[lotech]

I've seen on some advanced rangefinder has parallax correction build in the view finder, but I've not tried or seen it in action, as far as I know there's a 2nd frame line for close distance but how close ? is there any design with moving viewfinder to adjust for close distance beside P&S ?

[kypfer]

My Retina IIIS has moving automatic bright-line frames that reposition themselves with respect to the focussing distance of the lens … just the one frame per focal length, that shifts about as necessary, for 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm.
No bright-line for the 28mm, unfortunately, so "best guess" if not using an external viewfinder.
The Soviet 5-position turret viewfinder is adjustable for focussed distance, for 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm, but it's not coupled to the camera, so you have to make the compensation separately.

[lotech]

My Retina IIIS has moving automatic bright-line frames that reposition themselves with respect to the focussing distance of the lens … just the one frame per focal length, that shifts about as necessary, for 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm...

That's what all RF should be build like and it was easy to use, and I got the Soviet turret finder too.

[photoptimist]

Parallax correction typically has a shiftable glass plate inside the viewfinder that has mirrored (bright line) or black frame lines that is moved in sync with the focusing knob. It aids in framing foreground objects.

Alas, "parallax correction" is a bit of an exaggeration because it does not actually correct all the optical parallax issues created by the separate viewfinder of an RF camera. Parallax correction helps frame foreground objects more accurately but at the expense of accurate framing of the background objects. This is usually OK because the foreground objects that are at the focus distance are usually the most important objects in the scene.

However, for critical compositions that demand a specific layering or arrangement of foreground objects against the background objects (e.g., getting a person's head centered in a background arch), a through-the-lens viewfinder (e.g., SLR, mirrorless, or ground glass on a large format camera) are essential. If you are the type of photographer that sometimes moves the camera an inch or two up/down/left/right to improve the juxtaposition of objects, then an RF camera (even with parallax correction) is not the camera for you.

[UncleVanya]

. If you are the type of photographer that sometimes moves the camera an inch or two up/down/left/right to improve the juxtaposition of objects, then an RF camera (even with parallax correction) is not the camera for you.

If you shoot less tightly, and if you plan to scan and digitally post process then the parallax issues should be “less” painful. But it won’t be as simple as an SLR.

[lotech]

Thank guys for the explanation, I don't want my subject get out of frame or partly cut when shooting too close, a moving finder definitely help to prevent that to happen, a 2nd frame line for close up will easily missed. For all RF I used none has that feature except P&S, beside the Retina whatelse we got ?

Btw I treated RF fixed lens camera, anything more than 50mm the image will become too small to frame, unless it has zoom finder ! So I look for slightly wide model such as 45mm, that's good enough for everyday use and street shots.

[TwoUptons]

I have a Petri Color Corrected f1.9 with the moving frame lines. It has an excellent lens and terrific ergonomics. They tend to be a bit fragile, though... it took me several tries to find a good one. It has a fixed 45mm lens.

The Minolta HiMatic 7s also has moving frame lines, but I think it also moves the image. Also a fixed 45mm lens (f1.8?). The 7s is one of the later HiMatics, and not as expensive as some, but it is still in the larger body. Very good meter and also a good lens.

Both were available with conversion lenses to give a wide (35mm) and tele (85mm) f3.5 or so... I don't ever use those, though I have them.
Both are also awesome for "traditional street shooting".

Some of the Mamiya twin lens cameras have a little red line that moves down the side of the viewfinder, telling you where the top of the image will be based on focus distance. It's really slick. They also have bellows to enable fairly close focusing.

Oh, if you really want to close focus with a rangefinder, get the Retina with the closeup kit and metal rails. It very precisely frames the photo and the exact focus distance

-Eric

[lotech]

I have a Petri Color Corrected f1.9 with the moving frame lines. It has an excellent lens and terrific ergonomics. They tend to be a bit fragile, though... it took me several tries to find a good one. It has a fixed 45mm lens.

The Minolta HiMatic 7s also has moving frame lines, but I think it also moves the image. Also a fixed 45mm lens (f1.8?). The 7s is one of the later HiMatics, and not as expensive as some, but it is still in the larger body. Very good meter and also a good lens.

Both were available with conversion lenses to give a wide (35mm) and tele (85mm) f3.5 or so... I don't ever use those, though I have them.
Both are also awesome for "traditional street shooting".

Some of the Mamiya twin lens cameras have a little red line that moves down the side of the viewfinder, telling you where the top of the image will be based on focus distance. It's really slick. They also have bellows to enable fairly close focusing.

Oh, if you really want to close focus with a rangefinder, get the Retina with the closeup kit and metal rails. It very precisely frames the photo and the exact focus distance

-Eric

Thanks for the info., the only thing I don't want is the old electronics camera that may fail soon after so long time of use, and my current most wanted model is the Minolta V2, but don't know if it has moving frame line. Btw I am not too serious about close up with RF, it's just the parallax correction I want to have.

[TwoUptons]

Thanks for the info., the only thing I don't want is the old electronics camera that may fail soon after so long time of use, and my current most wanted model is the Minolta V2, but don't know if it has moving frame line. Btw I am not too serious about close up with RF, it's just the parallax correction I want to have.

The Petri is fully mechanical... no meter, no battery...

I was worried about the Minolta, but mine has been fine.
The only thing I don't like about it is the size.

-Eric

[lotech]

The Petri is fully mechanical... no meter, no battery...

I was worried about the Minolta, but mine has been fine.
The only thing I don't like about it is the size.

-Eric

I just check out the Youtube review of the f1.8 model, it looks great even better than the Minolta, and it has a center tripod socket, I assume it has parallax correction with or without moving frame line, the only thing I don't like by looking at it is the shutter release, too tiny would hurt the finger when use in cold weather.

[TwoUptons]

I just check out the Youtube review of the f1.8 model, it looks great even better than the Minolta, and it has a center tripod socket, I assume it has parallax correction with or without moving frame line, the only thing I don't like by looking at it is the shutter release, too tiny would hurt the finger when use in cold weather.

Is that the video by Japan Camera Hunter?
His has the 50mm f1.8 instead of the 45mm f1.9.
I'm not sure what the difference is between those, really... but the 45mm is supposedly 6 elements in four groups, and mine is very good, particularly at portrait distances.
These aren't the best examples, but I have them handy... and the vignetting in the first one is from having the wrong hood... I have a better one now... and it looks cool...





I don't usually shoot in the cold, so I can't say about the shutter release, but it has never given me any trouble.

-Eric

[titrisol]

I've seen on some advanced rangefinder has parallax correction build in the view finder, but I've not tried or seen it in action, as far as I know there's a 2nd frame line for close distance but how close ? is there any design with moving viewfinder to adjust for close distance beside P&S ?

I was looking at an old agfa viewfinder with parallax correction after looking at this thread
This one is for the 130mm lens in the AmbiSilette RF camera, the design is birlliantly simple. The "focusing" ring is not round but is thicker on the "short distance" side and that moves the square up and down. How accurate it is I don;t know but I don't plan on using this lens anyway.