Bessa R2a or R3a; 40mm or 50mm

[martin-f5]

I'm new here, from good old Germany and I hope I can stay for a long time.

The last few days I was searching for a rf-camera to complete my gear.

You can visit me at www.hupfer-fotografie.de (If you want 😀 )

My question after reading a lot, is wich Bessa would be the better choice.
I'm wearing glasses and fotografing with the left eye.
My nose is allways on the backside of the camera, and you can imagine how the display of the Nikon D2h is looking.

At first I will buy a Bessa with 40 or 50 mm lense, I would prefer the 40mm because it is more close to wideangel than the 50 mm, so later on a 75 mm or 90 mm will be a good choice for portraits.

My dream is, travelling around with the Bessa, running like a dog through the streets and take pictures like HCB. Okay a dream 😱

Here in Germany the price of a new Bessa is about the half of a used Leica M6, and my experiences in used gear is not so good.

Best regards

(please excuse my wrong grammer and spelling, I promis to learn it)

 

[rover]

Welcome Martin,

Hmmm, which Bessa....

I in fact did buy an R3a, it is a really nice camera, but the very wide 40mm framelines were outside of my field of view (I also wear glasses and am left eyed) and decided to sell it. Now, you also mention that you want to use a 75 or 90mm lens.....

My first recommendation would be to suggest you go and handle both cameras to see which viewfinder works best for you.

If I were making my decision right now I would buy the R2a (I did end up selling my R3a). The reason is that the VF of the R3a just wasn't friendly to the use of lenses wider than 50mm for me. With the R2a you can use a 35mm or 40mm lens (with the 35mm framelines) without a problem (this was my experience with the Bessa R and R2). It can also easily be used with a 50mm lens, and it does well with a CV 75mm lens. Because of the short EBL of the rangefinder I would shy away from a 90mm lens.

Again, my want/style or best kit has 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses and I rearly use anything longer. If you have a stronger need for a longer lens the R3a may be better for you, but you should try one to see how the viewfinder will work for that 40mm lens you prefer.

 

[aizan]

if you're wedded to the 40mm, i'd go for the leica cl or minolta cle since you wear glasses.

 

[petebown]

An R2A with a 50mm lens (or even a 35mm lens) will be easier to use than an R3A with a 40mm lens, if you wear glasses. If you would prefer to have the R3A's 1:1 viewfinder then a 50mm lens should be OK.

If you view with your left eye, it may be worth buying a trigger winder, otherwise the wind-on lever will poke you in the right eye.

 

[davirix]

Hi, I just got my new Bessa R3a with nokton 40mm. I don't wear spectacles yet the 40mm framelines are barely visible. I have literally to crush my right eye against the VF to see some of the lines...
This should also discourage those willing to use the R3A with a 35mm.
Otherwise a very nice camera.

David

 

[Ronald M]

Left eye with the 40mm frames and glasses is not easy. About like 35mm on a .72 Leica.

I would consider the bright line finder with it.

Right now I`m working with a 35/70 4.0 zoom on a R. I`m not happy leaving it 40 mm so that is what is holding up the purchase.

I think the classic trio 35/50/90 is still best. Collapsibe 50 and 90 are nice.

 

[Fred]

Hi and welcome.

Being a fellow glasses wearer with pretty bad eyesight, I found myself in a similar position. The R3a was a wonderful camera but the 40 frame was a near no no. The R2 was much less of a problem for the 35 lines though. Ultimately I saved and invested in the Leica M as the R2a was not released at the time.

You should be just fine with a 90mm on the R2a but be careful close up using faster than F3.5. I have a CV lanthar that is extremely sharp. Still looking for a 75.

You might like to look at the following thread as it disusses this very issue between the R2a and the R3a:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=225572#post225572

 

[vincentbenoit]

I'm wearing glasses and fotografing with the left eye.
My nose is allways on the backside of the camera [...]

I know the feeling...

In case you eventually decide on an R3A, mine is still for sale:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17333

Cheers

Vincent

 

[sherm]

Although the 1:1 finder is a thing of beauty I went with an R2 because my experience has been nothing but great with used equipment. If you're set on a Bessa then the R2A is the most logical choice with the lenses that you want to use. I use a 35 on the R2 and when I want to act like HCB I put the 50/3.5 heliar on and try to do him proud.... somehow I don't come back with the same results

One other thought, living in the land of Leica a used M6 with a .58 finder may be something to keep on the lookout for. Np trouble with frame lines there.

Long and short R2A 35/50/75

 

[Ken F.]

Hi Frank,

Leo's has the R2a and the R3a on display, next time your in there play around with them. I wear glasses, and found the R2a finder to be better, the 50 frame lines are very nice!
I am now enjoying my new addition to the family, a chrome mp .72 from Tony Rose at Popflash Photo. A pleasure to deal with as well!

Cheers,
kf

 

[martin-f5]

living in "leica-land" is not as easy as you may think.
There are some problems with leicas when they are seldom used
and they are very expensive.
I used one some years ago,
i've got good and super sharp images, no doubt about it.
10 years ago buying a other lense was also expensiv.
I sould it and got a Xpan, wich I also loved very much.
Than times has changed and I went to nikon F5,
wich I still use for many projekts.
Perfect spotmetering and so on.

Buying now a Bessa would be a new hope for making photos more easy and not been noticed in street and trecking holidays.

The leica was a bit to expensiv for wilderness and hard trekking tours, i thought it would be damaged.
Todays offers for a M6 with lense are about 1500 Euro in used condition and with out garantie of working perfect, so you have to send it to leica in solms and pay about 300 or more euros für checking and cleaning.
They still have problems with the grace off shutter controlling, don't know the right words, sorry.
So I talked to some photogs and the name of bessa more and more was spoken in diskussions.
It's cheaper and has the same quality. I hope bessas has no probs with long standing still for a year.
Leicas are shurly not bad, but paying for a brand name is not what I want to do.

Bessas have AE, this you only can get with a M7, than we are talking about 1800 euro without lenses.

Buying a Bessa with 2 or 3 lenses will only cost about 1200 euro here in germany.

Ok, selling a used leica would be more easy 🙂

I think I can use my nikons and the bessa for different projects.
It will be funny going out with a rf.

 

[Fred]

Nice one Ken F. You should have little trouble with the 35 lines on the MP with glasses. Plus the framelines select automatically. With contacts the 28 lines are easy too. Otherwise the mini finder from Voigtlander would do the job very well.

Once again congratulations on the MP.

 

[sherm]

Frank,

I've seen the R2A and in my opinion the 50 is the same as my R2. It's the 1:1 thing in my opinion as it relates to the R3A. AE ain't bad either.

 

[Ken F.]

Hello Fred,

Yes, you a right about the 35mm frame lines on the .72 mp, they are perfect for me. Though I do need to search a bit for the 28mm frame lines, it reminds me of what the 35mm frame lines were like on my .85 several years ago.

Cheers,
kf


Hi Frank,

If you don't wear glasses the R3a is great! I had an M6 .85 prior to wearing glasses, that's what made me part with it in the end. I agree, the AP on the R2a/R3a is a nice feature and does speed things up a bit.

Regards,
kf

 

[Ken F.]

Sorry Tony,

I just noticed I had addressed your cat!

Cheers,
kf

 

[Ken F.]

Hey Frank,

Just make sure you have a good look before you take them off! You just might get yourself into some trouble?

Ciao,
kf

 

[Marko]

Hi Martin.

This question was also a problem for me! Foremost i have used a Nikon SLR with 35mm and 50mm lens. In fact, the 50mm was very seldom on my Nikon i have often use the 35mm. When i have looked to the Bessa system i found the 40mm Nokton. I think, hey the 40mm is not to far from 35mm and not to far to 50mm and she is not very long! Camera and lens going into my jacket... Okay, the 40mm Nokton has the problem with the bad bokeh wide open, but i use the 1.4 very, very seldom.

To the Bessa. The R3a has the 1:1 "magnification" its very comfortable the left eye see the same like the right eye. But there is a big problem with the R3a. If you wearing glasses you have many trouble to see the 40mm frame!

So i have purchase my Bessa R3a with the 40mm Nokton. The Nikon F80 is away and i only use my Bessa system.

 

[peptonio]

l

Buying a Bessa with 2 or 3 lenses will only cost about 1200 Euro here in Germany.

.

Martin,

did you sell your M6 ? You won't have less fun with a Bessa R2a/3a.

Tho you get a 3-year full warranty by Ringfoto in Germany you should check the prices of Robert White UK and their warranty conditions before you make you deciside where to buy. No custom issues with UK, importing US can be a bothering
experience tho. IF the customs catch you'll find it's not been worth the hassle.

IF you plan to buy a set of a body and two lenses you can achieve a 15%-20% rebate on the German list prices at a German dealer for that bundle. That would be the comparison price to Robert White.

Depending how "wide" your personal style is I' recommend a set of two lenses to start with (NOT three) like one of these:

21/35, 25/50, 28/75 or 35/75. Take the slow lenses if you do not shoot wide open very often, they are smaller, lighter , cheaper and fit better to the RF idea IMHO in general.

Good luck and let us know what your decisions are.

Peppo

 

[martin-f5]

Thanks to all your replays I'm still confused.

After some experience with a M6 and the famous 50/2 I will go to the R3a and the 40mm lense.
The 40mm goes down to 0,7m and is not so bog than the 50mm nocton,
and to the 40mm the R3a fits better.

bessa R3a with 40mm

It will cost about 899 € plus extra € for the sunshade.
May be not the best decision but I can change it, when I'm not satisfyed with it.

regards

martin

 

[vincentbenoit]

I love AE! Makes for faster snapping. 😎

If you're into snapping, why not use a digital point-and-shoot? 😉