hexar RF or bessa r2a?

Huck Finn said:
None of this stuff is worth going into debt for. 🙂
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Used to be different though.. Well, at least here in the Netherlands..

Makes me think of the days when you could deduct the interest on a loan from your taxable income..
 
RE: ZI VF--It is excellent. But so is the Hexar RF's--both very similar. Both of these seem brighter than the MP or M6TTL (mines upgraded to MP finder), although both are a tiny bit more flare prone than the MP's--certainly not as much as the original M6TTL's finder--which is why I got it replaced. You said you already have a.85x finder, correct? The ZI's about.80x...
 
mfunnell said:
Works fine with a 75 as well:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39014

As someone said in that thread, a 90 might start to push the friendship...

...Mike
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I'm just comparing my Hexar RF viewfinder to those of my M3 and .85mag M6, which are much better for 50mm. Relative to them, the Hexar viewfinder is merely acceptable when using a 50. I wouldn't want to have to use anything longer.
 
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From my perspective, the MP had a much better finder than the Hexar RF (brighter, contrastier and more flare-proof), but the Zeiss Ikon was better than the MP in terms of contrast and clarity. I prefer the arrows and dots or the shutter speed indicator of the MP and M7 to the shutter speed readout of the ZI, but there is no question that the ZI has a great finder.

I used to have a Hexar RF and I loved it. I had no problems with the rangefinder and I did not find it loud. The only reason I sold it was because I shoot with two cameras at once and it was difficult for me to have two cameras with different metering patterns (the MP and Hexar RF were different enough to through me off). I wound up selling it and getting an M7. I will say that I had no problems focusing the 75/1.4 or 135/4 with it though, and framing was not difficult for me either. I could post plenty of examples of the 135 on the Hexar, even close up and wide open, but I have done so in other threads. The ZI is preferable for this though. If you are only going to be using a 35mm and a 50mm, I don't think you will notice a difference.

As to the overall question, I don't think you could go wrong choosing either. I think the repair issue is a bit overblown, but it is a reality. That said, any good camera repair person can adjust the rangefinder...it does not take any special parts unless there is something more wrong with the camera. The electronics are another matter. The ZI is probably a better bet from the reliability standpoint, but I think the feature set and the price of the Hexar are nicer. So it really comes down to whether you feel lucky. Well...do ya, punk? err, I mean Morgan...
 
Note to morgan: I was being a little facetious in my comment about the delicacy of the rangefinder mechanims. I don't baby my gear. It would hurt to drop a Bessa, but it is going to be a harder blow if my Hexar breaks one of these days when I drop it - and I will. It's like riding a motorcycle - either you are recovering from a spill or about to have one. Sooner or later, you're going down.
 
Hey everyone, thanks for the continued input. I'm still torn. The other day I had ruled out the ZI, and was almost set on the R2A. But it looks like I may be able to increase my budget a bit with my tax return (legally of course 🙂 ). I'll know more on monday.
 
I just wanted to give a little follow up on my quest. I went with a used R2A (bought from the RFF classifieds 🙂 ). It was a good deal and that extra money gives me a few other options (maybe a nokton over the ultron). As someone above said, if I'm happy with my bessa-r, I should be happy with an R2A, so we'll see how it goes. Thanks everyone for their input, I appreciate it.
 
Morgan, getting your new camera is certainly reason to celebrate. Enjoy it! It's certainly nice of you to give us the update. We've all been through the same agonizing & it's good to know that decision making is possible. 😉
 
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