Your first rangefinder ... would you buy it again?

narsuitus · Feb 24, 2018

Jim McLean said:
So I sent mine up to this nice Jap fellow in Boston.

I take offence to this statement.

Adrian Gabor · Feb 24, 2018

Bessa R3A - Yes, at the same price I got it, but not at some of the prices I see around now.
The only thing I do not like about it is the strap lug positioning.

Sirius Glass · Feb 24, 2018

Kodachromeguy said:
This would have gone over as serious material at Dpreview, where the "photographers" really do blather over bokeh, sharpness of cat hairs, depth of field, and whatever it takes to justify their recent purchases of the latest and greatest. Or, whatever it takes to cut down any brand that is not the one they are using this week.

Sad but true!

Arklatexian · Feb 24, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
My first rangefinder camera was a Voigtländer Vito IIb, a folding 35mm camera but not a rangefinder. One had to estimate the distance or use zone focusing [6' to 10', 10' to 30']. I attached a cold shoe clip and fasten a bar rangefinder or a light meter to it. I learned about depth of field and how to compose using it. It was not a great camera but I recently bought one again because at might be useful to have a folding 35mm camera.

So what about you? Would you buy your first rangefinder again?

Sirius, my first "good or serious photography" rangefinder camera was/is a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Busch Pressman, Model "C" which I, once again own. In my experience a camera with an accurate rangefinder is faster and more accurate to focus than any reflex camera. This was first brought to my attention by a Leica salesman who proved his point by focusing a Leica Reflex on a matchstick that was 10 ft. in front of the camera. He then had me lean forward and backward until the match went out of focus. Someone had to catch me before I fell. Then we did the same thing with an M Leica. When I leaned forward and back, the match immediately went in and out of focus. Been sold on rangefinders ever since. Knowing full well whose post I am writing to, the only exception that I own is, of course, my Hasselblad 500CM. Would I buy another Busch, model C? No. I think I need one and that one is enough...........Regards!

RalphLambrecht · Feb 24, 2018

my first rangefinder was a 1954 folder as a hand-me-down from my father and I still have it but, no. my first self-bought was a Minor 35 and that is a no as well. I'm an SLR kind of guy.

sepiareverb · Feb 24, 2018

I still use my first RF, an M7. I did buy it again, I now have three of them.

ic-racer · Feb 24, 2018

I'm not much of a rangefinder fan. So my first rangefinder is a Bessa that I also posted on the "Last New Camera" thread. I bought it after meeting Lee Friedlander when he told me he used one.

Now that I think about it my Horseman Technical camera has a rangefinder, but I'll leave that for the "Your first technical camera...would you buy it a gain?" thread.

summicron1 · Feb 24, 2018

my first rangefinder was a Leica M3 and I don't need to buy it again because I still have it.

Does buying an M4 and M2 count as "again"?

E. von Hoegh · Feb 24, 2018

MattKing said:
I might - at least partially because of the memories.
It was a Kodak 35, it was my first 35mm camera, and it was given to me by my Dad.
If you have ever held one, you would know why I was later so attracted to the Olympus OM system
Here is an internet image:

Same here, mine had an uncoated lens. The store I bought it in, ca. 1974, Photo Lab on State St. in Schenectady N.Y. is till in business, but I traded it off around 1982 due to lack of appreciation.
This past summer I was given another, from 1941

Your first rangefinder ... would you buy it again?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency