Which Bessa is for you?

Which Bessa is for you?

  • L

    Votes: 43 4.2%

  • T

    Votes: 59 5.8%

  • R

    Votes: 143 14.0%

  • R2

    Votes: 73 7.2%

  • R2M (Jahre 250)

    Votes: 16 1.6%

  • R2M

    Votes: 53 5.2%

  • R2A

    Votes: 112 11.0%

  • R3M (Jahre 250)

    Votes: 40 3.9%

  • R3M

    Votes: 91 8.9%

  • R3A

    Votes: 157 15.4%

  • R4M

    Votes: 118 11.6%

  • R4A

    Votes: 113 11.1%
  • Total voters
    1,018
I had an R2; great feel right in your hands, but noticed that just like the other R2 I had, the frame spacing was unpredictable, which was a huge issue for me, as I scanned in batches, and scanning Bessa R2 rolls became a major PITA.

I've kept the Bessa R I've had since right after I bought my Leica M6. The Bessa R has a tinny shutter sound, but it's a great LTM camera that is 95% time loaded with slide film.
 
I never bothered much with them, because I prefer the M2 or M4-2 (same general price range). BUT...I did just pick up the R4m, as it offers something that Leica does not. I've only had it a few days, but it seems pretty damn cool so far.
 
The R2A, the poor man's M7 alternative - and what a fantastic alternative it is in terms of appearance, handling, superb built and performance.
 
Just one?! Too hard to choose! I currently have the R4A for its unique wideangle finder and automation and a R3M Anniversary for its lens and its beautiful 1:1 finder.

Like many others I have too many other cameras like the R2A or R2M, or else I won't have a chance to buy Leica or Konica or Zeiss bodies!
 
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I put my eye up to an r4a on a trip to Melbourne a few weeks ago (we don't get new film cameras in brisbane - everyones too busy saying film is dead)...

WOW. What an amazing finder. Even the 35mm and 50mm framelines are great, and it goes down to 21mm!!!! I'm getting one of those for sure..
 
R4A will be my next Bessa. Will my LTM lenses work properly on it? I have the LTM to M adapter. Just want to make sure.

Ted
 
R2 for me

R2 for me

Hello everyone
I am new here, and I am still waiting the LTM to M adapter to start using my new "old" BEssa R2 with a Jupiter 8.
I thought going for the traditional 35,50,75,90 framelines was a good idea as it's my first rangefinder
 
R3A, R4A and M6.
One of them will have to go but I'm not sure which one. It won't be the R4A.
Reason for the M6 trial is (1) Leicalust, (2) I shoot mainly 25mm to 75mm and the M6 has frames that almost cover that - 28 to 135. To cover the same range I need two Bessa bodies or a lot of messing around with external viewfinders (which I have) but it slows you down seriously. I can live with a 28 instead of a 25, or just fit the 25 and know I'm going to get a bit more than the 28 frame is showing.
I also use the 15mm lens but they all need the VF for that. I like AE and the M6 doesn't offer that but on the other hand it's not totally battery dependent either. Never had a problem with Bessa/Batteries but mechanical somehow sounds better.
 
Hey, Juan en Barcelona, thanks for confirming what I suspected. Now I can seriously contemplate an R4A purchase.

Leigh in OZ - I wouldn't have serious angst about batteries. Almost all cameras nowadays are battery-driven. In my camera bag I have extra batteries for each of my different cameras and batteries certainly don't take up much room. The only camera that's a bit tricky in that regard is my Pentax K20D. An extra battery is quite expensive, so I carry the charger which, of course, must be plugged into an AC outlet. But in the read-out on the top of the camera there's an image of a battery so you can see when it's starting to get low. Which seems to occur about every three months and, considering that I use it almost daily, is obviously not much to worry about.

In terms of a trade-off between the automation of the R4A and the fact that it's battery driven is, for me, a no-brainer.
 
i have an mp, but i often grab for my girlfriends r3a... the viewfinder is a dream... i also do not mind shoot AE once and a while, what the heck.. its accurate!
 
I’ve got a „R“, as I just didn’t (and don’t) have enough money for another one. There aren’t too much other RF-cameras with interchangeable lenses and light-metering around. As it also works out very well and feels good in my hand, I love it 🙂 Sometimes screw mounting is a little bit annoying when you’re used to bayonet, but you have to take a compromise, when you don’t want to spend too much money.
 
I have an R3M and a T. I like them both but I love the T. That magnified rangefinder is so great to focus with. Mine is getting creaky, I wish Cosina would re-make it with better build quality. Then again that viewfinder on the R3M is so bright…
 
I'm enjoying a lot my fourth Bessa, an R3A... What a wonderful camera!

It feels great having in the street an R4M with the tiny 28 3.5 and an R3A with the 40 1.4...

And 2 Ts ready to shoot with fast and slow film and the 15 Heliar and 90 Summicron on, in a small bag... Yet I can perfectly use these last two lenses on the R4M and R3A...!

Voigtländer Bessa line = clever design!

Cheers,

Juan
 
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