Bessa III Wide

[whitecat]

I heard something about a wide Bessa III being introduced. Anyone have any rumors to contribute?

 

[furcafe]

Google gives me this:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95086

I heard something about a wide Bessa III being introduced. Anyone have any rumors to contribute?

 

[Roger Hicks]

At photokina there was ONE on the Fuji stand, under glass, inaccessible. Rigid bodied (no gain by making a folder): essentially a cone + lens on the 667 body.

Cheers,

R.

 

[J J Kapsberger]

Hats off to Fuji.

Long live film; long live Fuji.

 

[kram]

I want to like this camera - but what has it got over the Mamiya 7 with the 50mm f4.5. (OK I can select 6x6- but that it). If the lens was faster, that would be something -or a 6x9?

 

[Jamie123]

I want to like this camera - but what has it got over the Mamiya 7 with the 50mm f4.5. (OK I can select 6x6- but that it). If the lens was faster, that would be something -or a 6x9?

It most likely has a nicer viewfinder, it's smaller, the shutter's close to silent, there's, as you mentioned, the 6x6 format and it looks nicer (i.e. more ''retro'') than the Mamiya 7. The Mamiya 7 has other things in its favor, though.
Keep in mind that a new Mamiya 7II with a 50mm lens costs about $5'500 at B&H right now so the question should be what does the Mamiya 7II have over this camera?

 

[furcafe]

True, but Mamiya stuff is way overpriced in the U.S. One can easily get much better prices on gray market Mamiya gear via reputable sellers overseas (e.g., Robert White, various HK sellers).

Keep in mind that a new Mamiya 7II with a 50mm lens costs about $5'500 at B&H right now so the question should be what does the Mamiya 7II have over this camera?

 

[Jamie123]

True, but Mamiya stuff is way overpriced in the U.S. One can easily get much better prices on gray market Mamiya gear via reputable sellers overseas (e.g., Robert White, various HK sellers).

Even if you buy from Robert White it's still more than $4k which is almost double of what the Bessa IIIW costs assuming it's going to be prices similarly to the 80mm version. No matter which way you put it a new Mamiya 7II with 50mm lens is going to be more expensive than a Bessa IIIW. Sure, there's a vast number of used Mamiya 7 cameras and lenses out there but this system's been around for more than 15 years. I'm sure if you wait another 15 years you'll be able to get a Bessa IIIW or its Fuji alternative for a very good price (even if it's a limited production run).