7 page test Leica M7 v Zeiss Ikon v Bessa R3

[John Robertson]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this but this weeks Amateur Photography has a comparison test of these three cameras.
Seems a fair test, and reviewer said he liked all three cameras. Basically what you bought would depend on the size of your bank balance (or ego?):angel:

 

[back alley]

i'd love to read it.

seems our british mags show up here much later than the published date.
i'll keep an eye open for it.

joe

 

[wintoid]

I agree it's definitely a fair test. I was interested that the reviewers first reaction to the M7 viewfinder was negative, but that after some time with the cameras he decided he liked it the best.

 

[John Robertson]

I agree it's definitely a fair test. I was interested that the reviewers first reaction to the M7 viewfinder was negative, but that after some time with the cameras he decided he liked it the best.

Especially as he wasn't paying for it😛
What works for some doesn't work for others, hence the importance of trying them out for yourself, although with the lack of "real" camera shops these days, that is getting more difficult.:bang:

 

[Nachkebia]

So did anyone read it? what does it say? 🙂 who won? 🙂

 

[John Robertson]

So did anyone read it? what does it say? 🙂 who won? 🙂

Depends what you mean by "won"!!!🙄
Each camera had its virtues and vices, the tester said he would be happy to use and own any of them. And that in the right hands even the cheapest one (the Bessa) could outperform the others.
I won't go into details (there is seven pages!!) but all three performed faultlessly and reliably.
I note you have the Ikon, the only real fault he found with it was the visibility of the read out in the viewfinder, he preferred it to be along the bottlom of the view, as in the M7 and the Bessa, where it was more easily seen.

 

[rover]

What is the date of this addition? Sometimes I see AP hanging around, I would like to grab this one if I can find it.

 

[John Robertson]

Issue is dated 12th August, but you should easily spot it by the cover. Its a large picture of the three cameras!!

 

[fitzihardwurshd]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this but this weeks Amateur Photography has a comparison test of these three cameras.
Seems a fair test, and reviewer said he liked all three cameras. Basically what you bought would depend on the size of your bank balance (or ego?):angel:

John,

did the tester mention how terribly HEAVY this oldtime bottom loader M7 is to lug compared to the two modern competitors ? 😀 😀

Best,
Fitzi

 

[Nachkebia]

M7 is really heavy 🙂 but again some might like heavyness of it 🙂 I personaly love M7 :bang:

 

[fitzihardwurshd]

M7 is really heavy 🙂 but again some might like heavyness of it 🙂

Yes, that is a normal reaction, weight suggests worth in the human perception. That's the reason why matchbox cars never were beaten by any plastic competitors.

Maybe Zeiss should have added some ballast inside the body, to compete perfectly with Leica, even at this point ?

Fitzi

 

[back alley]

potters judge their work by how light their creation is...

 

[John Robertson]

Yes, that is a normal reaction, weight suggests worth in the human perception. That's the reason why matchbox cars never were beaten by any plastic competitors.

Maybe Zeiss should have added some ballast inside the body, to compete perfectly with Leica, even at this point ?

Fitzi

You need the weight of the M7 to balance up the weight of the wallet on the other side!!😛

 

[fitzihardwurshd]

You need the weight of the M7 to balance up the weight of the wallet on the other side!!😛

That is true. BTW for those who need the weight AND the price to really trust a camera one could use golden ballast ? That should work.

Fitzi

 

[swoop]

I've considered purchasing an M7. But what stops me is that I know I can't do without the 1:1 viewfinder and dedicated 75mm frameline.

Status and cloth shutter be damned. I love my R3a. Besides. I have leica glass. So I'm good. 🙂

 

[MCTuomey]

it sweeps right over me that i couldn't go wrong with any one of them ...

what a pleasant prospect, don't you think?

 

[fitzihardwurshd]

it sweeps right over me that i couldn't go wrong with any one of them ...

what a pleasant prospect, don't you think?

No. You would not have gone wrong with its competitors either.

Not if wrong means unreliable, bad to use, easy to break , mediocre or poor optical performance.

So what shall your "wrong" mean in this context ?

Fitzi !

 

[MCTuomey]

No. You would not have gone wrong with its competitors either.

Not if wrong means unreliable, bad to use, easy to break , mediocre or poor optical performance.

So what shall your "wrong" mean in this context ?

Fitzi !

by "wrong" i mean mostly poor handling: bad finder, controls with an inferior feel, etc.

i think it's too early to assess reliability with the zi or even the bessa - most of my gear is decades old. that's more my standard.

but what i was trying to express is that it's delightful to have new rangefinder camera options like these three. five-six years ago it didn't seem likely to me that we would have such new film-based cameras in the marketplace

 

[dcsang]

but what i was trying to express is that it's delightful to have new rangefinder camera options like these three. five-six years ago it didn't seem likely to me that we would have such new film-based cameras in the marketplace

That's how I read it too...sometimes subtlties are lost in translation though 🙂

Not just film based cameras, but having 3 film based AE rangefinders to choose from is, I think, cool 🙂

Dave

 

[fitzihardwurshd]

by "wrong" i mean mostly poor handling: bad finder, controls with an inferior feel, etc.

i think it's too early to assess reliability with the zi or even the bessa - most of my gear is decades old. that's more my standard.

but what i was trying to express is that it's delightful to have new rangefinder camera options like these three. five-six years ago it didn't seem likely to me that we would have such new film-based cameras in the marketplace

Sorry ! My fault, I did not read it right !😱

Fitzi