Which Bessa is for you?

[raid]

Originally Posted by Roger Hicks

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.

HI Roger,
I have an Olive Bessa T with the Heliar 50 3.5. It is very pretty indeed. No clue how it compares in beauty with your Olive R2.

[Bingley]

I picked the T, b/c it's probably the one Bessa I'd keep for the long haul. It's versitile, makes a great back-up camera, and a camera to take along on hikes when compactness and light weight are important. The metering system is excellent.

I've also got an R3A, which I bought for the 40mm framelines and AE. I like it a lot too, although the rangefinder is slightly out of vertical alignment. I may consider selling and replacing w/ an M3 at some point, though.

I had a Bessa R. Really liked it, but sold it to help finance my M2 acquisition. I miss that little camera. It was just right in many respects. Great vf, nice metering system, compact, didn't mind that it was LTM (most of the rf lenses I use are LTM anyway). Only downside was the loud shutter.

[zenlibra]

I have an R, R3M and a T. I like the R3M the best because the build quality is better than the other Bessas I own. I also like the 1:1 viewfinder. But I love my Bessa T because it is somewhat unique, I love focussing with the 1.5x viewfinder and it is kinda sexy with the 40mm Nokton and external VF.

[raid]

Talking about sexy sets, the Olive T with the super sharp 50mm 3.5 collapsible Heliar make one sexy set. Better keep your [female] camera sets from my [male] camera set!

[ruby.monkey]

Brings a whole new meaning to the term 'camera porn'.

[raid]

It is not "camera porn" but is "camera love".

[zenlibra]

There is a nice thread on Bessa "love", lot's of owners showing their Bessas.

[kakinchan]

I always want to get a Bessa. Please allow me to ask questions here:

Does anyone use Bessa's 35mm frameline for a 40mm lens? e.g. R2A and R4A. Do they fit, like M6?

I wear glasses and found the 40mm frame a bit tight.

Thank you
KKC

[Tom A]

I often use the 40 Nokton on a R4M - just using the inside of the 35 frame as a guideline. Easy to see with glasses.

[Fred]

If I could have voted for 2 it would have been the L and the R (the only ones I've owned), the R got it just as the meter stays on for a few seconds after the shutter release is touched, just would have been handy to change the shutter speed without having to switch it back on.

I've been pondering selling the Bessas and a few LTM lenses having packed them up and taken photos of them to sell online but somehow I cannot bring myself to selling. Great honest cameras. The cash would have been used to fund a Bessa R2a so I could use my M lenses. For me even though the R2a is better built it just doesn't quite have the character of the R although that could change should I give in to temptation.

[pvdhaar]

For me it's the T (black), although I do sometimes miss a combined RF/VF when I need to ride the focus.

At the time I bought it, it was the only completely mechanical M-mount camera I could afford.. it took some while to get used to, but I feel very comfortable with it now. Oh, and it's a great conversation starter with a chrome collapsible 50/3,5 and a sleek 50mm finder.

[robin a]

I like my R,it takes the LTM lenses and does all I need it to do............Robin

[tritiated]

1:1 viewfinder, perfect for fast 50mm, great for 75mm, aperture priority is the perfect amount of automation for me.

[BillBingham2]

I never met a Bessa I did not like (camera slut that I am). If it had to be one and only it would be a Bessa LSC (never made) Bessa L body with a Nikon S mount on her. As this is a hard core Bessa question I have to say the L. I love the T and the R but the L was my favorite Bessa I have ever owned. Priced right, small and worked well both as a backup camera and a prime camera for a 15 or 25mm lens.

B2 (;->

[migtex]

The R2S !!
Missed inthe Pool.... :-(

[MaxElmar]

I find great comfort in the accuracy of the RF on my Bessa T - I came from a IIIa so my Bessa R seemed a step backward in this regard. Still use the Bessa R all the time with slower lenses, but the T gets the nod for fast 50's and longer lenses..... With a silver Leica 50 VF mounted, the silver T is a joy to behold and use, even with glasses.

The Bessa R with a CV 35/2.5 mounted replaced my Rollei 35 as "grab and go" camera walking with the kids. What a great little kit.

[kshapero]

Originally Posted by tritiated

1:1 viewfinder, perfect for fast 50mm, great for 75mm, aperture priority is the perfect amount of automation for me.

so which Bessa?
Thinking of getting the T.

[januaryman]

The R is simple and reliable. I wish it were a bit less noisy, but I like it much just the same.

[pesphoto]

did some street work today with my R. Love the little camera!!!

[Brian Sweeney]

I like the R2: manual exposure, mechanical operation, LED metering for dark situations, metal construction. It can use M-Mount and LTM lenses. The manually selectable framelines means leaving the 35/135 Leitz adapter on it and using with any focal length lens.

And I like the lines of of the top plate with the fold-up rewind lever. Like a Canon P.

[ruby.monkey]

Originally Posted by kshapero

so which Bessa?
Thinking of getting the T.

That would be the R3A.

[raid]

Once I fix my olive Bessa T, I will put up for sale my non-olive T.

[glooscap]

I love my R3M!

[David Murphy]

I voted for the R, but the R2 is a close second. I'd write-in the R2S if I could.

[Captain Trips]

Unfortunately I had a play with an R3A a few days ago. The desire/lust to own/possess/use is almost overwhelming. This all started because I purchased a 58mm f1.4 Nokton for my Nikon D40. This lens is such a pleasure to use.

Resistance is almost futile.

cheers
Simon