Rangefinders Make a Comeback!

In their February 1958 issue Modern Photography takes a close look at new developments in 35mm rangefinders. The diagrams of various rangefinder mechanisms are wonderful.

 

 

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In this article they talk about hand holding a long lens.

 

 

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The Alpa 6: Great camera or expensive toy?

 

 

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Here they report on 5 new leaf-shutter interchangeable lens cameras.

 

 

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Here is a look at the Exakta Exa camera.

 

 

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The Ways and Means column looks at coating old lenses.

 

 

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Norman Rothschild looks at color corrected lenses.

 

 

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Here is this month's What's Ahead column.

 

 

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Popular Photography magazine asks the question, will tape replace film?

 

 

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Here Pop Photo looks at a new trend in 35mm cameras.

 

 

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Here are this month's camera equipment ads.

 

 

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Here are this month's dealer ads.

 

 

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Here they report on 5 new leaf-shutter interchangeable lens cameras.

 

 

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I have a Minolta Super A with three lenses. I got it as part of a package..I got it with a Rolleicord IV where both kits were immaculate for $250. I couldn't identify the Minolta at first because I didn't know how to disconnect the meter at the time. I found out from E-bay that the Minolta was/is worth more than what I paid for both. The Super A still is in factory shape. The owner took great care of it. You have to remove the meter to be able to set the shutter at 1/400 sec. It's a beautiful example of what's great about rangefinder cameras, but also the hinderances that left them behind with the advent of SLR's. The meter on this one is now in need of some minor repair, but otherwise it's a fantastic outfit.

Rangefinder "comebacks" are not so regular as the stereo photography "comebacks" but they do seem to be cyclic in the broader context.:)

 

As always, thanks.

Thanks again for posting these, Marc!

 

The rangefinder article is excellent, a photographic nerd's paradise. IIRC, 1958 was still a fighting withdrawal year for RFs. In the beautiful piece by Caulfield, on using long focal distances, one can see how common were at the time the awkward devices ("reflex housings") for using long lenses with RF cameras. There are other pieces on interchangeable lens RF cameras; quite interesting for this forum.

 

Another great story in this issue is the videotape article, 17 years before Betamax.

 

In the ads, the picture of the squirrel and the Exakta is priceless. And I must get that "Brownie book of picture taking" with Schulz's cartoons.

One stumbling block to recording TV programs for later broadcast was that editing videotape, even by the 1960's was difficult. Dark Shadows was done on video tape so most bloopers were not edited out. The only one I recall was when Joan Bennett called Collinwood Hollywood.

Great back issue, Marc. Thanks for sharing.

When I did a little video editing in college in the mid 70's, we were dubbing from one video recorder to another, which could lead to some pretty nasty looking cuts. The alternative then was to throw money at the problem and buy a Grass Valley switcher (if I remember correctly) for $100,000...

Thanks - a most informative discussion of various rangefinder approaches.

I imagine that with Canon and Nikon bringing out their SLRs in 1959 we will have another RF comeback around 1963. Then with SLRs getting TTL metering I imagine another around 1968. I haven't peeked into my magazines for those years so I am just guessing.