Leica LTM Bessa L or Leica If for my 21mm Color-Skopar? Help me decide!

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
I have a IIIf, and a Bessa L, with the 21 Scopar. Very differant beasts, but I have really been enjoying the Bessa combo. The outside meter, and the super wide lens with its long depth of field make an excellent pair. The lens is very sharp, and there is little need to hold it to my face while shooting in a crowd. I used it today at an Octoberfest event, and it was easy and natural to shoot.
 
WJJ3 said:
Here's how I'm using my If


barnack by WilliamJosephJefferson, on Flickr
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I have a If as well as a IIIf. The If is used with the Voigtlander 15mm. The IIIF is used mostly with the Voigtlander 21mm f/4 as it is RF coupled. with the 21mm Voigtlander. I use the Voigtlander 21mm finder. Since the 21mm is RF coupled it only makes sense to use it with a camera that has a RF thus my choice of the IIIf. Here she is:

leicaiiif21.jpg
 
The Leica is a beautiful camera. Buy it! But to set the record straight; I have owned and used a Bessa L for 4 years. I have shot hundreds of rolls of film with it and have had ZERO problems. The camera has been problem free, solid, and reliable. The suggestion that it is unreliable is a myth! Posters who say otherwise have never used it. 'nuff said.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner
 
Dralowid said:
As I mentioned before the normal big 21mm CV finder will not fit a Standard or I because it jams up against the camera's viewfinder. Otherwise it would make a great outfit.

just a note: I took the 50mm viewfinder off my standard, there are just two screws holding it on.replaced the screws to fill in the holes and I am good to go. Also owned a L but found I was always reaching for the Leica so I sold it.
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gb hill said:
I've had more young chicks complement my Bessa L more than any camera I own. A Bessa L is a babe magnet. :cool:
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I must have been doing something wrong no young chick ever noticed my L. The Leica on the other hand seems to have a powerful draw to strange old white guys
 
aoresteen said:
I have a If as well as a IIIf. The If is used with the Voigtlander 15mm. The IIIF is used mostly with the Voigtlander 21mm f/4 as it is RF coupled. with the 21mm Voigtlander. I use the Voigtlander 21mm finder. Since the 21mm is RF coupled it only makes sense to use it with a camera that has a RF thus my choice of the IIIf.
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I see your logic. I am just curious about the 21mm. Well I didn't know that it was RF coupled and I am wondering whether that is necessary with such a wide angle lens? By contrast the "Snapshot Skopar" 25/4 which spends a lot of time on my IIIf is a scale focus lens.
 
traveler_101 said:
I see your logic. I am just curious about the 21mm. Well I didn't know that it was RF coupled and I am wondering whether that is necessary with such a wide angle lens? By contrast the "Snapshot Skopar" 25/4 which spends a lot of time on my IIIf is a scale focus lens.
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No, it's not necessary. Even full open at f4 the DOF is enough to use hyperfocal except for close focus. Go to f8 and "being there" simply means pointing the camera in the direction, focus is fine for anything arms reach and beyond. I can't see a reason to not use it on a scale focus body, except perhaps if using at 0.7 - 1 m "wide" open. It will focus down to 0.5, but then you're back to scale focus anyway.

That's my view, and I use it on RF bodies (IIIc and Minolta CLE).

It's also a great lens adapted onto an APS-C mirrorless, where it's still around 30-35mm equivalent.
 
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