Hotshoe RangeFinders ... not Cameras

D

Deleted member 82967

Guest
Anybody??

I have two but rarely use them. My favorite one:

group.jpg


dial%20side.jpg


Similar principle to the Leicas ...

The other is a modern laser-type, never used for photography.

Although many of my lenses have focusing distance scales they can a) be off and b) are hard to set accurately for long distances.

Although I love the looks of the Meyer and although it could clip onto the hot-shoe thereby creating a true "RangeFinder" assembly, the accuracy remains questionable, IMO.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Neat devices and gadgets- I have one, found at a yard sale- some 40 years ago.

I have a Certo-Dolina 35mm camera, early 1930s with what looks like a stand-alone rangefinder on the top, but it is actually coupled to the folding (bellows) 5cm F2.8 Tessar lens that predates the Contax I.

thinking about this- too Bad Nikon did not offer a Rangefinder attachment for the Nikon F, for use with mirror-up lenses. Instead- they sold what looks like a Rear cap with a viewfinder screen in it. Use that to focus the lens, then put it back on the camera. They would have sold more Rangefinder attachments.
 
Thanks gents!

Not a separate range-finder but my old Praktica film camera had a great screen with prisms and a round thingy in the middle which would line up a scene edge when the lens was focused. Aaah ... that lens ... an oldish CZJ 50mm f/1.8 Pancolar ...
 
That Pancolar is a very renowned lens. I gave one to my Dentist (took care of me for almost 50 years) on a Black Pentax Spotmatic when I learned his camera bought in his youth had died. He was very happy.
 
I have the one that came with my 1930 Leica 1A ... it works really well and is designed to be mounted vertically in the accessory shoe.

SDIM0515.jpg
 
I own about 10 accessory rangefinders I think, I use them with my Nikonos, and various other scale focus cameras. Some measure in feet and some in metres, useful depending on the distance scale the camera has. My favourites are the Watameter which has close focus and clear internal distance reading, and the beautifully designed Voigtlander. I'll post photos of mine when I get a chance
 
I have a few of vintage rangefinders, but I find that the best one is the Soviet Blik one, widely available on Ebay for cheap. It's really bright, accurate and light-weight. (It's in meters only though, if that matters.)
These rangefinders have found some use again on 3D printed camera body mods for medium or large format, or Instax hacks. I bought one to use on an Fuji Instax mod hack camera that I bought. Without them there is no way to judge distance unless you zone focus by eye.

s-l1600.jpg
 
Did some research on it and apparently it is good to determine range up to about 28 miles. The 16" guns had a range of about 20 miles. What was really interesting is that the rangefinder in the turret would really only have been used if two other control systems had failed.
 
Over the years I've ended up with three of the kind. I think the first was the Blik which I use with the Lomo 135BC. Since the flash shoe is underneath the camera I have to flip it upside down to measure distance.

Blik-Lomo.jpg


The second is the Medis which has ended up on the Leidolf Lordox Junior from 1957.

Medis-Lordox.jpg


The third is a Leitz FOKOS, chosen because it's one of the few I could find that fits the special accessory shoe of the Wirgin Edinex from 1947.

Leitz-Edinex.jpg
 
shawn said:
Did some research on it and apparently it is good to determine range up to about 28 miles. The 16" guns had a range of about 20 miles. What was really interesting is that the rangefinder in the turret would really only have been used if two other control systems had failed.
Click to expand...

At 28 miles any ship they could measure the distance to is under the horizon. Did they use the RF to shot light towers?
 
I have a few, the Voigtlander and a Prazisa are the ones which are less prone to loss calibration
The Telex is very good and works fine, except when it goes in a camer abag and rattles around :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top