I have been shooting film for 5 years first with the EOS system, then FD, Nikkor and now I have entered the world of Rangefinder photography. I came into this world on a bittersweet level as I inherited a Leica M3 two-stroke from my dad who passed on recently. With that camera I got a 50/2 collapsable, a 90/4 collapsible and aftermarket 50/1.4 canon screwmount and I picked up a 35/2.5 Cos. Voightlander to round things off. The camera gets used as that is the way he wanted it. The first photo I took with the camera is my dad sitting with mom at the kitchen table, a shot I treasure. The other rangefinder in my bag is a Contax IIIa black dial with a 50/f2 lens from Kiev. The original Sonnar is MIA. I shoot with mostly Ilford Delta 400/100, sometimes Agfa APX and with colour its Fuji Superia all the way.
Of the two cameras I find the M3 the easier camera to use, however I find shooting with the Contax IIIa addictive. I plan to carry that camera around a lot. I have a Kiev 3 on the way as present from my brother who loves his Warsaw Pact cameras and his Leica screwmounts. I am toying with another rangefinder, most likely Voightlander Bessa R2a, new Leicas are out of my league.



I still shoot in SLR with a Nikon F, Nikkormat FTn and Canon AE-1 but they don't come out as often.

Bill

Welcome Bill, I think you'll have fun here.

That Leica setup is real nice. Now you can think about your father every time you take out the cameras.

I think he took pictures of me and my brother with the camera when we were toddlers with it. I only wish Dad were around to see what I am doing with the M3 now.

Bill

.... why RF are so addictive :) - I am also a new convert, bought 3 months ago a Bessa R2 with a 35mm lens (OK is not a Leica.... but had some constraints). Now it is nearly the only one going out, especially for B/W. So, why are they so addictive?...

.... why RF are so addictive :) - I am also a new convert, bought 3 months ago a Bessa R2 with a 35mm lens (OK is not a Leica.... but had some constraints). Now it is nearly the only one going out, especially for B/W. So, why are they so addictive?...

Hop on over to: http://www.rangefinderforum.com

And maybe some one there can explain why they are so addictive.

Wayne

I do want to use my Nikon F and Nikkormat Ftn from time to time as well. I think Rangefinders harken back to bygone era, they are great for street photography and taking discreet shots. I finished off a roll in my Leica M3 test driving a Voightlander 35/2.5 inside a Second Cup ( a Canadian Competitor to Starbucks) in Toronto's Queen St West Neighbourhood west of Bathurst St. There is a lot of shooting opportunities in this part of the city. I guess I will be using the Nikons for landscape/architecture work.

Bill

Bill: Welcome here, and I second the notion of frequenting rangefinderforum.com; it's a happy place, too. Gene Wilburn (GeneW) is on both of these forums, and lives in Port Credit and is an RF fan; I think you two would have a good time together as he frequents Second Cup and Starbucks on his outings.

I was just on Queen Street W. on Saturday (I had an Olympus SP with me,) spending a day with my daughter (who lives in Stratford) and son (who is in 3rd year at U of T and lives in the Dupont/Landsdowne area), and even though it rained all day, we had a great time, especially poking around Kensington Market. Stopped in at Albermarle books and bought a book of Anishnaabe stories... it was a pleasant day.

Earl

Welcome! I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your father.

You'll find lots of us here who are rangefinder junkies. I have a locker full of Yashicas and former Soviet Union cameras, as well as a Canon Canonet that gets the most use.

Welcome to the club... The M3 is all you'll need, unless you want to use WA lenses too frequently... I have mine (a single stroke) since 2000, used it quite a few times, although the size of the negative frustrates me (I get this strange feeling when I print the 35mil negs, like if I had to blow up pictures from post stamps). If I wasn't addicted to my Rolleiflex TLR, I am sure that I would buy a Mamiya RF in order to have the middle format advantage AND the rangefinder ease of use.

Thanks, funny things happen. Dad goes I wind up with the Leica M3 and and a new passion, my brother Alex got the IIIg, he has a thing for screwmounts. The M3 is not my only rangfinder, I also have a Contax IIIa with what I think is either a Jenna lens or Jupiter lens 50/2. and I have a Kiev III on the way, somewhere in the mail as the saying goes.

Bill

Sorry to hear about your dad - I think its an excellent point that you will have something that will remind you of him all the time - and I mean all the time - I am new to this RF thing, having long wandered what its all about and Iam so thoroughly bitten now...two canonets later, and dreaming of a Leica...(just because you know, it IS a Leica :) )

I picked up my first RF about 2 years ago now. A Minolta Himatic 7 and since then I have come to really enjoy using a few different cheap RF's. Canon QL17 GIII and Olympus XA are my favourites.

It's great that they can be picked up very cheap here in Australia on the used market and so now that I have a few, I understand why they can be very seductive, especially compared to my 35mm & 645 SLR's which are big, noisy and heavy.

A workmate has progressed through a couple of Bessa's to Leica's and I have to say they are very nice. Just WAY too expensive...

Glenn