You have turned me from the Dark Side (and a question about rangefinder focusing)

hinius · 10-07-2004

Well, I've finally done it; having shot only digital in my brief photographic career, I managed to win a bid on a Canonet QL19 GIII. I am going to take it in to be cleaned and converted to use a 1.5v battery, but before it arrives I have a question regarding focus lock on a rangefinder (specifically, my QL19).

I typically use a centre-focus and recompose approach with my auto-focus digital SLRs. If I am focusing manually, I will first frame and then focus. I'm wondering how to achieve this on a rangefinder, given that the focusing patch is in the centre of the frame. How can I see, for example, if something in the bottom right hand corner of the frame is in-focus?

I realise this is an exceedingly naive question, but hell, you've got to start somewhere. Now if I can only resist buying an Olympus XA while the Canonet is getting serviced...

thanks,
Hin

back alley · 10-07-2004

How can I see, for example, if something in the bottom right hand corner of the frame is in-focus?

you can't, plain & simple.
i focus on what i want in focus and then re-compose for the shot i'm after.

glad to see you on 'our' side of the image.
play with your canonet and pay attention to what it does and how it does it.
if you're like most of us, you will soon understand how it works.
it actually is so simple that you may not believe it at first.
and welcome to the forum (in case i missed that before)

joe

Oldprof · 10-07-2004

Backalley Photo is correct - with a rangefinder you choose one point and focus on that. That point does not have to be in the center of your picture - focus first and then compose your shot. For example, if you are doing a portrait it is good to focus on the person's eyes (the viewer of a portrait is unconsciously drawn to the subject's eyes and if they are sharp everything else just falls into place - if the tip of the nose is sharp, but the eyes fuzzy, the portrait is generally less appealing, although people may not be able to tell you why).

Some SLRs have a depth-of-field preview feature, but you don't have that on rangefinders. What most lenses do have, however, is a depth of field scale. This will tell you the depth of field for various f-stops (you read the scale after you have focused for a specific distance). If you want more of depth of field in your picture you use a small f-stop (such as f/11 or f/16). If you want very shallow depth of field you open your lens up to f/2 or f/2.8 (these are just examples, the actual range of f-stops you can use will be determined by the ambient light conditions and the speed of your film).

peter_n · 10-07-2004

Gottit Hin?

Céad Mile Fáilte!

(Gaelic for a hundred thousand welcomes!!)