supahlovepink

drunkenmasterphotography:

Picture Source:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/bessa-t.shtml

I probably heard that question like a million times thrown at me, now that I have  my own blog after 15million years since blogging started, well here is my write up!

Well……. As you all know by now, I started Street Shooting on a Yashica Electro GS 35, than followed by a Vogitlander Bessa & currently a Konica Hexar RF.

I would say that the Rangefinder is probably the best tool for documenting Street Photography. Compared to a lumbering huge DSLR, it is small, compact, discrete, silent & it has all the controls you need in one tight body.

The thing I love about the Rangefinder other than the silent shutters & its compactness would be the Viewfinder. A Rangefinder camera always has a very bright Viewfinder & I love the fact that once you fired the shutter, you are ready to frame & take the next shot immediately because you would not see your mirror flipping up like in a DSLR/SLR, that is just fantastic.

I prefer to use a Rangefinder to shoot street, there is no zoom & only prime lenses & all the lenses are operated solely by manual focus (except the Contax G1/G2). You shoot anything that happens right in front of your eyes. I prefer to use 50mm, 35mm & 28mm for shooting. I love to blend into the crowd, be close to my subjects. I feel that taking street shots of my subjects close up allows my audience to feel & communicate with the subject in the pictures. I feel that current photographers armed with DSLRs & super long zoom lenses sniping people from far, have yet to learn the essence of Street Photography because they are not in the street, they are in the corner, in their own comfort zone.

” If you can smell the street through the photo, it is a street photo”

Quote - Bruce Gilden, Magnum Photographer

I stick to Rangefinders because of their simplicity to operate, of course having the basic knowledge of photography is needed to operate one. I rather spend 1 hour checking out how to operate a Rangefinder camera & the rest of the day running shots through in, rather than sitting at home, going through probably 50 pages on how to operate my new DSLR.

Am not generalising here but I just cannot help it. I feel that the whole DSLR movement has killed the real essence of photography. It is sad that in the whole DSLR movement so called “photographers” relies on their camera too much rather than in their photography knowledge. Most people these days cannot take a shot without viewing what is at the back of the LCD immediately. Also, it is sad that people these days do not know about basic photography techniques such as Zone Focusing, Hyperfocusing, Flash Guide Number(GN) etc. These days, autofocus has taken over, so has TTL flash.

I think so called “photographers” these days shoot before they think. Dependency on the image in the LCD has lead to their downfall….

The Rangefinder is simple to operate, I like the fact that everything is manually set by the photographer based on his knowledge rather than depending on what the camera thinks in the DSLR. Besides, I dont have to go through punching a dozen buttons to get to my ideal settings, I just turn a few knobs & I am set to go. Zone focusing & Hyper focusing are perfect techniques to be used in Street Photography, all based on the dept of field, the photographer is able to capture images faster than a modern day auto focus lens.

What annoys me is that so many people are asking why am I being old school, why am I using a dead technology to shoot etc.

I have asked all of them if they have ever used a Rangefinder, I would say all of them said no. Most people feel that Rangefinders are inferior the their DSLRs.

I would not say that a Rangefinder is inferior to a DSLR. I like the fact that I am able to shoot low shutter speeds of 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, all hand held without blurring the shot because that is no mirror in the Rangefinder Camera. Also, with a Rangefinder, my view is less obstructed, I cover my face less compared to the DSLR, enabling me to see what is going on other than what is in the frame. With a Rangefinder, I do not have to worry what the camera is thinking as everything is set by me, unlike a DSLR, I know what the Rangefinder is doing.

It is also easier to design the best optics for a Rangefinder than an DSLR/SLR, Leica has proven that.

I love shooting a Rangefinder on film, I love full frame. I will be continuing to do so until the day I can afford a Leica M9! haha! It is bloody 11k SGD++ for one over here!

But than again, I love the character of film, working & processing my own black & white film beats having gigabytes of data in a memory card.

We live in a fast paced society, shooting film on a Rangefinder has taught me to slow things down & take a finer look at things in life & as well as enjoying the moment & capturing it with my Rangefinder.

Rangefinders have stood the test of time & they are here to stay. There is a niche cult following of Rangefinder people, ranging from amateur to professionals alike, these cameras are truly a real wonder.

I love my Konica Hexar RF, Voigtlander Bessa R3A & my Yashica Electro GS 35

Picture Source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bambicrow/3194056213/

Picture Source:

http://www.guido-steenkamp.com/blog/2008/04/24/leica-m7/

Picture Source:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/diong/3390553520/

Honestly, how could you resist the beauty of a Rangefinder? all metal construction from body to lenses, right up to the lens shades. Compare that with a plastic brick called a DSLR =)

for SKYESDAD….