What is a Rangefinder camera?

So you’re not sure what a Rangefinder is, or why you might need one? ok, then lets see if we can give you some answers.

If you already know about Rangefinders, or if you own a Leica, Leitz, Canon, Nikon, Contax or Yashica Rangefinder then head off over to our Rangefinder store page and see the huge array of Rangefinder lenses we have for sale.

First off, lets start with saying what a Rangefinder isn’t.

A Rangefinder isn’t a SLR (or DSLR) camera. There are a number of key differences, but suffice to say a Rangefinder shares very little in common with a SLR camera in pretty much all areas apart from it’s ability to take a picture of what the camera operator sees through the view finder.

Rangefinder camera versus SLR camera

So lets take a look at some of those key differences...

Size:

Due to there being no mirror, lenses or prisms in a Rangefinder camera the overall size is much smaller than a SLR.

Shooting style:

There is arguably a two-stop advantage when using a Rangefinder due to the lack of mirror inside the camera. With no mirror there is no vibration when the shutter is released. This lack of vibration gives the camera user an advantage over his SLR using counterpart when it comes to minimum exposure and shutter speed settings.

Metering:

SLR cameras have a better and easier to use TTL (through the lens) metering system than Rangefinder cameras. Many diehard Rangefinder users will resort to manual metering or off camera metering.

Focusing:

This is an area in the Rangefinder camera versus SLR camera debate where Rangefinders come out with a huge advantage.

The Rangefinder calculates the distance between the camera and the focus of the image – the camera operator sees two versions of the image through the viewfinder and as he turns the focus wheel the two images move towards each other. When they are exactly one over the other the camera operator knows the image is in focus. This is a very accurate method and results in extremely sharp photos.

This method of focusing has its downsides however. Trying to focus on something close to the camera – close up photography – causes a parallax error. This error increases as the camera gets closer to the subject making focusing through the view finder almost impossible.

Overall, if you are looking for a small, light weight, fun, ‘a little unusual’ camera that is a talking point and will make you think about your shots then a Rangefinder could just be the thing of you!

Take a look at our Rangefinder pages for more information and items for sale