Bessaflex Discontinued

[CameraQuest]

The Voigtlander Bessaflex SLR has been discontinued, in both silver and black. The factory is sold out.

Stephen

 

[GeneW]

This makes me appreciate my pair of them (black & silver) all the more. Classy SLRs!

Gene

 

[mike goldberg]

Lucky you that you got them Gene!
Seems that Cosina is focusing in on [no pun intented]...
the RF, M-mount market. Cheers, mike

 

[Michiel]

When preparing for the purchase of my first SLR, I desperately tried to find a second-hand one, but they were nowhere to be found here in the Netherlands.

I don't know why exactly, but both models (and especially the silver one) simply look incredibly good! Even better than Canon or Nikon IMHO 🙂

 

[ChrisPlatt]

I'm spoiled by full-aperture metering, otherwise I would have bought one.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to "settle" on my Pentax Spotmatic F... 😉

Chris

 

[robin a]

I'm spoiled by full-aperture metering, otherwise I would have bought one.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to "settle" on my Pentax Spotmatic F... 😉

Chris

Here Here...........They're the best! Robin

 

[tedwhite]

Stupid thing I did: Sell my Bessaflex. Thank God I've got three Spotmatic SP's to fall back on.

 

[Trius]

Aaaargh. I was considering a Bessaflex for my M42 body. Oh well. Looks like I'll hunt for a Fujica ST-801.

 

[tedwhite]

Trius:

Try a Spotmatic. Very smooth and reliable with stop-down metering. The ST-801 has a brighter viewfinder, but that's it. Anyway, the viewfinders on the Spotties are plenty bright enough.

If you've never used one, let me know. If you'll pay the postage, I'll send you a recently CLA'd Spotmatic SP to play with for a couple of weeks.

Ted

 

[Mazurka]

You can always buy inexpensive M42 adapters for most SLRs.

 

[Doug]

You can always buy inexpensive M42 adapters for most SLRs.

Seems to me there'd have to be a very strong desire for an M42 lens in order to put up with the inconveniences associated with the adaptation... not only stop-down metering but manual diaphragm control (up with which I would not put!) 🙂

Now for a slick adaptor, the one allowing P67 lenses on the P645 brings not only open-aperture metering but auto diaphragm with it as well. Just no AF. Way to go!

 

[Kim Coxon]

It was a shame that more manufacturers didn't follow Fuji's lead. Their basic M42 adapter gives auto diaphragm control and the rarer advanced one allows full aperture metering and auto diaphragm on the X mount cameras.

Kim

Seems to me there'd have to be a very strong desire for an M42 lens in order to put up with the inconveniences associated with the adaptation... not only stop-down metering but manual diaphragm control (up with which I would not put!) 🙂

Now for a slick adaptor, the one allowing P67 lenses on the P645 brings not only open-aperture metering but auto diaphragm with it as well. Just no AF. Way to go!

 

[Mazurka]

Seems to me there'd have to be a very strong desire for an M42 lens in order to put up with the inconveniences associated with the adaptation... not only stop-down metering but manual diaphragm control (up with which I would not put!) 🙂

Guess why those M42 adapters are so popular? 😛

Besides, if you have to stop-down to meter anyway, the manual diaphragm is only natural. Anyway the correct procedure is focus first, then stop-down the lens to meter and shoot. I see no point opening up the aperture after metering and before shooting the next frame. 😀

 

[captainslack]

Glad I got one when I did!

Great little camera. A real joy to use. Sure hate to see to go. ;(

 

[nikola]

and price bump to ~350$ 🙂

 

[john_van_v]

Picked up an ST-801 and was surprised at how small it is: Fits well into a Nikon FG case.

It is a battery hog, that PX28 better put out close to 6v or off go those fancy LED's. But it is nice to have full-aperture metering.

Wow, yet another good word for the fujicas.

Is the 801 the same construction as the 700 and 600 series (I can't recall the actual numbers, but 701 and 605 come to mind).

I am a nut for the above description, small and handy. My original SLR was an OM1 but I beat it to death-- still have it, DOA.

Exactly which is the battery hog, the fujica or the bessaflex ??

 

[GeneW]

One of my Bessaflexen with Super Macro Takumar 50/4:

They get good battery life -- same as the rest of the Bessa series. Someone once dubbed the Bessaflex a cross between a Bessa R2 and a Spotmatic. Very apt, I thought.

Gene

 

[Squonk]

Happy with mine...

Happy with mine...

I recently bought a black Bessaflex from Robert White in the UK (you can see it here). I'm happy I did, it's a really nice camera to hold and use. What a viewfinder! (By the way, I also have a Spotmatic F).

I have the impression Robert White still has some available if you want to snap one up before they disappear to the second-hand market...

 

[john_van_v]

Oooo, you are doing that just to be cruel !!

 

[john_van_v]

>I have the impression Robert White still has some available if you want to snap one >up before they disappear to the second-hand market...

Gougers on Eprey were asking double the new price; and I think they got it.

Actually, I seen an Bessa R go for more than new, and they are not quite gone yet.

The worst I have seen, so far, is a Petri Color 35 go for about $200.

And, believe it or not, I passed on a spotmatic w/ a 1.4 that was still at zero when I let it go by. Damn !!