a RangeFinder Virgin

[kxl]

Get a Bessa L, put a CV 15mm on it, set the distance scale to 1m and point and shoot.

 

[MoHawkTshirt]

Less than 500
and something below 35mm, I want this Rangefinder to be my walk around street shot camera with the taste of a wide angle effect.

Since Rangerfinder is new territories for me, I wont understand whats a good body or the difference.

Noise on a Bessa hasn't been a problem for me yet. Only time I get noticed is when I'm literally sticking it in the face of my subject! Personally, it's always been more of an annoyance for me. I used to have the R and didn't like the shutter noise, particularly because it didn't feel 'solid' to me.

Though I do recall a recent incident in Boston's Chinatown when I pulled out a D3 and a large man wearing a coat that looked like a skinned deer ran after me, yelling in Chinese. Should have been expected.

Anyway, is your budget GREATER or LESS THAN $500? I thought you typed greater than, but responses appear contrary.

Second of all, what sort of 'wide angle' are you looking for? I'm personally a wideangle junkie with a 17mm for my Nikon SLRs and a 40mm for my Bronica, but when it comes to people shooting outdoors, I don't go wider than 35mm on a rangefinder.

 

[Bingley]

Less than 500
and something below 35mm, I want this Rangefinder to be my walk around street shot camera with the taste of a wide angle effect.

Since Rangerfinder is new territories for me, I wont understand whats a good body or the difference.

You can easily use an LTM 28 on a Bessa R, using the entire vf to frame. Below that, you'll need to buy an external finder.

 

[Debusti Paolo]

did you consider a contax g2 ?excellent camera and lenses!!

 

[MoHawkTshirt]

No i havent tell me about it

did you consider a contax g2 ?excellent camera and lenses!!

 

[Debusti Paolo]

It's a little jewel!fast,little,good meter,x-sync @200,shutter to 4000,with excellent lenses: my biogon 21/2,8 flares much less tham my elmarit 21/2,8 and the planar 45 is better than my summicron 50/2 than I have a heliar 15/4.5 modified by zoerk.de😀 .look on ebay!!!😉

 

[Debusti Paolo]

are you still a rf virgin?😀

 

[chris00nj]

So Whats a good place to purchase a Voigtlander Bessa R...
Bay bay doesnt seem to have it

Here is one although it's $200 with a day left. If you wait you probably can find one for $200.

 

[MoHawkTshirt]

are you still a rf virgin?😀

Sadly Yes its quite hard to find a Bessa R

 

[brachal]

Took me about 3 minutes to find a black R at keh.com.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

there was one in RFFs classifieds yesterday, it only lasted a few minutes.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Now we're getting down to it!

I'd pick something between 28mm and 24mm for the lens. I have a 28mm for my Nikon SLR (and a 20 but that's a bit too wide for general purpose work) and I use a 25/4 on my Bessa R3A. It also fits my Leica IIIf without the adaptor - I need the CV 25 viewfinder no matter which body I use.

I don't have any experience of the Bessa L or R but given the features and controls of the Bessa I'd really say that apart from nostalgia and the love of classic older cameras, the more modern unit would be more user-friendly.

 

[panos]

i had an Leica M4-P sold it
and bought a contax G1 with the 45 and the flash
used for 250 GBP

great condition , very sharp lens
for me is the perfect camera

if you don't mind the autofocus.

think about it

the 28mm lens is perfect as well and not that expensive