Which Bessa is for you?

mdspace · 07-31-2009

Which one and why.

kshapero · 07-31-2009

R3M works great.

ZeissFan · 07-31-2009

I really liked the R. However, I sold it.

I have an L and find it to be adequate. Constructed of cheap materials, and I doubt it would stand up to heavy use.

I also have the Rollei 35 RF (R2 clone). It's a very nice camera. Being a Cosina Voigtlander, of course the rangefinder is slightly out vertically. Man, I wish they would put some R&D into that part of the camera and fix once and for all.

I don't have any of the newer cameras, as I find them to be unattractive.

oscroft · 07-31-2009

Only one?

My favourite is the R4A, because of its wide angle frames - I hate external viewfinders. And my other favourite is the R3A, because of the 1:1 viewfinder.

capitalK · 07-31-2009

I bought an R2A and thought I'd like to get an R4M to compliment it but then I found out I would have to sacrifice the on/off button and the LED shutter speed numbers in the viewfinder.

So I think an R4A.

Jonas Adolfsen · 07-31-2009

I would love a R4M. I just like that its mechanical and that it is for wide angle lenses...

Keith · 07-31-2009

No Bessa III in this poll? That's the one I would currently like to own.

I had an R3A and currently have an R4A but as much as I like the cameras they are lacking something for me ... not quite sure what it is though because they are truly great value!

Matus · 07-31-2009

I would like to get a grey R3A one day. I want the AE feature. The reason to choose it over the R2A is more focusing accuracy and bigger frame lines for longer lenses (and R2A does not have 20mm frame lines anyhow). 40/75 would be a nice combo for me as I got used to this focal lengths with my DSLR (28mm & 50mm with 1.5 crop factor). Wider lenses would follow later (28/25/21/15 - some of those)

ruby.monkey · 07-31-2009

Up 'til a month ago it was an R3A - a fine camera with a great finder, it's only shortcoming being that it wasn't a Leica.

The M3 stayed, the R3A went, and a Rolleiflex SLX took its place. So... once it was an R3A, now it's none of 'em.

biomed · 07-31-2009

Only one choice??? Cureently own A BESSA R3a, R4m, and L. The R3 is for my 50 and 75, the R4 is used for my 35, 28, 21 and my 15 lives on the L.

Mike

Keith · 07-31-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruby.monkey

Up 'til a month ago it was an R3A - a fine camera with a great finder, it's only shortcoming being that it wasn't a Leica.

The M3 stayed, the R3A went, and a Rolleiflex SLX took its place. So... once it was an R3A, now it's none of 'em.

When I first got my R3A I used it constantly and was amazed at just how good it was ... fifteen or so rolls of film later I got bored with it, sold it, and went back to using my M2 or Zeiss Ikon.

I still haven't quite worked out why this happened yet?

jfserejo · 07-31-2009

I loved my R2a, specialy with the 35 PII lens... I sold it when I was buying one M6 Classic. I miss that camera a lot.

ruby.monkey · 07-31-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

When I first got my R3A I used it constantly and was amazed at just how good it was ... fifteen or so rolls of film later I got bored with it, sold it, and went back to using my M2 or Zeiss Ikon.

I still haven't quite worked out why this happened yet?

In my case it's because I now shoot mainly medium format. The few 35mm cameras I've kept have to be a little bit special in order to stay, both in terms of how they handle and perform, and of their feeling of quality. The Leicas are, so is the OM-2N, the Pentax MX, the Konica IIIA, the then Nikon F2 (now F3HP)... the R3A was a very competent camera, but it never really wormed its way into my heart. The SLX that replaced it makes me smile every time I pick it up.

Let me put it this way - had I broken the R3A, I'd have just bought another one; if I broke the M3, I'd cry.

naql · 07-31-2009

I currently have an R4M. I like that it is mechanical and has the wide angle viewfinder. I haven't been using much since I got an M2.

rbiemer · 07-31-2009

I currently have three; L, R, and, R2A. If I had to pick one? Likely the R.
Thankfully I don't have to!
Rob

raid · 07-31-2009

I have an L and a T, and I am waiting to get from Eddy my R.

-doomed- · 07-31-2009

I've got an R2a , because its the one i bought used fairly cheap

raid · 07-31-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by -doomed-

I've got an R2a , because its the one i bought used fairly cheap

I had the same reasons too; my R cost me $100, so I bought it.

Tom A · 07-31-2009

Currently, a L, two T's (1 grey/1 black), Bessa R, Bessa R2. Bessa R2M,Bessa R2A (green), Bessa R3M, Bessa R3A (green), Bessa R4M (two) and awaiting a Bessa III
My Bessa R is now getting on in age - looks beaten up, but never missed a beat. The only Bessa that ever gave me a problem was the Bessa R2 - the meter diodes started acting up a while ago - at the moment I use it as a meterless body (took the batteries out) - one day I will get around to fix it - but everything else works so it is not a big deal.
Obviously I like the Bessa's!
ooops, forgot my R2S - it was not in my camera cabinet, but in my shoulder bag with the Heliar 50f3.5 on it.

Keith · 07-31-2009

Actually ... aside from the new Bessa III folder (special camera and exempt from any type of scorn) the only camera I hold in any real esteem from Voigtlander now is my R4A ... and that's purely because no one else makes anything like it!

beezerc15 · 08-01-2009

i have a bessaR,but i prefer my canon P and 7s.

sebastel · 08-01-2009

R2C, cuz of the contax mount.

Roger Hicks · 08-01-2009

R2 Olive because it's prettiest and not battery dependent. Otherwise the M-mount cameras are all pretty much functionally equivalent, except the T and R4.

Cheers,

R.

gb hill · 08-01-2009

I have the Bessa L & a Bessa R. The L is home to my 25/4 snapshot skopar. I like the L because it's lightweight. I found I like the lights on the back instead of ttl. Both are great cameras for carrying around all day without becoming a nuisance.

mdspace · 08-01-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom A

Currently, a L, two T's (1 grey/1 black), Bessa R, Bessa R2. Bessa R2M,Bessa R2A (green), Bessa R3M, Bessa R3A (green), Bessa R4M (two) and awaiting a Bessa III
My Bessa R is now getting on in age - looks beaten up, but never missed a beat. The only Bessa that ever gave me a problem was the Bessa R2 - the meter diodes started acting up a while ago - at the moment I use it as a meterless body (took the batteries out) - one day I will get around to fix it - but everything else works so it is not a big deal.
Obviously I like the Bessa's!

Wow!
"Sensei", you are very lucky! You have tried almost all the Bessas.
Regarding the Bessa R2A (green) and the Bessa R3A (green), I have never seen these green models, can you share some pics of them, please.

Greetings