[rollei_list] OT: 35mm RF (Voigtlander Bessa)

  • From: Thor Legvold <tlegvold@xxxxxxx>
  • To: rolleiusers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 21:03:03 +0200

Well,

thanks again to everyone who helped me learn more last year about a replacement for my friends Minox GT. They got a Bessa R3a and a 40/1.4 to go with it a while back. I was over at their place recently and helped them go through it and get to know it - wow what a really nice camera!

I started wanting one myself. 35mm for me is about snapshots (doing my darndest to keep Kodachrome alive), and although I haven't sold the FM2 (in fact I picked up a 35/2 and a 105/2.5, and am looking for a nice 50/1.2 as well), I really appreciated the Bessa. It wasn't appreciably lighter than the Nikon, but it was quite a bit more compact. The body is about the same basic size and shape, but the lack of prism slims down the top a lot. The real difference was in the lenses. The 40/1.4 was *tiny*, especially compared to the Nikkor 35/2!

The finder was very clearly laid out, ergonomically excellent. The camera wasn't as quiet as I'd hoped, but I understand that the R2 and R are significantly quieter (at the expense of an electronic shutter and aperture priority operation). It was by no means a noisy camera at any rate.

So now I've started the slippery downward slope, wondering if maybe I could pick up a R2a or R3a at a decent price with a lens or two. Something light to slip in my bag to carry along on my walk to work and back (similar to Daniel). the other alternative would be to get a Leica, but it seems they're A. obscenely expensive or B. for collectors only. Just trying to learn about the various models made is enough to discourage a casual buyer! Before certain (unnamed) list members jump on this, it is 35mm we're talking about. If I really want high quality I'd be carrying the Rollei or some other 120 format camera, right? :-)

Are there any users who can help me weight pro's /cons of Voigtlander vs. others? I don't want auto everything, or motors, or autofocus so the Hexar and Contax G2 and such are out. I'm thinking either Voigtlander, or vintage (is there a lot of old, nice, available and cheap stuff to be had?) or possibly Leica if there exists something reasonably priced that is comparable to the Bessa.

Cheers,
Thor

---
Rollei List

- Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

- Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Online, searchable archives are available at
//www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list

Other related posts: