Bessa III (80/3.5) is out - where is Bessa IV (50/3.5) ?

[Matus]

I was just thinking - the Besa (and now also as Fuji) is out for a while. It seems to be a nice camera. Fuji used to have always two focal lengths available for their fixed lens MF rangefinders (GA645 & GA645w or GW690 & GSW690). I guess introducing a Bessa/Fuji with wider lens should be rather easy for them once the body is out.

- Do you expect at some point a Bessa/Fuji 6x6/6x7 camera with a lens of about 50 mm focal length to be introduced?

- Would you be interested in such a camera?

- Which focal length would you prefer?

P.S. - the focal length in 135 are based on longer side of 6x7 (69 mm) compared to longer side of 135 (36 mm).

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I don't think the Bessa III has been a hot seller. Unlikely to see a IV.

 

[ZeissFan]

You have to get out of that digital mindset that as soon as one product is out, there's another already being developed. Might be true. Might not be true.

Perhaps, this was a product to figure out how much interest there still is in an old school film product.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Matus, great idea this poll!

When it came out, I thought the price was high... Especially because you couldn't change the lens and it was a normal - short tele. For us MF shooters the Bessa III is a compromise... Just an 80mm?

It would have been a hot seller if it had a few hooks for us, like a better price, 6x9, and a compact wide lens... I don't want to sound harsh, and talk is cheap, but I think that camera was a bit of a mistake... Some people can buy it and like it, but even though it's more compact, it is able to do a lot less than a Hasselblad or a Mamiya. 6x9 and a wide would be another thing, because most of us don't have such camera...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Jamie123]

I doubt that they'll make one although it's not impossible. If they made a wider version I'd expect it to be 60mm, though. 50mm might be a bit too big for the folder. And if it were a 50mm it would definitely not be f3.5 but f4.

 

[Steve M.]

I thought the camera was a mistake at first too, but there's been enough time now to see some photos from it on flickr, and the lens on this thing looks great! Actually, a folder can do more things than a "regular" MF camera because it's so easy to carry around. So you use it more. The Bessa III is a very big camera for a folder, but collapsed down is nice and slim.

A wider lens would be nice, but I'm willing to bet there hasn't been a lot of sales. Directly related to their pricing in a down-market economy. It's just priced too high for most people.

 

[Matus]

Personally I would find it rather logical that a wide angle model of the Bessa III would appear at some point. The body and viewfinder is there (and seems to work fine) - only the lens and the lens mount needs to be designed what should not be a problem I guess.

At the same time - given the used prices on cameras like wide angle Plaubel Makina such a camera could sell if the price would be close to the Bessa III.

Would't it be a sweet combination 50 & 80 in one compact camera bag ? :angel:

 

[thegman]

I'm not sure where the idea of poor sales has come from, but if it's true, perhaps many people are waiting for the price to stabilise at a reasonable level. B&H photo have it on pre-order at about £500 less than the current eBay prices, I'm certainly interested to get one, but I'm not going to pay £500 more than I have to. Once supplies stabilise and it's readily available at the price B&H say it will be, then I'll have a serious think.

I think it's premature to talk about poor sales, when the GF670 is barely available in many major markets.

 

[Finder]

Fuji is among a bunch of Japanese companies who make crazy cameras for the love of it--there is no way that a medium-format folder is a money making venture. If they are lucky, they will break even and maybe get some bonus points with the small group who still think these cameras are the bee's knees.

Another model? Who knows, they did make the III. It will most likely not be anytime soon. Anyway, I hope Fuji will continue making crazy medium-format camera long into the future.

 

[Jamie123]

I'm not sure where the idea of poor sales has come from, but if it's true, perhaps many people are waiting for the price to stabilise at a reasonable level. B&H photo have it on pre-order at about £500 less than the current eBay prices, I'm certainly interested to get one, but I'm not going to pay £500 more than I have to. Once supplies stabilise and it's readily available at the price B&H say it will be, then I'll have a serious think.

I think it's premature to talk about poor sales, when the GF670 is barely available in many major markets.

The GF670 is about $350 cheaper than the Bessa III on B&H. Certainly not £500! Are you comparing the UK price for the Bessa with the US price for the GF670? That would be a bit odd.

 

[meven]

Ditto, the market doesn't have much demand for a 6X7 ~$2000 plastic wonder.

I guess you did not hold one, it is made of metal not plastic. It feels very solid and extremely well built.

The shutter sound is unbelievably low you can barely hear it.

 

[thegman]

The GF670 is about $350 cheaper than the Bessa III on B&H. Certainly not £500! Are you comparing the UK price for the Bessa with the US price for the GF670? That would be a bit odd.

I'm comparing the amount of money I need to pay if I buy one in my own country vs. buying one in the States or Japan. In the UK, as I expect you're aware, the high prices only last so long before they need to get at least a little in line with what everyone else is charging. I'd also like to buy here, not just for warranties etc. but to support a dealer who decides to stock it.

A dubious comparison made to make a point though, I'll admit.

 

[Jamie123]

I'm comparing the amount of money I need to pay if I buy one in my own country vs. buying one in the States or Japan. In the UK, as I expect you're aware, the high prices only last so long before they need to get at least a little in line with what everyone else is charging. I'd also like to buy here, not just for warranties etc. but to support a dealer who decides to stock it.

A dubious comparison made to make a point though, I'll admit.

Dubious indeed
Also, if you're going to compare US prices with your UK domestic prices you need to factor in VAT and shipping. There's a calculator in the B&H website for both. Duties and VAT for the GF670 imported to the UK would be $409.62, shipping is another $61.40. At the current rate that's roughly £315. And keep in mind that we're still talking about importing the GF670 instead of buying the Bessa III which is a more expensive camera than the Fuji (in every market so far) to begin with.

 

[Matus]

I really do not get this EU versus US prices. You guys pay VAT too, or? There are cases when the product which was produced in EU after being imported from US back to EU will still be cheaper - vat included! (Pentax digital spometer is on exmaple - OK not produced in EU,but schneider LF lenses are I guess).

The VAT in EU is around 20% - how much it is is US?

Just in theory - a price difference on EU & US markets of a product made in Japan should be different more-less only by the difference in VAT.

 

[chris00nj]

I really do not get this EU versus US prices. You guys pay VAT too, or? There are cases when the product which was produced in EU after being imported from US back to EU will still be cheaper - vat included! (Pentax digital spometer is on exmaple - OK not produced in EU,but schneider LF lenses are I guess).

The VAT in EU is around 20% - how much it is is US?

Just in theory - a price difference on EU & US markets of a product made in Japan should be different more-less only by the difference in VAT.

There is no VAT in the US.... yet.

There is a sales tax, and a that varies by state, but generally range between 5%-10%. Sales taxes aren't added until after the sales instead of it being built into the price. THere are no sales tax on out-of-state purchases, so if I've in Texas and order film from NY, I won't pay sales tax. We like that, the politicians hate it.

A sales tax is a tax on the final sales, while a VAT is a tax on every stage of production (everytime "value" is added). So by the time the product hits the shelves, the tax portion of hte price is much higher than just the difference in the nominal VAT % and the sales tax %.

 

[kuzano]

And even then.. NO Sales Tax in some states.....

And even then.. NO Sales Tax in some states.....

There is no VAT in the US.... yet.

There is a sales tax, and a that varies by state, but generally range between 5%-10%. Sales taxes aren't added until after the sales instead of it being built into the price. THere are no sales tax on out-of-state purchases, so if I've in Texas and order film from NY, I won't pay sales tax. We like that, the politicians hate it.

Some states have resistantly put down the bids to bring Sales Tax to their populace. Oregon is one such. Oregon's tax structure on real property and income is such that a Sales Tax would create a burden most won't vote for.

In Oregon, as in those states who do not have Sales Tax, we have watched other states pass Sales Tax measures that were based on some promised relief to come in other tax areas. In most cases, the promised relief from other taxes never came about. Residents in those states were screwed by their own politicians....... REALLY? Does that happen?

For that reason, voters in the remaining non sales tax states are unlikely to allow sales tax without a preceding form of relief.

So, in the US sales tax is a State issue and differs in amount from state to state for those states who have been duped into approving sales tax as a revenue source.

Additionally, those non sales tax states, who may be surrounded on all sides by taxing states receive gigantic sales boosts from all the people crossing borders to buy in the non tax state. So, the minute Oregon passes a sales tax, sales revenues in Oregon will go down and the business people know that.

Border crossers and tourists, who pack their cars full before heading back to their sales tax home states are a great boone to our economy.

Keep Oregon Green.... Bring Money and Shop.

 

[Nando]

I would like to see Mr. K's take on the old Brooks Veriwide with a 38-40mm Biogon-type lens. Full rangefinder coupling and parallax compensation would be nice. There isn't much in the way of choice in medium format when it comes to very wide lenses.

 

[John NYC]

This thread started out being about "would there be a 50mm version." I don't think there will be as that focal length is not as versatile and this is a camera that doesn't have interchangeable lenses... and I guess one that isn't all that much of a hot seller based on anecdotal evidence here. That said, if there had been two Bessa III cameras available when they came out (an 80mm and a 50mm), due to the type of photography I have been doing, I would probably have gone with the 50mm version. If a 50mm version did come out, I would probably sell my 80mm and get the 50mm.

 

[Doug]

I think 55 or 60mm would be a nice useful wide option, but Fuji does have a history of 65mm for 6x7...

 

[viridari]

It feels very solid and extremely well built.

Reviews by actual owners seem a bit sparse but one of the first ones I found was a fellow on Flickr who bought a new one, had it jam after 10 rolls, and had Fuji sitting on it in the repair queue for over 4 months before he finally gave up & took a refund.