Rangefinder focusing with wide or telephoto lenses.

[Kyle M.]

Hello all I recently picked up a FED 5 and a Argus C44 as my first rangefinders, I've been shooting SLR's both MF and 35mm for awhile and thought I'd try an RF. I've got the 55mm Industar 61 for my FED and was able to calibrate the RF yesterday, it was a bit off at minimum focus. I'm thinking about picking up the 35mm Jupiter 8 and a 35mm accessory finder. Heres my question do I simply use the cameras built in RF to focus the 35mm lens and then use the accessory viewfinder to compose? Or do I set the distance on the lens in a zone focus kind of way and then use the accessory finder? I'm guessing that the former is the right way to go about this, but being that I've never used a RF with anything other than a normal lens I thought I'd ask. Of course the camera doesn't have projected frame lines either. Thanks for your help.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Focus through camera's rangefinder, switch eye to accessory finder for framing. With the wide angles lenses and with faster film you can often set a hyper focal focus point and just fire away...especially for anything 28mm or wider and 400 speed film on a decently bright day.

 

[Kyle M.]

Focus through camera's rangefinder, switch eye to accessory finder for framing. With the wide angles lenses and with faster film you can often set a hyper focal focus point and just fire away...especially for anything 28mm or wider and 400 speed film on a decently bright day.

Thanks thats what I was guessing, but better to know for sure.

 

[summicron1]

yup. rangefinder first, then frame. Cameras with separate eyepieces for range and view worked the same way.

 

[cuthbert]

Thanks thats what I was guessing, but better to know for sure.

For wide lenses it's easier: they have a very deep DOF so I use them set at hyperfocal range and compose with the external finder, for long lenses that have a narrow DOF you need to use separate rangefinder and viewfinder, there's no escape from it.

 

[Kyle M.]

For wide lenses it's easier: they have a very deep DOF so I use them set at hyperfocal range and compose with the external finder, for long lenses that have a narrow DOF you need to use separate rangefinder and viewfinder, there's no escape from it.

Thanks for the tip, I'll remember that if I ever get a lens longer than the 55mm. Though I doubt I'll ever have any use for anything but the 35mm and 55mm lenses.

 

[georg16nik]

The accessory finder and the DOF scale for everything but close objects @ wide open.
Keep in mind the parallax compensation at closer distances.

...I'm thinking about picking up the 35mm Jupiter 8 and a 35mm accessory finder. Heres my question do I simply use the cameras built in RF to focus the 35mm lens and then use the accessory viewfinder to compose? Or do I set the distance on the lens in a zone focus kind of way and then use the accessory finder? I'm guessing that the former is the right way to go about this, but being that I've never used a RF with anything other than a normal lens I thought I'd ask. Of course the camera doesn't have projected frame lines either. Thanks for your help.

 

[cuthbert]

Thanks for the tip, I'll remember that if I ever get a lens longer than the 55mm. Though I doubt I'll ever have any use for anything but the 35mm and 55mm lenses.

Shorter I assume you mean, the Jupiter 12 (35mm) already has a very wide DOF, the Orion 15 at f6 (max opening) focuses anything from infinity to 3mt, and they didn't even bother to couple the Russar at the rangefinder.

 

[Kyle M.]

Shorter I assume you mean, the Jupiter 12 (35mm) already has a very wide DOF, the Orion 15 at f6 (max opening) focuses anything from infinity to 3mt, and they didn't even bother to couple the Russar at the rangefinder.

I meant that I'll most likely stick with the 35, and my current 55mm. I highly doubt I'll ever go longer than the 55mm, I still haven't really decided if I need the 35mm or if I'm just looking for an excuse to spend money.

 

[ColColt]

The vast majority of my shooting has been with the 50 and 35mm lens but, I keep a 90(for the Leica) and the 105 f2.5 Nikkor for the Nikons handy "just in case". You never know when they'll be needed to be called into action.