If you're looking for a different shooting experience than your traditional prism DSLR or electronic viewfinder of your mirrorless camera, perhaps a rangefinder can be just the thing to get your creative photography inspiration going.
A rangefinder is an unapologetically vintage shooting experience: that involves a manual focusing method that utilizes multiple lenses. While it takes some mastering to start with, and getting to know which frame lines are what, once you're used to it, there is nothing like it, and it can increase your success rate while out shooting.
Sebastian Oakley
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.
He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.
If you want a rangefinder camera, they don't get much better than Leica and the latest digital flagship, the Leica M11-P with its 60MP sensor - this is the best rangefinder overall. Read more below
If you want an optical rangefinder but also want the convenience of a digital EVF the X100VI offers both making this the perfect hybrid rangefinder. Read more below
If you want the Leica-style, but don't want to pay the hefty price tag then the X-Pro3 from Fujifilm is the camera for you, it also features Fujifilm's famous film simulations! Read more below
If you love black-and-white photography but also want a rangefinder the Leica M11 Monochrom takes the crown with this Black and White ONLY camera. Read more below
If you're looking for a rangefinder camera, but your main medium is film then the Leica M-A is the best mechanical experience on the market. Read more below
If you want the best rangefinder for film overall then the Fuji GW690 with its 6x9 negatives is the best for film lovers. Read more below
Best rangefinder cameras in 2024
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Best overall
(Image credit: Gareth Bevan / Digital Camera World)
Autofocus: None, manual focusing via rangefinder or Live View
LCD: 3in fixed touchscreen, 2,332,800 dots
Viewfinder: Direct Vision optical and optional Visoflex 2 electronic viewfinder
Continuous shooting: 4.5fps
Max video resolution: None
User level: Enthusiast/expert
Reasons to buy
+
Style and build quality are superb
+
Leica lenses super sharp with unique Leica look
+
Manual focus is a photographic experience
+
Triple-resolution sensor produces lovely images
Reasons to avoid
-
Manual focus only and no video
-
Can be uncomfortable to hold for long periods
-
Content Credentials workarounds seem easy
-
Expensive
Buy it if:
✅ You want AI protection: The M11-P comes equipped with Leica Content Credentials that allows users and picture editors to see the process from capture, editing, and distribution, authenticating every image.
✅ You want the best Leica camera on the market: The M11-P takes all the best bits from the M11 and adds upon them to deliver the best Leica-M experience possible
Don't buy it if:
❌ You're going to rely on Content Credentials: Content Credentials workarounds seem easy to manipulate at the current time, so you might have to make other workflows.
❌ You want to shoot lots of video: While being the top-of-the-lime Leica M-system camera, those wanting to have the ability to shoot video too are omitted - only still capabilities here
The Leica M11-P continues Leica's blend of classic style and cutting-edge technology. In terms of aesthetics, it takes inspiration from the sleek, minimalist design of the Leica M11 Monochrom, without the usual iconic red dot offering a more understated look that appeals to discerning photographers who want to go unclocked on the street.
However, it isn't just about appearances. Inside, the M11-P mirrors the Leica M11, guaranteeing the same exceptional image quality that we loved in the original M11 model, with Leica's 60MP color sensor, with its triple-resolution tech offering big detailed photos.
What really makes the M11-P notable is the introduction of its content authentication component called Lecia Contnet Credentials, which could yet prove to be a very valuable weapon in the ongoing battle against AI-generated image manipulation. However, its effectiveness in countering this currently appears somewhat vulnerable to those with ill intentions, although it is very early doors for the technology, so it will be interesting to see how it evolves as it is more widely adopted.
Beautiful retro design and excellent build quality
+
In-body image stabilization
+
Much improved video quality
+
Big 40MP stills
Reasons to avoid
-
Premium price
-
6K video has a crop
-
Adapter ring an additional purchase
Buy it if:
✅ You want a premium compact camera: The most talked about camera on the market today this camera is a premium offering in Fujifilm's lineup offering many specs fans have wanted, and then some!
✅ You want big resolution: With a whopping 40-megapixel you can be sure to capture images in stunning detail like never before from the X100-series
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want to shoot at different focal lengths: The X100VI is a fixed-lens camera. This means that the lens cannot be changed, so you are stuck with the 23mm focal length. There are adapters available to alter the perceived focal length but they are expensive with varying results.
❌ You want to shoot lots of video: While the X100VI is capable of good 6K video, but it just isn't as versatile as other interchangeable lens cameras, and the two-way tilting screen limits vlogging and recording from awkward angles.
Fujifilm's X100V was the camera that sparked the internet's current obsession with Fujifilm's retro-styled modern cameras. The launch of the Fujifilm X100VI certainly hasn't slowed down that momentum, and according to many sources – the X100VI is the most preordered camera of all time.
Is this all just overhyped? Absolutely not. The Fujifilm X100VI is still my top choice for anyone who wants a beautiful and premium compact camera without the faff of changing lenses.
The X100VI has a fixed lens that is roughly equivalent to 35mm on a full-frame camera – and is my personal focal length of choice for street or travel photography. There are converters available for the X100V to make the lens wide or more tele, but I find these a little overpriced, they can also be hard to find. However, if you want to use screw-in filters there is an additional $50 purchase of a filter ring, but for the price you're paying, I feel this should really come in the box.
When it comes to image quality, the X100V has the same 40.2MP X-Trans sensor as the flagship-level Fujifilm X-T5, which is an exceptional sensor. This is paired with the latest X-Processor 5, which enables autofocus recognition and tracking for even more subjects including animals, birds, and vehicles. The X100VI also adds 6K video, albeit at a slight 1.23x crop, or there is always 4K video with no crop if you don't need that extra resolution.
Finally, the X100VI adds in-body stabilization, which makes video a little smoother, and the camera better in low light with slower shutter speeds.
Of course, you get access to Fujifilm's beloved film simulations and recipes, taking some of the work out of editing, and are what have made this camera so popular. The wonderful hybrid optical viewfinder is also a major highlight and one of the reasons I am still obsessed with rangefinder cameras as my last-ditch attempt to keep an optical viewfinder in an increasingly mirrorless EVF world.
The main downside is the Fujifilm X100VI's slick design doesn't come cheap, although the premium quality and cool features like the hybrid viewfinder are about justified. But that's if you can get your hands on one in the first place. The Fujifilm X100V was notorious for being perpetually out of stock around the world, with a months-long waiting list, so I am keenly watching to see if Fujifilm has resolved its manufacturing hiccups with this model.
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Fujifilm X100IV
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Notes
Score
Features
40MP stills, 6K video and retro styling makes this the camera to want
5 / 5
Build & handling
Its solid build and ergonomics makes the X100IV a fan favorite among many
5 / 5
Performance
Image quality is miles ahead of the X100V, but its AF performance is on with its predecessor
4 / 5
Value
Its the camera of the hour, and stock is limited it might seem pricey for a while
Max continuous shooting speed: 11fps mechanical shutter, 20fps electronic, 30fps with crop
Max video resolution: 4K UHD
User level: Enthusiast/Professional
Reasons to buy
+
Superb retro design
+
Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder
+
Novel 'hidden' screen
Reasons to avoid
-
Expensive and specialised
Buy it if:
✅ You love Fujifilm: This is the pinnacle of rangefinder alternatives from Fujifilm. The X-Pro3 is a fan-favorite for street photographers and anyone wanting that manual experience from Fujifilm.
✅ You love retro-inspired cameras: With its hidden LCD rear screen and film simulations this camera is as retro as it gets, with modern tech inside!
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want full frame: Unfortunately, the X-Pro3 uses an APS-C sensor which is very powerful, but won't give you that full frame look that many desire.
❌ You want a true optical rangefinder: While the X-Pro 3 features a hybrid EVF and an "optical" one - it still uses electronics to showcase frame lines.
Styled on a classic rangefinder camera but featuring the latest digital technology, it's aimed at people who want a retro camera with modern features. The X-Pro 3 includes the latest 26.1MP X-Trans sensor, improved autofocus, and a unique screen design. Instead of having a screen that always shows an image, it has a screen that folds flat against the body and uses a small digital screen that imitates film packet slots on the back of film cameras.
The hybrid electrical/optical viewfinder makes it stand out from other Fujifilm cameras as it offers a fully electronic mode, an optical mode with electronic overlays, and a digital rangefinder mode. The Fujifilm X-Pro 3 comes in black, Dura black, or Dura silver.
The Dura models come with a surface-hardening technology called Duratect which is applied to achieve strong scratch resistance so it will look brand new for longer. Released in 2019, the Fujifilm X-Pro3 has retained its high price point, otherwise, it might appear higher in the list. This is certainly a camera that you would buy if you're looking for something a little more specialist.
Max shooting speed: DNG: 15 shots, JPG: >100 shots
User level: Expert
Reasons to buy
+
Pristine B&W quality
+
Incredible in low light
Reasons to avoid
-
Incredibly expensive
-
Immovable rear screen
Buy it if:
✅ You want a black-and-white-only camera: Featuring a specially developed sensor to deliver stunning black-and-white images - this is the best black-and-white photography gets in the digital world.
✅ You want the stealth look: Thanks to its street-wise aesthetic the red dot is removed, and you have only one color option, black - making for the stealthiest camera on the streets.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want to shoot color: With its special sensor with removed bayer sensor you can only shoot black and white, so no color pictures here.
❌ You want the full Leica look: While the M11 Monochrom looks stunning, without the famous red dot it doesn't give off the full Leica vibe
The Leica M11 Monochrom is one of the world’s most niche consumer cameras; a black and white, manual focus only rangefinder camera, which cannot shoot video, and also costs a cool $9000 (£8,300).
These supposed shortcomings are actually its biggest strength, forcing you to carefully consider every shot you take. It harks back to the glory days of film photography and is one of the most enjoyable photography experiences I have had in a while.
This is not a camera for the masses, Leica knows exactly who this camera's specific audience is, and exactly how to please them, and for those select few, there is some good news, it is probably the best version of this camera to date.
✅ You want a new film camera: With many film cameras being very old and not knowing their previous history it is always good to buy new - something that Leica only offers at the moment.
✅ You love mechanical cameras: The Leica M-A is the pinnacle of mechanical perfection, no lightmeter, no battery just a pure photography experience.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want a light meter: If you heavily rely on a light meter in your analog photography work then you either have to learn Sunny 16 or buy a spot meter.
❌ You're new to photography: While we all love to buy ourselves nice things, I'd learn the basics first before splashing the cash and jumping in at a full manual camera
Leica M rangefinders will always be controversial. To some, they're overpriced, overhyped throwbacks to an era that's long gone. To others, they're beautifully made classics of engineering that have reached a plateau of perfection.
The M rangefinders take a bit of getting used to. Rangefinder focusing is fast and precise in the right hands but takes some learning, while the pain of paying for an M-A body is only the start because Leica lenses are equally expensive.
But if you like your film photography to be stripped back to its basics, the M-A will oblige. You'll need to work out the exposure yourself, you'll need to apply the settings yourself and you'll need to focus yourself, but for Leica M fans that's what it means to be a photographer.
✅ You want massive negatives: Its huge 6x9cm negatives draw out the best possible details in any shot leading to massive resolution when either scanned or digitized.
✅ You love film cameras: This is an amazing film camera and provides the best film-to-rangefinder experience in the medium format world.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want to shoot at different focal lengths: With a fixed 90mm f/3.5 lens (50mm equiv in 35mm terms) you can be limited on what you can shoot - no 28mm here!
❌ You're on a budget: While the GW690 is the biggest medium format rangefinder out there, it costs you a whole lot of film. Its massive 6x9cm negatives only gives you 8 shots per 120 roll - which can get very expensive if shooting color!
If you're wanting a great rangefinder experience, while having the chance to shoot the biggest medium format film negative of 6x9, then the Fuji GW690 is the perfect camera for you.
You get fewer exposures (usually 8) on a roll due to the fact it shoots 6x9 images, but the extra-large negatives and transparencies give tremendous detail to your work. This camera can only be found on the second-hand market, but the GW690 is a no-frills fixed-lens manual exposure rangefinder camera that offers huge images in a comparatively portable package - something it is also known as the 'Texas Leica' due to its large size and rangefinder focusing, but the images are truly unique.
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Fuji GW690
Header Cell - Column 0
Notes
Score
Features
Massive 6x9cm negatives, fully mechanical camera
4 / 5
Build & handling
Built out of metal and heavy duty plastiv this camera is built like a tank
5 / 5
Performance
with its fixed 95mm f/3.5 lens and 6x9 negatives you can be sure to pull the highest resolution out of any image
4 / 5
Value
For its price on the second hand market you are getting great value or money
The focusing mechanism of a rangefinder camera is incredibly different from anything else on the market, it allows the photographer to measure the subject distance and take photographs that are in sharp focus, with little effort once mastered. Most varieties of rangefinders show two images of the same subject, one of which moves when you move the focus ring on your lens; when the two images coincide and fuse into one your subject is in focus and your images will be pin-sharp.
Rangefinder showing split-image, subject not in focus (Image credit: Sebastian Oakley / Digital Camera World)
Rangefinder showing combined images, subject in focus (Image credit: Sebastian Oakley / Digital Camera World)
Most rangefinders display a set of framelines, which match certain lens focal lengths with spacing around each frameline so you can correctly comprise your image and see what is going on around your framing, and who or what will walk within it, this handy feature makes rangefinders the perfect solution for those looking to get into street photography as you can quickly compose an image, while still seeing that is going on around the frameline.
However, there is one very important thing to remember when using a rangefinder camera, especially if you are using a film camera from Leica or an older Mamiya, for example, is that the focusing screen on the rangefinder is separate from that of your lens, therefore you judge your focus through a viewing window, and as such need to make sure your lens cover is off, else you will end up shooting a whole roll of film with your lens cap still on, and therefore destroying your film and your mood for the day - trust from someone that knows! However, if you're using a modern digital camera from the likes of Fujifilm you will notice instantly, and your day will not be ruined, but it's always worth double checking your lens cap is off and safely in your pocket before shooting any rangefinder.
However, once you have gotten over this little caveat, the rangefinder camera is the perfect tool for street photography, landscapes, portraits, and everything else in between - there is a reason why they are still made today, and have a very loyal fan base, below you will find the best rangefinder cameras, both new and old, digital to film, and from high-end to high-mileage, covering everyone's budget.
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For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.
He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and is a Master of Arts in Publishing. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days using a Nikon F5 and saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still to this day the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, The British Equestrian Writers' Association.
He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.
