Who remembers RFF when it started ?

I'm not terribly active here, but my profile says "Joined Aug 25, 2006" so it's evident that I have enjoyed following postings on this site for quite while. This is definitely one of 5 photo related sites I check in on regularly.

-Thomas
 
I joined in 2010, after having bought on ebay my first rf, a MP.
I found RFF googling and I suddenly loved it.
Before 2010 I frequented an italian photo forum and some very well known photo news related sites, but when I sold all my reflex gear the only place that suited to me was this one.
I managed to know very kind and passionate people... also thank to them I felt in love more and more with the rangefinder world
 
I sure do not remember the earliest days. I thought I stared around 2009 (picked up a CLE) but my start times on my profile is from mid 2010
 
Another refugee here from Photo.net. I'm RFF member #77 from Sept 2003, before Stephen acquired it. I subscribed to Stephen's two email lists, which I believe still exist. Joe was the main moderator here then. I have been a moderator since 2010, and a few years earlier I was moderator on sister-site DSLRXchange. I see many members say they joined RFF in 2005. I don't recall what was going on then to attract new members. Good to see so many familiar faces!
 
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I joined nov 2005, it seems me yesterday! I remember I was sitting in an internet cafè in Germany in an evening, during a business trip, and I was looking for informations about the Epson RD1 (a camera I did not buy because too expoensive for me in that moment) when I stumbled on RFF.

I liked the sense of community which made RFF different from anyother photogrsphy site. It has been nice to meet some other RFF members like in this european meeting in Firenze (Italy) in 2010 and also to make friendship with someone else whom I still meet whenever it is possible.

The new site works very well and hopefully there will be more active partecipation in future. Long Life to RFF!

 
Doug said:
....I see many members say they joined RFF in 2005. I don't recall what was going on then to attract new members.
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I think the main reason was that if you were just beginning with rangefinders there were very few places to dig for info: Stephen's Cameraquest site, Karen Nakamura's Photoethnography, and Dante Stella's. There was really very little else and if you wanted some live help your options were pnet, L-Camera-f, and rff. Rff was much more laid back and friendly. I came in with a Canonet and I fell in love with Leica but it was OK to love the Canonet too. We were a polyamorous group when it came to cameras and it showed.😁
 
robert blu said:
I joined nov 2005, it seems me yesterday! I remember I was sitting in an internet cafè in Germany in an evening, during a business trip, and I was looking for informations about the Epson RD1 (a camera I did not buy because too expoensive for me in that moment) when I stumbled on RFF.

I liked the sense of community which made RFF different from anyother photogrsphy site. It has been nice to meet some other RFF members like in this european meeting in Firenze (Italy) in 2010 and also to make friendship with someone else whom I still meet whenever it is possible.

The new site works very well and hopefully there will be more active partecipation in future. Long Life to RFF!

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Some familiar faces and, I must say, a very fashionable crew too, Robert. Luigi cases and straps were all the rage back then. I still have mine 😁
 
The sad truth is... owning a rangefinder camera and being a member of the RFF will not make a person more attractive!

DSC08517.jpg

Taken by my wife today, 19 January 2023, Yokohama Japan

Mike
 
2006 for me... I had developed neck problems from lugging an F4s everywhere and was looking for alternatives. Cosina had recently launched the R2a and was gearing up to launch the R2m. Steven gave me some good advice to chose between the two and I was off to the races. Along the years I received valuable advice and help from so many users on this forum, that I would have gladly paid a membership feed for continued access to the wisdom of Roger Hicks, Tom Abrahamsson, Brian Sweeney, and SO many others!

Hope the camaraderie and friendliness of RFF never goes away! Thanks for setting up this great community all those years ago.
 
I joined in 2003, and at the time I remember the feeling was that film cameras are dying so when is a digital rangefinder finally going to be on the market? I recall constantly checking RF to see if a new digital M was out, was Leica going to create one? Then the Epson Rd-1 came out, and I lost interest in digital and just went back to film...
 
RFF allowed me to plan for projects in which I used many lenses for RF cameras, and the (friendly) RFF members sent me their own lenses so that I could try them out in side by side comparisons. This was not a possibility to do with photo.net as the treatment of members was often harsh by some individuals who seemed to enjoy making fun of others online. I learned a lot from reading what RFF members posted on their cameras and lenses. Friendships were formed with RFF members. Thank you.
 
robert blu said:
I joined nov 2005, it seems me yesterday! I remember I was sitting in an internet cafè in Germany in an evening, during a business trip, and I was looking for informations about the Epson RD1 (a camera I did not buy because too expoensive for me in that moment) when I stumbled on RFF.

I liked the sense of community which made RFF different from anyother photogrsphy site. It has been nice to meet some other RFF members like in this european meeting in Firenze (Italy) in 2010 and also to make friendship with someone else whom I still meet whenever it is possible.

The new site works very well and hopefully there will be more active partecipation in future. Long Life to RFF!

Click to expand...

I love this group shot, Robert. Very nice. So it was taken in Florence. We need to visit Florence again!
 
I didn't have a clue about photography generally when I came here in 2006 and I remember feeling out of my depth very quickly. I soon discovered however, what a tolerant and helpful base this forum has ... especially in its attitude towards obvious newbies who often ask the same repetitive, banal questions that will get you absolutely fried at photo.net as I discovered. 😄
 
I learned a lot about my lenses from several RFF members. Yes, they have been tolerant and very nice.
 
I joined on July 5, 2006. Someone on photonet mentioned RRF and having used Leicas since the late sixties decided to see what things were happening here.

Haven’t been a very prolific poster lately, health issues and age have been catching up, but hopefully things will improve.

Glenn
 
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