Anyone remove back door of a Bessa?

[traveler_101]

It looks straightforward - three screws on the bottom plate. Just wondering whether anyone has ever done it and has any advice. I am somewhat worried about dislodging the rewind button.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

I've never taken a Bessa apart, but on most cameras, the rewind button is just a plastic cap that sits on small post inside the camera. It's held in place by the bottom plate. If/when it falls out it's easy to see where it's supposed to go, and it is easy to replace when it falls out. Just set it where it's supposed to go and put the bottom plate over it.

 

[CameraQuest]

it looks simple, but it is not
best to send it to a repair tech

 

[traveler_101]

it looks simple, but it is not
best to send it to a repair tech

Interestingly, I received a PM by someone who has taken the bottom plate off his Bessa and he says the opposite.

"It's very easy and nothing risky.

Just remove the bottom plate, and you will be able to get the long metal stick out of the door hinge, then the door is off!"

 

[ForestCap]

It looks simple, it is simple, and it is very easy.

Don't worry about the rewind button, you won't lose it unless you work in total darkness. Mine didn't even fall off.

I can remove it in 2 min and take a photo for you, but then you owe me 10kr.😀

For now you can have the photo from OM-2000 for free. Olika kameror men samma sak. 😎

 

[Robert Lai]

Ok, so now that you know how to do it, would you mind enlightening us as to why you want to remove the back?

 

[traveler_101]

Thanks nukekoke and Robert for the help! Nukekoke, 10 kroner?

Ok, so now that you know how to do it, would you mind enlightening us as to why you want to remove the back?

Good question 😀

I don't like the coating on the back door of the Bessa-R. I have managed to stop the "sweating" of the rubber, for the most part, by applying multiple coats of paste wax that one uses on a car. But I still don't like the feel of the door surface. I want to swap doors with my Bessa-T or scavenge a door off of a camera bought for parts. I was looking at Ricoh KR 5 (see this nice looking back door here): http://www.ebay.com/itm/JUNKED-RICO...360334?hash=item461ebc304e:g:NLkAAMXQ9MVRiTeN

Someone told me that you could even replace the bottom plate with something sturdier from a Cosina manufactured SLR.

 

[ForestCap]

Someone told me that you could even replace the bottom plate with something sturdier from a Cosina manufactured SLR.

I can confirm the bottom plate of OM-2000 does not fit Bessa-R, but Bessa-R's can fit on OM-2000. On one side of the SLR's bottom plate there is a protruding part that would not allow the plate sit on Bessa-R. You can see it on the same picture i post above, it is right under the hinge door metal stick. However if you saw that little part off then there would be no problem to fit it to Bessa.

 

[monopix]

I can confirm the bottom plate of OM-2000 does not fit Bessa-R, but Bessa-R's can fit on OM-2000. On one side of the SLR's bottom plate there is a protruding part that would not allow the plate sit on Bessa-R. You can see it on the same picture i post above, it is right under the hinge door metal stick. However if you saw that little part off then there would be no problem to fit it to Bessa.

I thought the Bessa R had that protrusion as well. It's a while since I handled one but looking a few pictures around the net it does seem to have it.

 

[monopix]

Someone told me that you could even replace the bottom plate with something sturdier from a Cosina manufactured SLR.

Not sure any of the Cosina SLRs had anything that would be sturdier. The Bessa range are built on the Cosina CT-1 chassis (probably modified) so any of the SLRs based on the same chassis might fit but I've just dismantled a CT-1 and a Miranda MS-1 and they both have plastic base plates.

 

[traveler_101]

Not sure any of the Cosina SLRs had anything that would be sturdier. The Bessa range are built on the Cosina CT-1 chassis (probably modified) so any of the SLRs based on the same chassis might fit but I've just dismantled a CT-1 and a Miranda MS-1 and they both have plastic base plates.

What I was told (PM) is that the base plate of the Bessa-R is soft, so much so that in bending it feels like it will snap. That comment made me think that perhaps replacing the base plate is a good idea; I also assumed that the materials used in some of Cosina's products might be better than those used in the R.

 

[ForestCap]

I thought the Bessa R had that protrusion as well. It's a while since I handled one but looking a few pictures around the net it does seem to have it.

No, it does not have it. I've tried to switch the plates with my own hands. The plate from R can fit to OM2000 but not the other way around, unless you saw the protruding part off.

The OM2000 plate is sturdier than Bessa's, because it has a nickel-copper-zinc coating on the plastic. I've bent both plates in my own hands, (as I wrote in another thread a few days ago), and I'm sure about it.

Not sure about other Cosina-made models though.

BTW: the OM-2000 is quite a nice camera, and I think it is underrated among the Internet lore.

 

[traveler_101]

No, it does not have it. I've tried to switch the plates with my own hands. The plate from R can fit to OM2000 but not the other way around, unless you saw the protruding part off.

The OM2000 plate is sturdier than Bessa's, because it has a nickel-copper-zinc coating on the plastic. I've bent both plates in my own hands, (as I wrote in another thread a few days ago), and I'm sure about it.

Not sure about other Cosina-made models though.

BTW: the OM-2000 is quite a nice camera, and I think it is underrated among the Internet lore.

Are you going to try hacksawing the door off? "BTW the OM-2000 is quite a nice camera." Yes, I start looking for replacement parts and end up wanting to buy another camera (lol). Look at this cool looking camera here. http://www.ebay.com/itm/MIRANDA-SEN...656137?hash=item5d69c7bc89:g:R9wAAOSwgZ1Xrjay