Shooting 50mm - Nikon S, Bessa R3 or M3

fixbones · Jan 9, 2011

Hi,

Some gas dilemma.
My favourite focal length is 50mm and I currently shoot with the M-system.

I am keen to try 1:1 finders for 50mm so I can frame and focus more comfortably with both eyes open.

What would you do?

Bessa R3* - Cheaper and new
M3 - Not quite 1:1 but Leica
Nikon S3/Sp - I get to try Nikons but expensive

p/s: I know ultimately the decision is mine but it is still interesting to know what others would do =D

ruby.monkey · Jan 9, 2011

You forgot the Nikon S2, which would also give you a 1x finder. Of these I'd pick (as I did) the M3. The S2's finder is good, the R3*'s is better, but the M3's is a thing of beauty - and close enough to 1x that one can happily shoot with both eyes open.

fixbones · Jan 10, 2011

Decided to skip the S2 after considering the advices from some of the guys here.....

jonmanjiro · Jan 10, 2011

I used to own an M3, and the finder is indeed wonderful. But the magnification was low enough that I wasn't comfortable shooting with both eyes open. No such problem with a true 1:1 finder though.

Between an S3 or SP, an SP is definitely the better choice for shooting a 50mm lens.

David Murphy · Jan 10, 2011

M3 finder: Very, very good (M2 might be better however)
S3: don't know, but the S2 finder is just so-so (nice camera though)
R3: I've owned or own the R, R2, R2C and they are superb

By the way, the Leica SBOOI auxiliary bright line 50mm finder is an absolutely superb piece of work if you want to try an external solution

fixbones · Jan 10, 2011

Oohh Jon.... not you again...arrgghh!!!

I do agree that 0.91 is not 1:1 and of course, a black SP is such a treat to the eye.

fixbones · Jan 10, 2011

David: Never thought of the auxiliary finder solution. Good idea

former member · Jan 10, 2011

The M3 for a very simple reason: much more choice in what is available in 50mm.

Neare · Jan 10, 2011

More choice perhaps, but nikkor-s glass is just so damn good that there would be no reason to complain. I'd definitely opt for the SP, an S2 or 3 would be quite good for 50mm as well.

The vintage nikkor is lovely, it will do your b&w justice.The millennium nikkor on the other hand will rival (and perhaps best) any modern leica lens, so no problem there.

rover · Jan 10, 2011

You are shooting the M system now, so M3... The Bessa finder is nice, but if you are going to be shooting fast lenses a good M3 finder will be more accurate.

If you want to use Nikon or Contax lenses you can find adaptors, but since you are already there... M3

gliderbee · Jan 10, 2011

You forgot the Canon P, but that one is not really new 😛

I would go for the Bessa R3*¨: 1:1 finder, not too expensive (but not cheap), thrustworthy (if you don't use it like a hammer), not too heavy (but heavy enough to be stable), easy to find used if you don't want new, ...

Can you guess I like them ?

Stefan.

former member · Jan 10, 2011

Neare said:
More choice perhaps, but nikkor-s glass is just so damn good that there would be no reason to complain. I'd definitely opt for the SP, an S2 or 3 would be quite good for 50mm as well.

The vintage nikkor is lovely, it will do your b&w justice.The millennium nikkor on the other hand will rival (and perhaps best) any modern leica lens, so no problem there.

The classic Nikkor lenses are all available in Leica mount, and the Millenium Nikkor can be used with an Amedeo adapter.

Of course, I also have 15 Nikon Rangefinder cameras. With a variety of lenses modified for S-Mount.

The Canon P, Canon VI-L, and Canon VI-T also have 1x auto-parallax corrected viewfinders.

paulfish4570 · Jan 10, 2011

Brian, do you reckon that TV show about hoarding will send a producer to your house? 🙂

paulfish4570 · Jan 10, 2011

i do not have even a chihuahua in this fight, but the reason a Bessa R2M or R3M is at the top of my short list for an M-mount body is because of the Bessa's acceptance of Nikon corrective viewfinder eyepieces ...

Film dino · Jan 10, 2011

Another (maybe) option is M2 (0.72) with after-market eyepiece 1.25x magnifier, which brings magnification to 0.9, but at the cost of a little image brightness

wlewisiii · Jan 15, 2011

M3, Contax II, F2/FTbN

In that order if all you ever intend to shoot is 50. I mostly (90%+) shoot 50 but ...

M2, F2/FTbN, M4 or other later M.

If you ever intend to shoot anything else ever. The M3 is wonderful for a 50 as the Barnacks were. But they didn't get a decent finder for other lenses until after.

Please note this is based on only cameras I've had the pleasure of actually using.

Bingley · Jan 17, 2011

I had an R3a. The finder was v bright and the 50 frame lines were easy to see (I wear glasses). The Canon P is also nice for a 50. But I find I shoot 50 even more on my M2. A 1:1 vf magnification is not that big a deal, IMO, particularly since I focus w/ my left eye (no shooting w/ both eyes open for me).

If I shot a lot in low light settings, or needed to focus a fast 50 wide open, I'd opt for the M3 b/c of the contrasty rf patch and longer base length.

migtex · Jan 17, 2011

Nikon Sx or Bessa R3!

Shooting 50mm - Nikon S*, Bessa R3* or M3