Rangefinding

I realise that I have been writing this blog now for some time without actually focussing (pun intended) on the personal trajectory that led me here, and to the name of this blog.

I am an unashamed user of rangefinder cameras, predominantly Leica. I use LTM (Leica Thread Mount) and M-mount bodies and a selection of lenses from 15 to 135mm and from Leica, Voigtlander and Canon. I appreciate that this makes me a member of a minority these days, all the more so since I continue to enjoy and use film. I have SLRs of course - there are some things that rangefinders do not do as well as cameras with a mirror prism - but in terms that Mr. Pareto would understand, they can do 80% of what I want, but only get used 20% of the time. In the words of a public service broadcaster, "other brands are available" but I use Leica because I appreciate the quality, heritage and inventiveness that the brand embodies.

Why? What is it that makes a Leica rangefinder camera my tool of choice? There are a number of factors. Some are mechanical, objective, easy to explain and to understand, but others are more subjective and ephemeral.

On the practical side, the rangefinder mechanism puts less between me and my subject. The camera is (often) physically smaller, and the view is more "immediate". The SLR view, even on the best and clearest, looks and feels more like a display screen, flat and two dimensional. The rangefinder image is more three-dimensional, to me at least.

Secondly, the SLR view is "WYSIWYG" - again, the best SLRs provide a 100% view of the subject - exactly what the film sees, and what will be translated to the film plane (or sensor). The Leica M series cameras, in their many variations, often provide a view wider than what the lens sees. This makes it easier to anticipate action and composition, certainly far easier than when looking down the tightly defined SLR "tube".

Thirdly, something to which I have already referred - size. This has two aspects; carrying the bulk and weight of an SLR and a brace of lenses on a hot day is not something I enjoy. Then there is the reaction of somebody who has a large black thing with a 72mm diameter barrel pointed at them. It is hard to do so un-noticed, and once noticed the very presence of an SLR can change the dynamics of the scene that you wanted to capture. A rangefinder is usually much smaller; both less obtrusive and less threatening. In the case of a small LTM "Barnack" camera (so named after it's designer) the reaction, if noticed at all, is more often curiosity or amusement - a much more photogenic result.

Enough of the physical aspects. One of the main reasons I take photos is simply because I enjoy doing so. It is simultaneously a creative and relaxing pursuit. I learned long ago the hard way that if I use a camera I don't feel comfortable with the end results will be lacklustre. I don't have to do this for a living so I have the luxury of choice. To me, using a rangefinder is instinctive, fun and tactile. Most Leicas work well for me in that respect. There are a few that don't, for one reason or another, and good as they may be it rules them out for me as day-to-day tools to use and enjoy. Later LTM cameras, that have the view- and rangefinder windows close together are one example. At the other extreme lies the M8. The benefits of digital are outweighed by the brick-like handling among other things.

Does using a rangefinder make me a better photographer? No, of course not. But it does make me enjoy the process of photography more, in the same way that using a fountain pen or a good quality propelling pencil makes writing more pleasurable than does a ballpoint. Both are capable of being used to capture thought and expression, but one is much more enjoyable to use than the other. For me, the pencil/pen analogy is a good one; the rangefinder camera is a bit old-fashioned, but it's use makes me more considered and measured. Just as my handwriting is better with a fine writing instrument, so my photography flows better with a rangefinder.

Sometimes it is not just about the end result - sometimes the journey - and how you make it - is of equal importance.

Bill

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- All images on this blog are copyright Bill Palmer and may not be reproduced in any format or medium without permission.
- Is someone who doesn't like having their picture taken photo-sensitive...?