Camera manual focus systems

[jonathon]

I am a child of the autofocus revolution. My first camera was from

the first batch of Canon EOS AF bodies to land in Australia. But in

my pursuit of the greater photographic experience I bought a Canonet

QL17 G3. I already had a Bronica GS1 and it uses a central split

screen and surrounding microprisms, which I can focus moderately

easily if I've got a second or two. The Canonet uses a type of

central split screen, with one image yellowish lining up with the

rest of the viewfinder. I am took the camera to a function with some

high speed B&W film and my ability to focus this camera is very poor

and time consuming while I try to line up the images (shooting almost

wide open too). Is there a camera with a full top-half/bottom-half

split focussing system or something else really obvious amongst the

cosinas/leicas, or any other suggestions for the easiest to focus? I

want to like the little Canonet, its retro, small, nice sharp fast

lens, quiet, has a light meter, and doesn't intimidate my subjects so

I can get shots I definitely can't otherwise.

[jerry_lehrer]

Jon,

 

I haven't seen a "split-field" (as opposed to split image) rangefinder

since the Kodak Medalist of the 1940's.

 

Jerry

[andrew robertson]

The Cosinas (Voigtlanders) and Leicas and Zeiss-Ikons are all rangefinders. There is a

bright rectangle in the center of the viewfinder, and another that moves laterally inside the

finder when you focus in or out. When the images converge, the subject that is

overlapped by the converged image is in focus.

 

I believe the Canonet is also a rangefinder. The Leicas and Voigtlanders (and theoretically

the Zeiss-Ikon) should have a newer and probably brighter patch, but if you don't like

rangefinder focusing, you may want to look into other possibilities.

 

The first serious cameras I used were Canon manual focus, but I switched to EOS gear for

my main camera system when I turned 17. Eleven years later, my SLR system is still EOS,

but I have added in a bunch of other cameras as well, including the Epson R-D1. I took

like a duck to water when I got my first rangefinder - the Olympus XA. I would go to the

store and play with some good modern rangefinders to see if the better view / focus patch

is what you're looking for.

[aizan_sasayama]

The Canonet has a soft edged rangefinder spot, but Leicas and Bessas have a hard edged

spot. This lets you focus along straight lines more easily.

[michael s.]

Couple thoughts: (i) the rf focusing in the Canonet GIII and similar cameras certainly does take some practice before you can focus quickly; (ii) in a camera as old as the GIII the rf and yellow patch have a tendency to get a little dimmer and yours might improve appreciably if cleaned.

 

The top/bottom split I believe you're referring to is common among cameras like the Nikon FM2 -- smallish, all manual, rugged, extremely capable cameras that are of course slr's, not rangefinders, and that are not as quiet as your GIII or the Leicas. You did not say whether quiet was essential, so you might have a look at an FM2 or its modern replacement, the FM3a. Both are excellent.

[peter_yee]

Jonathan, my trick in focusing a Canonet is to to look for a straight line on the subject. Orient the camera until the line is vertical in the central split screen. Then focus until you see a single line. Then frame and shoot the picture.

[roger_smith4]

The other trick is to learn how to estimate distance to your subject and focus without using the rangefinder.

I also heard there is a trick about putting a little piece of black tape over the rangefinder patch to up the contrast, but haven't done it myself.

[jonathon]

Sorry Jerry, I'm not down with the focus lingo.<br>

Thanks for the responses above. So pretty much all the rangefinders including medium format, have the same arrangement (ie a central second image which lines up over the main image)?<br>

I really like everything about the rangefinder concept, hence the Canonet purchase. Light, quiet, small, nice lens. If I could find a rangefinder camera that will let me focus fast enough to keep my PJ style flowing I'd be happy.

[awahlster]

Well, the PJ style of photography was invented with a rangefinder cameras that had one heck of a lot smaller and darker viewfinders/ rangefinders then your Canonet G-III QL-17 (I have 3 Canonets of the same model) I also use screw mount Leicas Brauns and Canons. All have the same basic type of patch.

 

What you need is simple:

 

 

PRACTICE LOTS OF PRACTICE

 

and you will be able to easiely achieve what you want. As well as if you have a $4000.00 Leica and lens in your hand.

[adrian bastin]

Jonathan

Have you tryed screw mount Leicas? The rangefinders are entitely separate and almost the whole image is split, and in most of them, even magnified (true they are often dim with age but that's curable). The cameras are very small and unobtrusive, quiet, and have a wonderful seliction of lenses; even asph. A 111F with a red-scale Elmar, I believe, is still hard to beat. Or even smaller, an ancient 1© with a 3.5 lens and no rangefinder at all, because you don't need one!

[winfried_buechsenschuetz1]

The Werra rangefinder cameras (there also were Werras without rangefinder) from former east Germany have some kind of split-image. They show a clearly defined rectangular rangefinder spot, and you have to match the upper and lower edges of the image in the spot to the rest of the image.

 

The Certo Super-Dollina (AKA Certo Super 35) had something similar to a split image. The 'splitting edge' was not clearly defined (out of focus from the viewfinder eyepiece), so you can use the overlapping part as superimposed rangefinder, too.

 

The french Teleroy 6x9 had a true split-image rangefinder, somewhat similar to that of the Medialist (rangefinder image in a separate window below the main image).

 

In general, split-image rangefinders are probably easier to focus, since there is no loss of light due to semi-silvered mirrors. On the other hand, designing such a system is more difficult since both the splitting edge of the image AND the image itself have to be in focus as seen through the viewfinder eyepiece.

[adrian bastin]

Sorry: the Leicas I mentioned have super-imposed rangefinder images, not split.

 

Oh, and a 2.8/3.5 Voigtlander Minifinder on that 1©; literally brilliant.

[Troll]

Try an Argus C-3, or Agfa/Ansco Karat, or Kodak 35. The world is full of them. It is known that using a RF in this manner is about 4-5 times more accurate than as a coincident RF.

[ben z]

The Leica M can be used as a coincident rangefinder if you focus within the patch, or a split-image rangefinder if you align the moving image in the patch with what's outside the patch along its edge. This is outlined in numerous Leica manuals and books as well.

[john_shriver]

Rick Oleson's recent page on viewfinder and rangefinder design:

 

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/looking_forward.htm

 

explains very clearly why it is hard to design a combined viewfinder/rangefinder with a sharp-edged rangefinder patch. It is what makes the Leica VF/RF mechanism so expensive.