Bessa 3A review in Pop Photo

[captainslack]

Can't believe no one has mentioned this yet, but on p58 of the May 2005 issue of Popular Photography, Herbert Keppler reviews the Bessa R3A. No link on the website yet (I checked), but it'll probably be up when next month's issue comes out.

In short: he loved it! (As if he wouldn't have! 😛 )

 

[rich815]

Did he run a roll of Kodak MAX through it? He loves that garbage (especially the name---he must have mentioned how great a name "MAX" is for a film at least 3-4 times in the rag).

 

[rover]

No, I don't think Herb actually shot any film with the camera. It was a very good review overall. There are a couple inaccuracies in his article, CV doesn't make a 135mm lens for example, but that doesn't take away from the review of the camera.

I actually just read the review last night. I normally read Pop cover to cover in a couple days when I get it.

 

[kbg32]

How can he, or anyone, review a camera and not have used it?

 

[rover]

I don't know for sure if he did not use it, but he did not mention that he did, which he always does.

 

[jlw]

In short: he loved it! (As if he wouldn't have! 😛 )

Actually, I'm kinda surprised he loved it. After all, he's the "SLR" columnist, right? And I can remember past columns in which he whinged at length how much of a pain in the butt it was to use an RF camera, and how great it was when he got his first Exakta and discovered the joys of through-the-lens viewing.

Maybe he's finally starting to come around!

 

[JoeFriday]

I'm surprised too.. after all, a Bessa isn't as good as a Leica.. or is it? 😉

 

[rover]

Steve Gandy mentioned in his reports from the PMA or whatever show that was when the R3a and R2a were introduced that he met Herb Kepler at the Cosina exhibit. Apparently Herb had a private audiance with Mr. K. The review is also separate from Herb's SLR column in the magazine, so no conflict there.