Affordable M Mount Body

CV is Cosina Voigtlander.

Within your budget you can easily get an M2 (or m3) and a summicron and have change to spare. For about what you're looking to spend I got my m2, a 50/1.5 Summarit, a 35/2.5 Color Skopar, a canon 100/3.5 and nikkor 135/3.5. Also a finder for the 135.
 
FS Vontz said:
Raid,
What does CV mean?

My list of cameras to consider consists of Bessa R2A, R3A, R2M R3M, and the Hexar RF. At the minute I err towards R3(A/M) as they have that wonderful viewfinder.
I don't suppose someone would be so helpful as to give me current prices of these items?
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Vontz: The Bessa R2A ... etc. are made by CV: COSINA-VOIGTLAENDER. For current prices just take a look at CameraQuest's website given on the left margin here. You will not get a Bessa R3A for $350!
 
i lurve mine, but i wouldn't recommend buying a hexar rf because it's difficult to get repaired nowadays.

i checked ebay, and a zeiss ikon in mint condition just sold for $900, and a near mint 50/2 planar went for $465.
 
Get the Hexar from Matt for $350 and don't look back. If you have more money available, get a Leica M6 classic.
 
FS Vontz,

Look at Robert White as well for an idea of new prices, and Aperture for secondhand. Ffordes is good, too. All three dealers are helpful if you ring them up, and I've dealt with all three. Aperture will be happy to let you try stuff out in their shop in London (Ffordes and Robert White are basically mail order, and at opposite ends of the country).

Certainly, as Juan says, think about your possible next lenses. If you're going to be shooting 21mm and 25mm 80% of the time, a viewfinder that only goes as wide as 28mm isn't going to be a good first choice. If you're going to be shooting 75mm 80% of the time, a viewfinder without 75mm framelines isn't best for you.

There's a wealth of information on the Cameraquest site. As with any big purchase, read widely and make up your own mind.

Remember, too, that while there's a lot of angsting on every camera forum about which camera to get, THERE ARE NO CRAP M-MOUNT CAMERAS. All are good, but some are better than others for your shooting needs (different framelines for different sets of lenses, longer effective baselength - i.e., more precise rangefinder - for shooting very long or very fast lenses).
 
Nokton 40mm f/1.4 multicoated, from cameraquest.com

+

Special Edition R3M, from KEH.com

= 489 Pounds Sterling !!!

What would you do with the other half of your budget?

For less than the rest of your budget, I would buy the 15mm Heliar... (Well, I did)

It can be used without focusing and without framing, and anyway you could focus and see most of the frame through the 1:1 viewfinder...

If you don't like that powerful ultrafast ultrawide outfit, you can sell it for the same price.

But just everybody would love those three marvels...

Cheers,

Juan
 
Sandwick said:
I have no connection to www.ffordes.com (other than having bought a few cameras and lenses from them), but if you look at their website you'll see a couple of Leica M2s and a couple of 50mm f/2 Summicrons that would be within your budget (and a Zeiss Planar 50mm f/2). You'd get an excellent service from Ffordes.
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+2 with both peter and erik. I have bought a couple of older Leica lenses from them and their gradings and service were excellent.

I agree with Roland, the M2 and one 50mm or 35mm lens would be a killer kit. Just get the guys at ffordes to describe the items and ask if you have a warranty period.
 
I may ring up Ffordes and just see what they can offer me. I understand a lot of shops don't have their full inventory on the internet, don't suppose anyone would know if Ffordes are the same?
And that's a nice thought Juan, but I'm a fan of portraits, and super wide is not portrait territory, unless you're two inches from the tonsils.
 
Another vote for M3/M2+Hexanon 50 or Hexar RF + summicron 50...
(or Hexar RF+Hexanon and M3/M2+summicron...)

Two very different options, but weither you would choose the classic way (M2) or the semi-auto (Hexar RF)... you will not regret any of these... and will not want to upgrade after 6 months neither !

(which could probably be the case with other outfits... beware of the Leica's Magic attraction power...)
 
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I bought a Leica M4-2 with a new Voigtlander 40mm 1.4 for a little less than £700 and couldn't wish for a better combo.
 
You may find a secondhand Ikon for your budget and possibly have enough left over for a 50mm Hexanon ... no compromises at all in that combo!
 
You have got a lot of very good answers here. I am in a similar situation (though I plan to spend less in the first step) as you, though I a, pretty much sattled on a R3A (would go with Zeiss Ikon if Ihad the funds) .

Wheter you choose ans older Leica M body or get for a similar price a used Hexar RF, R3A or event a Zeiss Ikon is a matter of tast - but there is one important difference - the Leica M will not have any lightmeter built in. If you do not have expereince with using external lightmeter - you may be surprized how going ths way will slow you down. I know - I use a Rolleiflex T and especially if I shoot slides no guesstimate will do - you have to meter properly right before you take the shot.

Do not get me wrong - there is NOTHING wrong with camares withoug built in lightmeters (actually opposite - they are morereliable as they do not need batteries to run), just it will impose some shooting style one needs to get used to.

The fact is - if you get some used camera in a god shape and after some time realize that you need something else - you will be able to sell it with little loss.

My last point - make sure to allow yourself some time to browse around here, have a look at the camera specs and try to figure out the features that are important to you, as you have many great choices, but they all have their stronger and weaker sides.
 
Metering is unimportant to me(that is, metering in-camera is unimportant to me), I want to learn to meter by eye and in the meantime I use a hand-held spotmeter.
The most important thing is that the viewfinder is bright, and the body is not prohibitively heavy, or more importantly, bulky.
 
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