Camera talk.....
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: La Habra
Well, that is simplifying the SLR situation slightly too.
The lens requires real-time stop-down control for DOF preview (a benefit of SLR) while still allowing a bright max-aperture view. A rangefinder can stop-down whenever the aperture is adjusted and stay there with no harm done. And, until recently, the aperture setting on the lens was also communicated to the body (edit - rangefinder can be same) -- more recent designs are forced by the body, not the lens (not an improvement to me).
The lens requires real-time stop-down control for DOF preview (a benefit of SLR) while still allowing a bright max-aperture view. A rangefinder can stop-down whenever the aperture is adjusted and stay there with no harm done. And, until recently, the aperture setting on the lens was also communicated to the body (edit - rangefinder can be same) -- more recent designs are forced by the body, not the lens (not an improvement to me).
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Branford, CT
Originally Posted by no_really,Dec 5 2006, 01:07 PM
That doesn't even include the helical mechanism on the lens itself that also moves a cam on the camera as focus is changed. Depending on focal length, there has to be two helical mechanisms on the lens - one for the lens elements, and one for the focusing cam on the camera body, since different lenses will need a different amount of movement over the lens rotation to be able to focus over its entire range while still moving the rangefinder cam over its range of movement, while keeping the focused distance of the lens in sync with the optical rangefinder. 
On an SLR, all the focusing happens in the lens, so it only needs to be marked accurately. With a rangefinder, there is a whole lot more to it, for both lenses and bodies.
On an SLR, all the focusing happens in the lens, so it only needs to be marked accurately. With a rangefinder, there is a whole lot more to it, for both lenses and bodies.
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,527
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From: Los Angeles
Olympus made some pretty interesting cameras in the 70s.
The Olympus XA great because it was tiny, had a sharp fast lens, not to mention the cool sliding cover.
Pricing seems to be all over the place, you see them for $5-10 bucks in thrift stores and on ebay they can sell for over $100.
The Olympus XA great because it was tiny, had a sharp fast lens, not to mention the cool sliding cover.
Pricing seems to be all over the place, you see them for $5-10 bucks in thrift stores and on ebay they can sell for over $100.
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