Rangefinder Cameras: A History & Introduction (Part 3)

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Beyond manual focus and the popular 35mm film format. Continuing from the world of interchangeable M mount lenses, there were many cameras that were offered as fixed lens 35mm rangefinder cameras by several manufacturers, mainly Japanese. Being extremely small, compact, and with great reliability, cameras like the Olympus 35 and XA, Canon Canonet and the Yashica GSN have all become cult classics today. Modern offerings in the form of high-end compact cameras also made their way into the market. These include the Contax’s T series, Ricoh’s GR21, Nikon’s 28Ti and 35Ti, and Minolta’s TC-1 amongst others.

Rangefinder Cameras: A History & Introduction (Part 2)

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The M mount In 1954, Leica launched the M3 rangefinder camera, which featured a new bayonet lens mount, a high magnification viewfinder, as well as an improved film transport. This was the beginning of the M System we know today. The Leica IIIg, which was launched in 1957, was the last thread mount camera that Leica offered. However, it is important to note that the new M mount did not spell an end to the now ubiquitous Leica Thread Mount (LTM) lenses. Instead of being an obsolete system, LTM lenses can be mounted on M mount cameras via thread to …

Rangefinder Cameras.

Rangefinder Cameras: A History & Introduction (Part 1)

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Guest Post by Benny Ng. In the beginning.. In the early 1900s, there was a man with a vision for portable photography. His name was Oskar Barnack, and in 1914, he created the Ur-Leica, forefather of the 35mm film format that we know today. This camera was also the cornerstone of the evolution of the rangefinder system of photography. In the early days of rangefinder photography, there were several manufacturers and quite a few differing formats of lens to camera interface as each sought to develop their own proprietary mount. Many of the early lens mounts were not coupled as …