jrong
Too many cameras
What are the main differences between the R and the newer and more expensive R2/R3 bodies? Is it mostly build quality?
Jin
Jin
Bessa R - opinions on reliability
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chug
I wear pants
The fact that they are compleatly different to the old R. M mount, metal body.. and tons of other stuff. The R is cheap and nifty 🙂 Good for beginers and people that cant afford the expensive stuff.
atelier7
Well-known
Somewhat OT, but where are all the silver Bessa Rs?
How many people here have one? It seems most have/prefer a Black Bessa R.
Does this mean there may be a premium on the last remaining Black Rs?
Will we then see a price drop in the silver?
How many people here have one? It seems most have/prefer a Black Bessa R.
Does this mean there may be a premium on the last remaining Black Rs?
Will we then see a price drop in the silver?
R
RML
Guest
atelier7 said:
I have one. And a black L, which I got first and made decide to get a silver R. Now I also have a gold M2 and a black R-D1.
jrong
Too many cameras
I guess I should've thought about this more carefully before jumping into the auction and shelling out for a Bessa R.... I like aperture-priority, for street situations.... and I love feeling a good, well-made camera in my hands. A bright viewfinder is also a great bonus. Although I wouldn't spring for a Leica, I have shelled out for my lovely metal Contax bodies which have a reassuring weight about them. I think the build of the Mamiya 7II is disappointing. I suspect I might be disappointed with the Bessa R when I get it, but oh well, live and learn?? 🙂
I won't draw any conclusions until I get the camera on Monday and put a roll or two through it, at least....
cheers, Jin
I won't draw any conclusions until I get the camera on Monday and put a roll or two through it, at least....
cheers, Jin
chug
I wear pants
The R is a nice camera, its more basic than the R2a and 3a 🙂 But still a good camera to use 🙂
jrong
Too many cameras
That's good to hear. 🙂 I might be less paranoid about taking it out into the street too, so it might turn out to be an excellent workhorse.
Jin
Jin
pendevour
Just do it.
Had my used Bessa R for about 6 months now - its great - no problems of any kind. I have a 50mm Jupiter 8 off an old knackered Zorki but tend to use the Bessa mostly with a CV 35mm f2.5 which is brilliant. OK the build is a bit lightweigt but then a camera is meant to be a precision instrument not a weapon and if handled correctly its fine. I'd prefer to be holding a Kiev 4 whilst being mugged, that's a much better weapon and if it had been around in the middle ages then jousting knights would have probably used it as their weapon of choice!
T
tedwhite
Guest
I've owned and used almost daily a black Bessa R for something like 7 months. It is a dream of a camera. The meter is spot-on and I have yet to get an improperly exposed picture.
I bought it from Stephen Gandy with the cv 35/2.5 Color Skopar, which is so shockingly, painfully sharp that it's scary. In fact, when photographing a client's Model A Ford, I actually took it off and screwed on a Jupiter 8 to soften things up a bit.
It is truly an amazing lens. It is as sharp as my Super Takumar 55/1.8 and that's saying a lot. Shucks, it might even be sharper. Who knows? I'm certainly not a techie and into lens testing.
I also own a silver Bessa L with black cv 25/4, another tack sharp lens. The L's meter tends now and then to be a bit on the low side, so I get the meter reading and then open the aperture one click and the images are fine.
I took the neck strap off the Bessa R and am using one of Gordon Coale's leather wrist straps, which I rather like. It's quite a nice kit for street shooting as, without the obvious neck strap, most people aren't aware you've even got a camera.
My Bessa R has spent a great deal of time in a motorcycle tank bag, in the glove compartment of a jeep banging around the Mexican border, and the RF system seems impervious.
When I think of all the cameras in my life, I would rank the Bessa R with the cv 35/2.5 as a "best buy."
Relax, Jin, you're gonna love it. Wish I had it when I lived on Cato Street just off Edgeware Road.
Ted
I bought it from Stephen Gandy with the cv 35/2.5 Color Skopar, which is so shockingly, painfully sharp that it's scary. In fact, when photographing a client's Model A Ford, I actually took it off and screwed on a Jupiter 8 to soften things up a bit.
It is truly an amazing lens. It is as sharp as my Super Takumar 55/1.8 and that's saying a lot. Shucks, it might even be sharper. Who knows? I'm certainly not a techie and into lens testing.
I also own a silver Bessa L with black cv 25/4, another tack sharp lens. The L's meter tends now and then to be a bit on the low side, so I get the meter reading and then open the aperture one click and the images are fine.
I took the neck strap off the Bessa R and am using one of Gordon Coale's leather wrist straps, which I rather like. It's quite a nice kit for street shooting as, without the obvious neck strap, most people aren't aware you've even got a camera.
My Bessa R has spent a great deal of time in a motorcycle tank bag, in the glove compartment of a jeep banging around the Mexican border, and the RF system seems impervious.
When I think of all the cameras in my life, I would rank the Bessa R with the cv 35/2.5 as a "best buy."
Relax, Jin, you're gonna love it. Wish I had it when I lived on Cato Street just off Edgeware Road.
Ted
Fedzilla_Bob
man with cat
I've said this before... I wouldn't hammer nails with my Bessa R. I wouldn't hammer nails with my FED 2 either.
You will be taking photos with it. You want to treat any camera you intend to rely on with care. Be it a Canonet 28 or a Leica M7.
You will be taking photos with it. You want to treat any camera you intend to rely on with care. Be it a Canonet 28 or a Leica M7.
jrong
Too many cameras
Just got the camera, and am rather happy with it. I think my fears about build quality were definitely unfounded. Although I like metal cameras, I think the Bessa R is finely constructed anyway, and actually feels better than the Mamiya 7II (which IMHO, has really crappy dials etc). One thing I've noticed is that the Nokton 50mm f1.5 lens is rather long. The Bessa R is not exactly compact for a rangefinder, and is about the same size as my 35mm SLR Contax Aria. Its shutter is also rather disconcertingly loud.
I had not realised also, that its metering was quite so basic... I would've preferred an AE camera to a fully manual camera, for those rapid street shooting situations. I did expect a shutter speed readout in the viewfinder, not just over/under exposure arrows... doh! Those arrows also stay lit for a rather long time.
On the bright side, my rangefinder appears to be calibrated, and the viewfinder is very bright, and it looks very easy to focus with. No problems there! I'll just have to put a roll of film through it to see how it performs. Cheers for your comments, everyone.
Jin
I had not realised also, that its metering was quite so basic... I would've preferred an AE camera to a fully manual camera, for those rapid street shooting situations. I did expect a shutter speed readout in the viewfinder, not just over/under exposure arrows... doh! Those arrows also stay lit for a rather long time.
On the bright side, my rangefinder appears to be calibrated, and the viewfinder is very bright, and it looks very easy to focus with. No problems there! I'll just have to put a roll of film through it to see how it performs. Cheers for your comments, everyone.
Jin
T
tedwhite
Guest
Good you got your camera. Bet you'll enjoy it.
Your comment about the R being "not exactly compact for a rangefinder" I find strange. It's the same size as a Leica M3/M2 or a Zorki or FED 2, which seems pretty small. Maybe it's that big Nokton that's creating the perception. Wait 'til you get the 35/2.5 (quite small).
By comparison, my Yashica GSN is huge.
Your comment about the R being "not exactly compact for a rangefinder" I find strange. It's the same size as a Leica M3/M2 or a Zorki or FED 2, which seems pretty small. Maybe it's that big Nokton that's creating the perception. Wait 'til you get the 35/2.5 (quite small).
By comparison, my Yashica GSN is huge.
jrong
Too many cameras
Ted, that's probably because it's the same size as my Contax Aria.... but then again, that's a smallish SLR! I'm just a tad surprised at the length of the 50/1.5, and am looking forward to giving the 35/2.5 a whirl.
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