Bessa R2A or R3A ?

[ampguy]

I'm curious to hear from those who've considered both, and why you picked one over the other?

It seems like the 1:1 VF with longer EBL of the R3A is a plus for fast close lenses (35/2 cron, Nokton 50/1.5), or is the R2A good enough? I also use 40, but have no problems using with 35 lines (and vice versa).

For < .9m, scale focus is needed on both, right? Shutter is louder than a Leica, but less than an SLR, right?

Does the 1 year CV warranty include framelines going out of alignment? If the framelines go out, and need readjusting, can they get glued down, like was done on my RD1?

Thanks in advance for any insight from owners of either of these, do any other things regularly fail on these other than the VF/RF alignments?

 

[noimmunity]

I have had both. The EBL of both is sufficient for the lenses you mention.

I would base my decision on which framelines you will need and/or use the most. The R3A has superior framelines for 50 and 75 (esp. 75), and for that reason is very appealing. Yet the combination of 35/50/75 on the R2A is compelling.

One important niggle: I found the film rewind knob on the R3A prone to pop up and wiggle out of place. Not a problem on the R2A because of slight design difference.

No probs with frameline alignment and RF alignment on either...

 

[ampguy]

Thanks

Thanks

Impossible for me to know which I would use the most, 35, 40, or 50. But good info. on the rewind knob of the R3A, so is the R2A a more modern version? Which has better resale value used?

I have had both. The EBL of both is sufficient for the lenses you mention.

I would base my decision on which framelines you will need and/or use the most. The R3A has superior framelines for 50 and 75 (esp. 75), and for that reason is very appealing. Yet the combination of 35/50/75 on the R2A is compelling.

One important niggle: I found the film rewind knob on the R3A prone to pop up and wiggle out of place. Not a problem on the R2A because of slight design difference.

No probs with frameline alignment and RF alignment on either...

 

[Sam N]

There are older and newer versions of both the R2a and R3a. The only things they changed were the rewind knob and the lettering. The newer ones just say "R3A" or "R2A" on the front instead of "Bessa R3A" or "Bessa R2A". The top and rear lettering is a bit different too. The newer ones have a "since" year on the back either.

I'm pretty sure they're identical internally.

 

[kshapero]

I had a R3A and it was a perfect camera in every way, ok almost perfect. I would still own it today if not for the ZI bug.

 

[Sam N]

I had a R3A and it was a perfect camera in every way, ok almost perfect. I would still own it today if not for the ZI bug.

Ditto, except I haven't sold the R3A yet.

 

[oscroft]

I've considered both but have neither (I did buy a used R3A but it was damaged in the post and had to be returned). It really comes down to whether you want a 35mm frameline or a 1:1 VF - I have other bodies with 35mm frames and I wanted the 1:1 for use with 50mm and 75mm lenses (in fact I still do, but due to finances it's not a high priority).

 

[kmerenkov]

I own r3a and love it because of 1:1 VF and because it is only RF camera I have.
I'd go for r2m or r4m now because I'd like to try out wide lenses.
Why "m" instead of "a"? My bessa has a weird bug, lightmeter doesn't work the way it should in AE mode and I am setting "speeds" manually, so through this bug I found that life is possible without AE (+ once batteries died on me and I missed opportunity to shoot because of this bug - lightmeter didn't turn off in AE).
Shutter is not very loud, difference between my nikon fe2 is very noticeable on slow speeds (1/30 and slower).

I myself use nokton 40 right now.
Wish you luck with your bessas

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

The viewfinder eyepiece unscrews itself and gets lost. I need about one year at about €27.

Also the little screws that hold the viewfinder eyepiece plate loosen. My optician tightens them, and now I've taped them too.

 

[noimmunity]

The viewfinder eyepiece unscrews itself and gets lost. I need about one year at about €27.

€27 ?!?! Ouch! They are a fraction of that cost here in Taipei. Now that's what I'd call incentive to keep track of the little buggers.

 

[kully]

Eyepiece/screws - a little nail polish will keep 'em tight and removeable should be need arise.

I'd go for the R3a, the R2a has sufficent baselength but when focussing the 40/1.4 carefully I'd not that I would move the focus lever but really have to concentrate to see the difference in the RF patch. This is less so in the R3a (and even better in the ZI/Mx)

An R2a was my first proper RF and the only reason I sold it was because of this place and the unending push towards getting an M body 🙂

Shutter sound - don't worry about it. It sound loud next to your face but a distance away it's not too bad. It is noticeable in quiet places but then so is a CLA'd M shutter.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Shutter sound - don't worry about it. It sound loud next to your face but a distance away it's not too bad. It is noticeable in quiet places but then so is a CLA'd M shutter.

That's the most sensible thing written at RFF in a long time.

 

[Austerby]

I recently bought an R3a and went through a similar decision process between the alternative Voigtlander models available. What swung it for me was the 1:1 viewfinder and the ease with which you can shoot with both eyes open and the framelines hovering in front of you.

I use it predominantly with the 40/1.4 Nokton, the 25mm Color-Skopar (with external viewfinder) and 75/2 Summicron. This makes an ideal combination.

 

[kmerenkov]

I use it predominantly with the 40/1.4 Nokton, the 25mm Color-Skopar (with external viewfinder) and 75/2 Summicron. This makes an ideal combination.

Slight offtopic: is it easy to focus 75 on r3a? Or are you focusing it to infinity all the time?

 

[kross]

i have chosen r2a instead of r3a because i shoot 35mm 90% of the time.....and i like 35mm...

 

[ampguy]

Thanks all, great info. The shutter doesn't bother me. After using Hexar AFs and completely quiet digicams, the Leica M shutters have always made a loud click anyways.

So no one has had VF/RF alignment issues with the R3/R2 series? Do the 35 really match 35mm lenses, and the 40, true 40s like the Rokkor 40 (not the CV 43ish)? I'm curious since the Cosina made RD1's 35mm lines matched the Rokkor 40 much closer than a Leica 35 Summicron?

It seems that since one never really knows what lenses they will come across that the extended baselength of the R3a might be a good thing, considering most Bessas are rather short anyways?