Bessa R2A, R3A & R4A viewfinders & RF patches

[pjphoto]

Hi,

I was wondering if some of you good people can help answer a question about Bessa viewfinders that I've not been able to find online...

I have an R4A which I love. It has bright framelines and a large and bright viewfinder patch. Finding myself shooting wide angles less I was interested in getting an R2A but, opportunistically, bought an R3A instead. Obviously the viewfinder magnification and the framelines are different but I was surprised that the R3A viewfinder patch was both significantly smaller and less bright than that of the R4A. Is that normal? Is the R2A rangefinder patch also smaller and dimmer than the R4A (i.e. the same as the R3A), or, like its magnification, is it somewhere inbetween the two?

Thanks!

 

[mpaniagua]

Sorry haven't owned/used R4A but I have used both a R2 and R2A as well as Leica M3/M5/M6 and I believe R2/R2A viewfinder are quite bright with frame line very sharp and quite visible on most situation. I would assume R2/R3 would seem smaller since R4 is build for wide lens, so I guess R4 would sport a wider/bigger visible area.

On a side note, why did you choose a R3A? Happen to like 40mm lens?

Marcelo

 

[valdas]

I never used R3A, but I compare my R4M (not A) and R2A and I cannot notice any difference neither is size nor in brightness of the patch.

 

[pjphoto]

Sorry haven't owned/used R4A but I have used both a R2 and R2A as well as Leica M3/M5/M6 and I believe R2/R2A viewfinder are quite bright with frame line very sharp and quite visible on most situation. I would assume R2/R3 would seem smaller since R4 is build for wide lens, so I guess R4 would sport a wider/bigger visible area.

On a side note, why did you choose a R3A? Happen to like 40mm lens?

Marcelo

Hi Marcelo,


Thanks for your reply. I am mainly shooting 35mm and 50mm focal lengths these days and was looking for an R2A but had the opportunity to buy an R3A for a good price and jumped on it. I figured I could use the viewfinder edges for 35mm framing but after receiving the camera that's clearly not realistic. I was asking about the RF patch differences because I'm thinking I should just sell both the R3A and R4A and buy an R2A. Unfortunately a Leica M6 isn't in my future!... 🙂


Paul

 

[pjphoto]

I never used R3A, but I compare my R4M (not A) and R2A and I cannot notice any difference neither is size nor in brightness of the patch.

Hi Valdas,


Thanks for your input. I'm guessing the challenge of the optics behing 1:1 finder in the R3A might have necessiated a different, smaller RF patch. Good to know the R2A is the same as your R4M.


Paul

 

[zenza]

I own an R2, R3A, and R4A and just compared them.

Used a window in my apartment as a guide and the R4A patch was the exact width of the window. The R2 and R3A patch were half the width of the window (they are identical size but the R2 patch has rounded corners). Brightness is the same across all three patches.

I imagine the 0.58 VF necessitated a larger patch. Personally I find the R3A patch perfectly fine for precise focusing. Hadn't noticed it's literally half the size to that of the R4A.

Can try to take photos through the viewfinders if you want.

Also, you mention using wide angles. I'm not anal about precise framing...but I don't think you can manage to use the R2 VF for 28mm lenses unless you don't mind searching around the VF while framing. If you mainly use 35/50 the R2A makes sense...but if you enjoy using 28mm as well I would stick with the R4A.

 

[pjphoto]

I own an R2, R3A, and R4A and just compared them.

Used a window in my apartment as a guide and the R4A patch was the exact width of the window. The R2 and R3A patch were half the width of the window (they are identical size but the R2 patch has rounded corners). Brightness is the same across all three patches.

I imagine the 0.58 VF necessitated a larger patch. Personally I find the R3A patch perfectly fine for precise focusing. Hadn't noticed it's literally half the size to that of the R4A.

Can try to take photos through the viewfinders if you want.

Also, you mention using wide angles. I'm not anal about precise framing...but I don't think you can manage to use the R2 VF for 28mm lenses unless you don't mind searching around the VF while framing. If you mainly use 35/50 the R2A makes sense...but if you enjoy using 28mm as well I would stick with the R4A.

Hi Zenza,

Thanks for your comparison - it is valuable to hear from someone with all three models!

Looks like I'll be sticking with the R4A. Despite the R2A making more sense for shooting 35 & 50mm the bigger RF patch is a bit more important given the trajectory of my eyesight...

Thanks,

Paul