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

  • From: Jeffery Smith <jls@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 16:05:20 -0500

There aren't too many others...they are all either Leica or Cosina-made. The R2a and R3a are both nice cameras. The R and L are the noisiest of the Bessas, while the metal construction of the R2 and R3 cameras seems to dampen things a bit. The Zeiss Ikon is also Cosina-made, as is the Rollei RF and the Epson RD1. The major issue for Cosina cameras and me is the tendency for the film advance and shutter to jam, necessitating sending the camera back for repairs. My Bessa L came from B&H already jammed, and I've had a Bessa R and a Zeiss Ikon both jam on me. The Zeiss Ikon had to be sent back to Japan (2 months and still waiting). The Hexar RF is currently pretty hard to find.


At 02:03 PM 4/18/2006, you wrote:

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

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