L
lars
Guest
Background:
I've owned this camera since new, starting around spring 2003, so I've had it for btwn 6 and 12 mos.
Appearance:
Aesthetically, this camera is lacking, due to its plastic exterior which doesn't compare well with the plastic (polycarbonate) bodies used on high end SLRs.
Handling:
My biggest complaint with the Bessa R is the fact that its strap lugs are positioned such that the camera doesn't hang straight up and down unless you're using a heavy lens. So, with most 35 or 50 lenses, the camera body hangs at an angle, with its bottom protruding further forward than its top. This makes it somewhat uncomfortable to hang around your neck or shoulder.
The LED meter display is very easy to see (and probably more robust than a mechanical needle). It can display 1/2 stop under- or over-exposure. The meter has proven to be accurate once you know the pattern (centre-weighted, with an unusual pattern that is quite tall).
Shutter release is very precise. Press half-way down activates the meter and finding the half-way point is very easy. You'd have to be quite ham-fisted to accidentally go too far and release the shutter. Shutter noise is quiet (maybe not Leica-quiet but certainly not loud) and is quieter than any SLR I've used. At speeds below 1/60 or so, the noise is a bit louder because you can now distinctly hear TWO shutters in action, the inner and the outer. At these speeds, the loudness is more on par with the Olympus OM series of SLRs (known for being a quiet SLR). One other thing: the shutter release is threaded for a cable release. This is a great thing to have and it's a pity that so many modern cameras do not support these simple, inexpensive, but very useful devices.
The film advance feels ok. The only niggle is that you can't use multiple strokes to wind the film. It's single-stroke only. And if you reach the end of your roll mid-stroke, the advance lever stays where it is until you rewind the film. Only then can you finish the stroke.
The self-timer is, like everything else on the camera except for the meter, purely mechanical. It feels cheap but it works just fine.
Focussing is very easy, thanks to the bright viewfinder. Eye placement is important or else you could loose sight of the focusing patch. The base length of the rangefinder is, in my opinion, a bit too short. Close focusing, even with a modest telephoto length such as the 75/2.5 lens, is a hit and miss affair that requires great care and bright light. I assume that Cosina went with this short base length due to limitations imposed by the SLR chassis on which this camera is built.
The camera weighs less than the metal SLRs of yesteryear, and it heavier than the low-end plastic SLRs of today.
Performance:
It's a mechanical camera (except for the meter) so there isn't much to talk about with respect to performance. The camera works just fine. The meter is accurate, as is the focussing and shutter speeds.
Reliability:
Although some Bessa R's were reported to have vertical misalignment problems with the rangefinder, mine was perfect. Although I've had mine for only less than a year, I have carried it almost every day and it has performed without a hitch.
Evaluation:
Performance-wise, aside from its bright viewfinder, there is nothing in the Bessa's feature set that makes it desirable from an engineering point of view. It is merely a basic rangefinder that works well. It has some annoyances but none of them impact the functionality of the camera or noticeably obstruct the photographer's creative process. This sounds like a backhanded compliment but it's not. When you put the Bessa R into its chronological context, it gains a certain significance. In 2004, the ONLY manual rangefinder you can buy NEW for an AFFORDABLE price (generally speaking) is the Bessa R (and its siblings). Then consider that it also has a built-in meter and accepts a huge variety of Leica screw mount lenses. Its under USD$300 (North American price) price gives it a significant price/performance ratio that other camera manufacturers cannot beat.
So if you're looking for a new, affordable "user" rangefinder that gives you those features that most serious photographers require (manual focus, manual aperture control, manual shutter control, manual film advance, interchangeable lenses), the Bessa R is the obvious choice.
I've owned this camera since new, starting around spring 2003, so I've had it for btwn 6 and 12 mos.
Appearance:
Aesthetically, this camera is lacking, due to its plastic exterior which doesn't compare well with the plastic (polycarbonate) bodies used on high end SLRs.
Handling:
My biggest complaint with the Bessa R is the fact that its strap lugs are positioned such that the camera doesn't hang straight up and down unless you're using a heavy lens. So, with most 35 or 50 lenses, the camera body hangs at an angle, with its bottom protruding further forward than its top. This makes it somewhat uncomfortable to hang around your neck or shoulder.
The LED meter display is very easy to see (and probably more robust than a mechanical needle). It can display 1/2 stop under- or over-exposure. The meter has proven to be accurate once you know the pattern (centre-weighted, with an unusual pattern that is quite tall).
Shutter release is very precise. Press half-way down activates the meter and finding the half-way point is very easy. You'd have to be quite ham-fisted to accidentally go too far and release the shutter. Shutter noise is quiet (maybe not Leica-quiet but certainly not loud) and is quieter than any SLR I've used. At speeds below 1/60 or so, the noise is a bit louder because you can now distinctly hear TWO shutters in action, the inner and the outer. At these speeds, the loudness is more on par with the Olympus OM series of SLRs (known for being a quiet SLR). One other thing: the shutter release is threaded for a cable release. This is a great thing to have and it's a pity that so many modern cameras do not support these simple, inexpensive, but very useful devices.
The film advance feels ok. The only niggle is that you can't use multiple strokes to wind the film. It's single-stroke only. And if you reach the end of your roll mid-stroke, the advance lever stays where it is until you rewind the film. Only then can you finish the stroke.
The self-timer is, like everything else on the camera except for the meter, purely mechanical. It feels cheap but it works just fine.
Focussing is very easy, thanks to the bright viewfinder. Eye placement is important or else you could loose sight of the focusing patch. The base length of the rangefinder is, in my opinion, a bit too short. Close focusing, even with a modest telephoto length such as the 75/2.5 lens, is a hit and miss affair that requires great care and bright light. I assume that Cosina went with this short base length due to limitations imposed by the SLR chassis on which this camera is built.
The camera weighs less than the metal SLRs of yesteryear, and it heavier than the low-end plastic SLRs of today.
Performance:
It's a mechanical camera (except for the meter) so there isn't much to talk about with respect to performance. The camera works just fine. The meter is accurate, as is the focussing and shutter speeds.
Reliability:
Although some Bessa R's were reported to have vertical misalignment problems with the rangefinder, mine was perfect. Although I've had mine for only less than a year, I have carried it almost every day and it has performed without a hitch.
Evaluation:
Performance-wise, aside from its bright viewfinder, there is nothing in the Bessa's feature set that makes it desirable from an engineering point of view. It is merely a basic rangefinder that works well. It has some annoyances but none of them impact the functionality of the camera or noticeably obstruct the photographer's creative process. This sounds like a backhanded compliment but it's not. When you put the Bessa R into its chronological context, it gains a certain significance. In 2004, the ONLY manual rangefinder you can buy NEW for an AFFORDABLE price (generally speaking) is the Bessa R (and its siblings). Then consider that it also has a built-in meter and accepts a huge variety of Leica screw mount lenses. Its under USD$300 (North American price) price gives it a significant price/performance ratio that other camera manufacturers cannot beat.
So if you're looking for a new, affordable "user" rangefinder that gives you those features that most serious photographers require (manual focus, manual aperture control, manual shutter control, manual film advance, interchangeable lenses), the Bessa R is the obvious choice.
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