SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
Thanks to Rover, I came across a book on Rangefinders by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz, titled "Rangefinders" (there are two more words in the title, but the main word is RF). I just wanted to recommend it because, unlike Bower's book, this one is chockfull of history, information and some tips about how to shoot under certain circumstances.
Besides... it's well written!! That makes it even more enjoyable!
Besides... it's well written!! That makes it even more enjoyable!
taffer
void
Francisco !
Nice to read this ! As I have it preordered on Amazon since last week !
I think the full title is "Rangefinder: Equipment, History, Techniques". Hmm... I think I'm going to re-read some passages from my Matanle's books just now...
Nice to read this ! As I have it preordered on Amazon since last week !
I think the full title is "Rangefinder: Equipment, History, Techniques". Hmm... I think I'm going to re-read some passages from my Matanle's books just now...
I'm about half through reading the book. Nicely written and illustrated with photos mostly from Cosina/Voigtlander gear. So far it's mainly a survey of RF equipment past and current, with some unusual and obscure entries, and puzzling omissions. Just what they had encountered themselves and experienced, I think. Fun!
I am glad that you enjoyed it Francisco. It is a nice history and reference.
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
Omissions? Sure: not one mention of the ever-glorious Canonet!! They do mention the Perfex (in passing) and other strange cameras I knew little about. However, it's a considerably better book than Bower's.
Now, I'm gearing to check out Erwin Putts's compendium on Leica. Another recommended reading: Sartorius's book on Leica lenses. Any more suggestions?
Now, I'm gearing to check out Erwin Putts's compendium on Leica. Another recommended reading: Sartorius's book on Leica lenses. Any more suggestions?
R
R.kotof
Guest
I am sorry to report that I didn't like the Hicks & Schultz Rangefinder book at all. Not that this book is completely without merit, but there is a mismatch between its target audience, its format and its content.
Let me try and list my main points of criticism:
* Already, the introduction bodes ill: "Because the field is so vast, it is impossible to be comprehensive about the older equipment; therefore, some of your favourite cameras may be omitted. Don't worry about it. Likewise, you may feel that we've got the balance wrong with new kit. Again, don't worry about it. This is a book by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts'. From a reader's point of view this is nonsensical and it shows that the pair started out on this book with a very fuzzy editorial concept. The choice of which camera systems to treat in more depth than others is a crucial editorial decision in this kind of book and should not be left to personal predilections only. It is only fair that the Leica system gets discussed in more detail than, for example, the Russian Zorkii. But H&S do not like the classic Contax and the system is given very short shrift indeed: ‘The trouble is that classic Contaxes are wilfully complicated (…); and the shutter resembles nothing so much as a roll-top desk made of brass slats.’ I don’t think that any budding rangefinder enthusiast is helped by this kind of idiosyncratic assessment. There are many other instances of this kind of sloppy, arbitrary and sometimes outright dumb criticism: swing-lens are not covered at all but are characterised as a ‘curiosity, because most of them are not very useful’. Tell that to great artists such as Pentti Samalaahti who built a career on these kinds of cameras. Another victim is the Mamiya 6 rangefinder camera. Still very sought after because of its excellent handling and optical qualities, the camera is simply not discussed at all. The reason is that H&S do not like the square format and hence they choose to ignore it. The Fuji RF cameras (6x7 and 6x9) are discussed in exactly 7,2 lines (with, I admit, a picture of the GSW 690 Mk I somewhere 70 pages apart). There are many other inexplicable omissions (classic compact rangefinders such as Canonet QL17 and Minolta 7sII arenot discussed at all). A book that is marketed as ‘the’ guide to users and collectors should aim for comprehensiveness, and not succumb to the kind of arbitrariness in selecting material for inclusion as demonstrated in the present volume.
* It is probably not easy to systematise the sprawling subject of rangefinder and direct view cameras. But the classification proposed by H&S is erratic and does in many instances not help the newbie rangefinder enthusiast. We know that the authors have a boon for the Swiss-made Alpa (S)WA cameras and they are separately and prominently treated under a heading ‘multi-format cameras’, because they accept backs for different sizes. However, it would be more logical to group the Alpa with, for example, the Silvestri T30, the Cambo Wide, the Linhof Technar, the Plaubel SW690, Horseman 612, and the Corfield WA67 (of which only the latter two discussed, the Plaubel is only mentioned in passing elsewhere) as rigid body (super) wide angle cameras (most of them accept backs of various sizes). Now the discussion is fragmented over ‘multi-format’, ‘panoramic’ and ‘other current rigid-bodied 4x5 cameras’. Confusing indeed. The section on large format cameras is equally muddled: look at how it is structured:
LARGE FORMAT
(‘Baby’ 6x7 and 6x9 cameras)
4x5 technical and press cameras
NPC
GRAN VIEW
Other current rigid-bodied 4x5 cameras
Graphics/Speed Graphic
MPP
Other formats
POLAROID CAMERAS
Wouldn’t this be more clearly structured?
LARGE FORMAT
* Baby cameras
* 4x5 press cameras
Graflex cameras
MPP
Other press cameras (Linhof)
* Rigid body (wide angle) 4x5 cameras
Gran View
Alpa
Others
* Polaroid cameras
* Other formats
* Although the book numbers 181 pages, it could easily have been printed on, say, 80 pages. Size of fonts, line spacing and margins have been set at ridiculously large values. The book looks as if it has been printed for 8 year old children. Pages are 18 cm wide, only half of which is filled with text (1 column 9 cm wide). In short, the information density of a given page is very low. That would be ok if we were dealing with a coffee table book. The real rangefinder enthusiast would be happy with some more substance, I am sure.
* Further to the previous point, an inordinate amount of space in this book is reserved for pictures by the authors. In many cases they fail to make a point or support the argument in the text (if there is one). The photography itself is wholly unremarkable: in its motivic choice and composition it is classic to the point of being tedious. It is a pity that at least 25 of the 181 pages are allocated to full-page photographs, with many others scattered over the text.
* A cosmetic point, but one which continues to distract the reader, is the quality of the photographs of cameras, lenses and other gear. Probably to enhance the feeling of nostalgia, these have all been printed in a black and white that is particularly ‘dirty’ and unappealing: very contrasty and with a lot of grain. Sadly, in many cases the perfunctory quality of the photographys obscures details that could be of great interest to the real rangefinder enthusiast.
All in all this book gives the impression of being compiled opportunistically and in great haste. For the beginning rangefinder enthusiast it would perhaps have been better to produce a book on the great classic 24x36 rangefinder systems of yesterday and today: Leica, Contax, Canon, Nikon, Voigtländer. For the connoisseur I would have wished much more depth and a more systematic covering of the field. Given the book as it is now, I would prefer to see it published in a slim paperback volume, for quick reference, for half the price.
-- R
Let me try and list my main points of criticism:
* Already, the introduction bodes ill: "Because the field is so vast, it is impossible to be comprehensive about the older equipment; therefore, some of your favourite cameras may be omitted. Don't worry about it. Likewise, you may feel that we've got the balance wrong with new kit. Again, don't worry about it. This is a book by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts'. From a reader's point of view this is nonsensical and it shows that the pair started out on this book with a very fuzzy editorial concept. The choice of which camera systems to treat in more depth than others is a crucial editorial decision in this kind of book and should not be left to personal predilections only. It is only fair that the Leica system gets discussed in more detail than, for example, the Russian Zorkii. But H&S do not like the classic Contax and the system is given very short shrift indeed: ‘The trouble is that classic Contaxes are wilfully complicated (…); and the shutter resembles nothing so much as a roll-top desk made of brass slats.’ I don’t think that any budding rangefinder enthusiast is helped by this kind of idiosyncratic assessment. There are many other instances of this kind of sloppy, arbitrary and sometimes outright dumb criticism: swing-lens are not covered at all but are characterised as a ‘curiosity, because most of them are not very useful’. Tell that to great artists such as Pentti Samalaahti who built a career on these kinds of cameras. Another victim is the Mamiya 6 rangefinder camera. Still very sought after because of its excellent handling and optical qualities, the camera is simply not discussed at all. The reason is that H&S do not like the square format and hence they choose to ignore it. The Fuji RF cameras (6x7 and 6x9) are discussed in exactly 7,2 lines (with, I admit, a picture of the GSW 690 Mk I somewhere 70 pages apart). There are many other inexplicable omissions (classic compact rangefinders such as Canonet QL17 and Minolta 7sII arenot discussed at all). A book that is marketed as ‘the’ guide to users and collectors should aim for comprehensiveness, and not succumb to the kind of arbitrariness in selecting material for inclusion as demonstrated in the present volume.
* It is probably not easy to systematise the sprawling subject of rangefinder and direct view cameras. But the classification proposed by H&S is erratic and does in many instances not help the newbie rangefinder enthusiast. We know that the authors have a boon for the Swiss-made Alpa (S)WA cameras and they are separately and prominently treated under a heading ‘multi-format cameras’, because they accept backs for different sizes. However, it would be more logical to group the Alpa with, for example, the Silvestri T30, the Cambo Wide, the Linhof Technar, the Plaubel SW690, Horseman 612, and the Corfield WA67 (of which only the latter two discussed, the Plaubel is only mentioned in passing elsewhere) as rigid body (super) wide angle cameras (most of them accept backs of various sizes). Now the discussion is fragmented over ‘multi-format’, ‘panoramic’ and ‘other current rigid-bodied 4x5 cameras’. Confusing indeed. The section on large format cameras is equally muddled: look at how it is structured:
LARGE FORMAT
(‘Baby’ 6x7 and 6x9 cameras)
4x5 technical and press cameras
NPC
GRAN VIEW
Other current rigid-bodied 4x5 cameras
Graphics/Speed Graphic
MPP
Other formats
POLAROID CAMERAS
Wouldn’t this be more clearly structured?
LARGE FORMAT
* Baby cameras
* 4x5 press cameras
Graflex cameras
MPP
Other press cameras (Linhof)
* Rigid body (wide angle) 4x5 cameras
Gran View
Alpa
Others
* Polaroid cameras
* Other formats
* Although the book numbers 181 pages, it could easily have been printed on, say, 80 pages. Size of fonts, line spacing and margins have been set at ridiculously large values. The book looks as if it has been printed for 8 year old children. Pages are 18 cm wide, only half of which is filled with text (1 column 9 cm wide). In short, the information density of a given page is very low. That would be ok if we were dealing with a coffee table book. The real rangefinder enthusiast would be happy with some more substance, I am sure.
* Further to the previous point, an inordinate amount of space in this book is reserved for pictures by the authors. In many cases they fail to make a point or support the argument in the text (if there is one). The photography itself is wholly unremarkable: in its motivic choice and composition it is classic to the point of being tedious. It is a pity that at least 25 of the 181 pages are allocated to full-page photographs, with many others scattered over the text.
* A cosmetic point, but one which continues to distract the reader, is the quality of the photographs of cameras, lenses and other gear. Probably to enhance the feeling of nostalgia, these have all been printed in a black and white that is particularly ‘dirty’ and unappealing: very contrasty and with a lot of grain. Sadly, in many cases the perfunctory quality of the photographys obscures details that could be of great interest to the real rangefinder enthusiast.
All in all this book gives the impression of being compiled opportunistically and in great haste. For the beginning rangefinder enthusiast it would perhaps have been better to produce a book on the great classic 24x36 rangefinder systems of yesterday and today: Leica, Contax, Canon, Nikon, Voigtländer. For the connoisseur I would have wished much more depth and a more systematic covering of the field. Given the book as it is now, I would prefer to see it published in a slim paperback volume, for quick reference, for half the price.
-- R
kajabbi
Member
For the true Leicaphile there is the Leica "Holy Bible". Jim Lagers's LEICA, AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY. It comes in three volumes; CAMERAS, LENSES, ACCESSORIES. Everything is completely covered through 1992. Each volume costs over $100.00 new BUT they are worth every penny. The photos are great and the research extremely well-documented.
R.kotof said:
Wow.
Um, you are right in a lot of your points, I think the book clearly is not a true history of the rangefinder camera, but a history of the authors' rangefinder cameras. This is apparent in the use of the third person in the text. (and Rover doesn't like reading things written in the third person.) That being said, I still think that it is a collection of useful information about the topics that are discussed and well worth the $17 or so that it costs.
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
While your "review" of the H&S book is quite thorough... I believe you're expecting a bit too much from them. Yes, the title surely misled you, and you probably were surprised when you saw how thin the book is. In any case, the writing is relatively good, the examples they picked are very openly justified by the authors as their personal choices, and, surely, one can tell this book was put together fast, but not so much as in haste.
Now, as a reviewer, you'd be a big hit! Thanks for bringing so many points to our attention.
Now, as a reviewer, you'd be a big hit! Thanks for bringing so many points to our attention.
R
R.kotof
Guest
My pleasure, Francisco. I realise my review might seem a bit harsh. But I felt really let down by this book. I guess we just will have to wait until someone does a better job on this most fascinating subject ...
-- R
-- R