it .

It has fostered a new style of photography for me, i.e., the (sub)urban mundane in color, which is just another form of street photography.

Right now I feel no compelling urge to return to my film rangefinders as a digital SLR is perfect for this new (to me) style.

So, I ask myself, how long will the sun remain set on my use of the film rangefinder?

Michael I.

07-21-2007, 09:02

when it does,I could use some leicas.

steamer

07-21-2007, 09:06

Heck if you love using a digicam what's to stand in your way? The camera is just a photographic tool. I always say use what you like. I'm no artist, but I like the look I get from my rangefinders and I don't have enough bucks for a new Digicam set up anyway so I'll be traveling this road for a while.

erikhaugsby

07-21-2007, 09:30

use the S5.
abuse the S5.

A camera is entirely personal preference--if your shooting style gravitates towards TTL viewing, by all means accept the SLR. We as RF users are here only because we prefer the RF form in our shooting mannerisms; nothing will discredit you by realizing that an SLR is better suited to you.

Hell, this might even be a good thing in that you're understand what you need or want in a camera rather than using something because of the pedigree.

Stick around here, though, would you?

BillBingham2

07-21-2007, 09:32

Dave,

Life is full of cycles. Perhaps you cut down on some of the cameras to fund some more DSLR Glass. They are tools to create with. I would not sell everything, but some long glass is fun.

B2 (;->

CameraQuest

07-21-2007, 09:33

David,

cameras are just tools, a way of getting there. Vision and tools and style of shooting evolve over time.

Just as you evolved into liking the S5,
just as likely you will evolve back into RF.

Stephen

JonR

07-21-2007, 09:58

Agree with all what has been said and to me it is not "either or" but instead "both" that is the preference -- I like my Nikon RF, SLR and DSLR equipment and use them all but for different purposes. Right now I am in vacation up north in Sweden where we have a summer house and have been using a Nikon D80 with the 24-120 and 70-300 VR AFS zoom lenses when the family has been out on various activities.... and then I have taken a number of morning and eavning walks with my Nikon S3 with a CV 21 mm lens and the Nikon 5 cm lens together with Fuji Reala which I think creates fantastic landscapes / Jon

photogdave

07-21-2007, 09:59

Let me know if you want to unload the XPan or Hexar at a good price! But keep some RF gear around because you never know...
I went through the same thing when I started shooting RF and thought I should get rid of all my SLR stuff. I sold all the zooms but kept one body and some primes. Glad I did!

eli griggs

07-21-2007, 10:06

Keeping your film gear on hand and ready to go seems to me to be the best thing, as you may find you have need or want of those qualities that are unique to the medium and would regret the loss of that capability sooner than you might think.:bang:

If however you are experiencing loss of sleep or anxiety while trying to take a decision, then feel free to pack off your M3 and sundry lenses, etc to me, as I am posing as a humanitarian this week and would like to ease your suffering. :angel:

Eli

Spider67

07-21-2007, 10:32

Witnessed just the opposite thing at my office a wormate is selling off all of his Nikon SLR stuff , and will buy an M-mount Bessa as second body for his Leica gear.
I second the words of th posters above: Keep at least one RF-Set as a reserve

colyn

07-21-2007, 11:06

I got 2 pictures of Ben Franklin I'll trade ya for all your Leica gear since you're going digital..

mfogiel

07-21-2007, 11:14

Fuji is great (I use an S3), you can even take some wonderful portraits with it, but for this you should try the 50 and 85 glass. As long as you shoot in colour and do not pretend these photos are supposed to be exhibited at 13x19 or larger, then we are pretty fine and happy. Ah, I was forgetting - after a few days the camera will start to appear bulky and you won't feel like taking it along with you each time you get out of home. Also, when a nice landscape shot will come along and you will print it later, you will probably say to yourself: nice, a pity I did'n have a MF camera with me though... And finally, when you will nail some expressive scene, and you will want to convert it to B&W, the outcome will look like last year's snow, and you will pull out your nice little RF camera with your old good film, and your S5 will take a rest till the next time your aunt will ask you for a snapshot of her grandchildren...

sepiareverb

07-21-2007, 11:18

Now don't go and do anything rash. I'd say give it a good long while before you go doing anything like selling- it would take a long time to regroup all you've got in RF, and perhaps not in the shape yours is. Plus don't forget that digital has a much lower resale value...

Fred

07-21-2007, 11:18

There is room for both digital SLRs and film RFs (and SLRs) in my life. I've used and abused a D70 Nikon for over three years and it still works, I now have a D80 that has all but replaced the D70. I'm still using film RF more frequently than both my film or digital SLRs but use them all.

Good luck and enjoy your photography, the camera is just the tool for achieving it, you make the photograph.

ywenz

07-21-2007, 14:28

The past few rolls of the FUJI C-41 I shot with my Leica have been very depressing.. be it bad processing or simply shooting too little because it's film, has made be very wary of picking up the M6 for a walk around town. Recent results with my GRD and 5D on the other hand have been very good.

radiocemetery

07-22-2007, 16:15

Right now, all I have is film equipment. I have a Spotmatic with 4 nice M42 lenses; 2 Super Takumars, 1 Mamiya Sekor, and an Industar 61 lz. So if I want to try digital, probably I will look pretty hard at one of the Pentax digital cameras so I can keep using this glass. I don't plan on selling the Spottie though or any of my rangefinders except for an extra Argus C3 and some other things I am no likely to use. Still want to try a Leica too.

Steve

Carzee

07-22-2007, 16:36

This thursday night I am covering a live performance. 7 member rock/indie group.
I am sitting here thinking which gear to use.
RF or DSLR, or both somehow.

FrankS

07-22-2007, 16:40

Being unable to develop film for the past four to six weeks, I decided to take a different view of photography.
I bought a FujiFilm S5 Pro (a modified Nikon D200), a 20mm Nikkor f/2.8 wideangle (30mm on the S5), a Tokina 12-24mm f/4 (18mm to 36mm), and borrowed a Nikkor 35mm f/2 (52mm).
I love it .
It has fostered a new style of photography for me, i.e., the (sub)urban mundane in color, which is just another form of street photography.
Right now I feel no compelling urge to return to my film rangefinders as a digital SLR is perfect for this new (to me) style.
So, I ask myself, how long will the sun remain set on my use of the film rangefinder?

You should try an M8! :)

kshapero

07-22-2007, 17:19

I have owned many DSLR's: Nikon D80, Pany L1, Oly E-500 & Pentax K10. All gone. I could not get close to it. It was just too easy. I am not into photography to just take a couple thousand shots at a time. I find that over and over, I prefer the slow methodical nature of RF's and film. I even like waiting to see how it will look after development. But...best wishes on your addition. Just don't be so quick to unload your RF stuff. But if you do, PM me, I'll be waiting.

gb hill

07-22-2007, 18:09

If you know pretty certain that you won't be returning to film, I would seriously consider selling off the M3 & the M7 to help finance an M8 like Frank suggested. But cycles come and go, you may get tired of spending most of your time editing in photoshop and make a return to film, so don't get too hasty.

Ducky

07-22-2007, 18:57

Welcome to the roller coaster. The highs arer great but the dips get to the stomach. My budget allows me to only ride the kiddie coaster so I shoot FEDs and a Fujifilm S6000 with 10x zoom. I like both.
Ducky

AusDLK

07-22-2007, 19:43

Now, I never meant to suggest that I was thinking of selling my RF gear.

And, as many of you may remember, I was an (unpopular) and vocal critic of the M8 when it came out. I have to admit that since I've grown fond the larger and louder S5, it may be easier now to accept some of things that I so disliked about the M8...

jan normandale

07-22-2007, 20:04

Chris101

07-22-2007, 21:48

Hey Dave,

I jumped into the digiworld in 1999 and flourished there until 2006, adding up two digicams and two dslrs. I probably won't give up my digital stuff, but I have returned to film. I gotta say my style and technical ability has been improved for the excursion.

But I did finally realize that all that flash art was just that. Momentarily there, and then onto CD and gone. For one, a digital file is not a thing. It's more of a conceptual image than a picture. The idea that I could extract parts or change everything around made it seem more ... disposable.

Being able to see my negatives is a real boon to my photography. I now feel like I'm making something again.

So enjoy your time with digital - the instant feedback, and mutability is priceless. But do try to keep your eye on the idea of a photograph, rather than getting carried away by images.

Marc-A.

07-22-2007, 23:07

Dave,
I appreciate very much your work, you know that, and if you do the same with a DSLR, then go for it :)
Now, I don't understand the question:
Just because you're shooting now with a DSLR, you wonder whether it's the end of RF!
I know you're a famous photographer and have deep influence on all of us, but please don't worry, RF world will still go round tomorrow :p
Ok good people, leave your RF gear, sell them all, and maybe I'll have a chance to buy a cheap Summilux 1.4/50 :rolleyes:

amateriat

07-23-2007, 05:08

I say: give the S5 a good wringing out, add it to your permanent arsenal if it truly serves a purpose, but try and keep as much of your current setup as possible...no need to give up one for the sake of the other (philosophically, at least; cash-flow is another matter).

In the last few years, whenever I've felt any urge to to "go digital" in a big way, I've borrowed a friend's Olympus C8080 and shot with it until the urge went away. ;)

- Barrett

kalokeri

07-23-2007, 06:37

Dave, I know what you mean.

When I gave into buying a D80 I found a thrilling new way to take pictures. But I came back to film and to old fashioned rangefinders. I´m using both systems at the moment and can really imagine to use a digital rangefindercamera.

Thomas

RayPA

07-23-2007, 08:48

I've never understood why it has to be a one-or-the-other proposition. I agree with the assessement about the D200. I really enjoy using mine, but there's still much magic in shooting with film and rangefinders.

:)

amateriat

07-23-2007, 20:05

To make a point about digital...

Besides the silly-cam built into my current cell phone, I have a "vintage" Olympus D-510 Zoom digital p/s, which I use primarily for quick n' dirty documentation and the like. I don't like pressing it into service for something of greater import, but once in a while I do it out of abject necessity, such as tonight when I went to see my favorite "avant-pop" group, Split the Lark (with the amazing Janine Nichols), at my fave watering hole, Barbes, here in the Slope. I have to fight hard with the camera to get it to do things it wasn't quite designed to do, and not having film's elasticity to play with doesn't help things much either. But, once in a while, I come away with something that makes me smile, if mostly rather wanly.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47767&stc=1&d=1185249850

But, next time, out come the Hexars.

- Barrett