Dizzying steps for my first rangefinder

[astro8]

I'd go hard or go home!

Bessa, Leica M or R-D1 (for digital) with a CV lens(es)...if you get an early leica or canon etc as your first rangefinder you may be horrified when you look through the peephole.

If you find RF is not for you, just sell. At least you will have experienced something with friendly function and a great finder.

[camperbc]

I say take look at the FEDs/Zorkis first. When one can snag an absolutely pristine FED 2 it is truly a wonderful thing. There's not much out there that can match it in the looks department, and adding a very inexpensive Industar 26 or 61 lens will yield stunning results. My FED 2(D6) is one of my all-time favorites in my entire collection of vintage cameras. I also enjoy using a mint Zorki-4.

Yes, there are lots of people out there trying to pass off their crappy FSU's, but I was fortunate to find an excellent source for mint, fully CLA'd and warrantied FSU cameras at reasonable prices. I recommend Andrey at Synoptics Camera Shop on Ebay; goes by the name of hero4g. He is honest and trustworthy, and has some of the finest Russian cameras available... at any cost. Here is one of his current listings for a mint Fed 2:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/FED-2-USSR-LE...item1c26273bee

Here are two photos of the FED 2 that I purchased from him for about $80, including shipping to Newfoundland. I also bought my mint Zorki-4 from Synoptics. Highly recommended!

Glen

[davidtan]

Originally Posted by Brian Legge

I know others are saying go expensive early to avoid a lot of buying and selling. I don't think there is harm in at least one inexpensive rangefinder first. That could tell you immediately if the way of working is valuable to you.

Very true. Being a young man fresh out of college and still in need of paying off his loans, I think I should go about this cheaply. Besides, I still have the rest of my life to mull over the decision: to Leica or not.

Originally Posted by Phil_F_NM

David, if you're in NYC, why don't you come to the next RFF meet-up? You'll get to fondle a lot of gear and if the weather is nice and we go out shooting a bit, you might be able to expose a roll. I know I'd have no problem walking around the village with an RFFer using one of my Leica M bodies and seeing if you're actually into that kind of shooting. Just bring a roll of Tri-X or whatever your favorite emulsion may be.

Phil Forrest

Thanks for the offer. I work in Manhattan, but I don't usually go there for anything else. I mostly stay in my home locale of South Brooklyn. If you guys ever drop by Coney Island, that would be swell; I'm practically there once a week. I know you guys are planning to meet for the Mermaid Parade. I'm likely to be there as well, as I have been every year. Who knows, maybe I've already seen your faces; there are always a ton of people with Leicas at Coney Island that day.

Originally Posted by Pastor Chris

What is it like, standing at the edge of the rabbit hole, peering down into the darkness and wondering where it leads? Most of us have been down here so long we cannot remember what color the sky is. Come on in, we could use the company. . . (sinister laugh)

It's much like when I started using film over a year ago. I've been a film-addict since.

In any case, I think I've decided on the Kiev 4a, for reasons described in that other thread.