Any news from CV on a faster 75mm/90mm lens?

[DHu]

Just wondering if anyone knows of what's upcoming in the Cosina Voigtlander line-up. Does it include a faster 75mm/90mm?

My wish list also includes a digital Bessa with a realistic price tag or a digital back to retrofit the Bessa! 😀

 

[back alley]

not likely, as faster lenses would be difficult to use on a bessa body.

 

[DHu]

In other words....

In other words....

Should I just go ahead and get the 75/2.5 Heliar?

I didn't realize there are limitations to the Bessa R2 body on using a faster lens. Would you mind explaining why it won't work? I was going to either wait for a new CV 75mm/90mm or look for a used Leica. Thanks for the pointers.

 

[Huck Finn]

Joe, I think that the higher magnification of the R3A opens the possibility of faster 90 in the range of f/2.5-2.8 as well as a faster 75 somewhere around f/2. With all of its other commitments both in terms of ironing out any bugs in their own new cameras & in meeting production commitments for the Zeiss Ikon line, I don't know if Cosina is in a position to tackle any new challenges. But it might be interesting to keep an eye on the upcoming PMA convention on the off chance that just such a development is in the works.

 

[back alley]

the base length of the bessa is short making it difficult to focus a longer, faster lens.
this is the extent of my technical expertise, if needing a more detailed explanation you'll need to wait for one of the smarter guys to show up.

i can you that the 75/2.5 is a very nice lens, i have one. they are small, light and very sharp.
ya can't really go wrong with it.
joe

 

[Huck Finn]

Should I just go ahead and get the 75/2.5 Heliar?

I didn't realize there are limitations to the Bessa R2 body on using a faster lens. Would you mind explaining why it won't work? I was going to either wait for a new CV 75mm/90mm or look for a used Leica. Thanks for the pointers.

All of the recent Bessa bodies use a 37mm rangefinder base line. The viewfinder magnifies the 2 images that are being brought to coincide by the rangefinder as the lens is focused. On the Bessa R/R2/R2A, the magnification is 68% of life size. The R3a magnifies the images to 100%, or full life size.

The combination of the length of the base line & the degree of magnification determine the precision that can be achieved in focusing any lens. Because of the shallow depth of field that results from a longer lens, greater precision is required to achieve accurate focus. Because wider apertures also result in shallow depth of field, the combination of the two (long focal length + wide aperture) compounds the problem even further, requiring even more precision in the focusing mechanism.

Cosina clearly felt that lenses of 75/2.5 & 90/3.5 could safely be focused on the pre-R3A Bessa cameras with reasonable accuracy. Since they haven't offered any lenses faster than these at these focal lengths, they don't seem to be as confident of the camera's focusing accuracy beyond these limits. However, with the introduction of the R3A, it would appear that new possibilities are now available. Cosina has offered no hints of anything in the works so far, but it would seem to be a natural development to accompany the increased capability of the R3A.

If you have the Bessa R2, then you'd probably be best advised to go for the 75/2.5 Heliar as the safe choice. A used Leica or other used M-mount lens in the 75-90 mm focal length - such as Konica, Rollei, etc. - remain an option. They would just require greater care in focusing at apertures wider than those that Cosina offers, especially when used at the lens's minimum focus distance. But at all other apertures, they can be used just as easily & confidently as Cosina's own Voigtlander lenses.

If you want further technical explanation of the whys & wherefores of the limits of frangefinder focusing, you can refer to either of these links:

www.cameraquest.com/leica.htm

www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/technics/rfaccuracy.html

 

[back alley]

thank you huck, i knew someone smarter would show up!

joe😉

 

[Huck Finn]

Ignore what Joe says about not being one of the smarter guys. He lies. 😀

But it's the truth that he is one of the better photographers. . . . Just check out his gallery. 😎

 

[DHu]

Thanks guys for the short schooling.

That makes it much easier for me, can't go wrong the Heliar!

 

[back alley]

Ignore what Joe says about not being one of the smarter guys. He lies. 😀

But it's the truth that he is one of the better photographers. . . . Just check out his gallery. 😎

why sir, i believe i'm about to blush!

joe

 

[DavidK]

I have the 75/2.5 and can confirm that it does take a bit of care when focussing very close and very open. When I first got it I was so concerned by my hit-and-miss focussing that I thought I'd got a dodgy camera R2 body!

As it happens it is all OK, it simply needs time and care - you can't rush it. I wouldn't want to push my luck with an even faster lens, especially as my main use of this lens is for portrait work (read: close in head shots).

As an aside, I came across a way of checking the focussing accuracy of the R2, which I will post as a separate thread...

David

 

[rover]

I have the 75/2.5 and can confirm that it does take a bit of care when focussing very close and very open. When I first got it I was so concerned by my hit-and-miss focussing that I thought I'd got a dodgy camera R2 body!

As it happens it is all OK, it simply needs time and care - you can't rush it. I wouldn't want to push my luck with an even faster lens, especially as my main use of this lens is for portrait work (read: close in head shots).

As an aside, I came across a way of checking the focussing accuracy of the R2, which I will post as a separate thread...

David

My experience exactly. If you are not close up the lens focuses with no problems at all.

The 75 Heliar is an excellent lens. It you are looking for a 75 it really has no competition, at least none until you save another $2,000. Even withstanding the other worldly performance and size of the Leica 75, the Heliar produces excellent results which are Leicaish in quality.

 

[petebown]

Totally agree with all said here...

I recently bought a 90mm CV lens for use on a Bessa R and find it very difficult to focus, especially when taking closeup portait shots. Wide open its impossible to focus correctly except near infinity. For close-up shots you have to shut down to at least f11 to be in with half chance. On my camera it seems to focus a couple of cm in front of a subject at 1 metre distance.

I'm beginning to wish that I had bought the 75mm instead.

Don't get me wrong, the 90mm is a cracking lens, but the R's focussing system can't cope with it.

 

[DavidK]

Totally agree with all said here...

I recently bought a 90mm CV lens for use on a Bessa R and find it very difficult to focus, especially when taking closeup portait shots. Wide open its impossible to focus correctly except near infinity. For close-up shots you have to shut down to at least f11 to be in with half chance. On my camera it seems to focus a couple of cm in front of a subject at 1 metre distance.

I'm beginning to wish that I had bought the 75mm instead.

Don't get me wrong, the 90mm is a cracking lens, but the R's focussing system can't cope with it.

Guess the Zeiss Ikon will be on your wish list 🙂

 

[Peter]

I used to have Color Heliar 75mm/2.5, excellent lens but really need extra care when using it wide open. Take your time in focusing and your shot will turn up well.

 

[Doug]

Here's a 75mm Heliar "bokeh" shot on my M2, I believe it's wide open and closest focus on the corner of the log cabin.