Bessa - Circle of life

[Krosya]

Well, here we go - I just got me a Bessa. Yep. Some may be surprised by this, but I did. It's a kit actually - R2M with Heliar 50/2.
Back when I got into RF it was Bessa R that started it all for me. Some time later I "had" to try Leica, so I sold BEssa and got M3, and later M6. Both good cameras, yet something was missing. So I got a Hexar RF. Leicas got sold one after the other as Hexar proved to be a much better camera for me. Yet I wanted to have a second body. Another Hexar came to mind. Even Zeiss Ikon. But both being a battery dependent cameras, I wanted something that would be a good back up with no worries about batteries. At the same time I really got interested in trying a Heliar 50/2.
So, one thing led to another and I'm a proud owner of 250 Jahre Bessa R2M with Heliar kit. While I didn't get to use it yet, it looks and feels very nice - better than I expected. Hope I'll not disappoint.
Just wanted to share this little story and hope to share some results from it soon as well.

 

[Athos6]

Well, here we go - I just got me a Bessa. Yep. Some may be surprised by this, but I did. It's a kit actually - R2M with Heliar 50/2.
Back when I got into RF it was Bessa R that started it all for me. Some time later I "had" to try Leica, so I sold BEssa and got M3, and later M6. Both good cameras, yet something was missing. So I got a Hexar RF. Leicas got sold one after the other as Hexar proved to be a much better camera for me. Yet I wanted to have a second body. Another Hexar came to mind. Even Zeiss Ikon. But both being a battery dependent cameras, I wanted something that would be a good back up with no worries about batteries. At the same time I really got interested in trying a Heliar 50/2.
So, one thing led to another and I'm a proud owner of 250 Jahre Bessa R2M with Heliar kit. While I didn't get to use it yet, it looks and feels very nice - better than I expected. Hope I'll not disappoint.
Just wanted to share this little story and hope to share some results from it soon as well.

Same here, I strayed into IIIC and M2 land but after all that I returned to a simple Bessa R, and am thinking of getting a R3a to go with it. Someday I'll get my M2 back from DAG, someday... There is something to be said for the simplicity and reliability (and self servicable rangefinder) of the bessas.

 

[hugivza]

I have never strayed into the Leica field, prefering my aging Contax IIIa and my recently acquired Bessa R and R2. The Bessa is simple and effective, and at a price which sometimes makes me wonder why I bother to get my IIa's serviced.

 

[Doug]

I found a 2/50 Heliar Classic divorced from the kit, and like it a lot... perhaps you will too. I've not had an R2, but the L, T, and now R4A which is a nicely usable combination with the Heliar.

 

[imush]

I got the same kit just a few month ago, together with the 40mm Nokton.

The Heliar is a joy to use. Here are some of my shots with it, color and b&w.

 

[lZr]

Old fashioned me, with Bessa R, CV 35/2.5 and CV 75/2.5. I like them. They do the job fine