Bessa R2A shutter broken - how to get it fixed from Europe?

[domagojs]

Hi all,

I have a Bessa R2A and an M-Rokkor 40mm f/2.0 (yeah, I know, strange combo - 40mm lens and 35mm framelines!) and Bessa's shutter died on me last winter! And that's after some 50, 60 films, for sure not more than that :-(

I live in Croatia, Europe and I had the camera checked by two repairmen who both came to the conclusion that the electronics inside the shutter died and that they couldn't fix it without spare parts :-( I also contacted Voigtlaender Europe - FOTO-PARTNER ProShop GmbH who informed me that they couldn't fix it, but that they can offer me to forward the camera to Cosina Japan for me for a repair. That roundtrip would set me back 110 EUR, that is without the cost of me sending the camera to Germany. Adding some 100, 200 EUR for the repair itself I'm at more than 300 EUR :-((( And to think I bought Bessa over Leica M6 because I hoped to get a new, modern camera which would be more reliable?!?! I also contacted Voigtlaneder dealer in England, but they couldn't help me either because they didn't have the spare parts either...

Now, do you have some idea how can I get my camera fixed for a reasonable amount of money?

If that's not possible, I see I have three options. One, I sell the lens, the camera for parts as well as my old Nikon D40 and i get Fuji x100 and shoot the 135 film with my two NIkons FM and FM2 and a great lens setup I have for them. Two, I get an M6 and get the real RF experience (on the plus side, if I change my mind I'd be most probably getting the same amount of money back). Three... I wanted to write I get another Bessa, but after this disappointing experience I don't think that will happen again. When I bought the camera I didn't realize I was getting a disposable camera...

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I contacted Cosina twice over email and I never got ANY answer from them! Not even a short email saying "You should've gone for a real camera, an M6 in the first place!"... Talk about customer care...

 

[Uncle Bill]

Ouch! If I were in your shoes, I would get the Fuji X100s. The Nikon FM and FM2 are solid bodies and I would hold onto them.

 

[wallace]

Ask Will van Maanen, he repaired the shutter of my Bessa R, price was €100.

 

[domagojs]

Thanks, guys! I contacted Will rught away, let's hear what he says.

Re x100s, it's a great camera, but with my Nikons and Hassleblad/Yashicmat combo, I think I will choose the cheaper of the two to sit on the shelf 🙂 If I was to get a digital camera for more than birthday/holiday snaps (after I take those snaps with film, ofc), x100s would be it...

 

[domagojs]

Update with Will van Manen's reply. They informed me they didnt't have the electronics spare parts and they were unable to help me. :-(

 

[wallace]

Sorry to hear that, maybe you want a Bessa R instead? (I have 2)

 

[c.poulton]

How old is the Bessa R2A, is it still under warrantee? Something like this should be covered by the manufacturer. Where did you buy the camera from - have you tried contacting them to help you out here?

I don't think that the Bessa R2A is a bad camera (I used to own a R3A myself), this sort of thing can happen to any camera with electronics, even a Leica ;-) so it shouldn't put you off getting another Bessa if that's what you like using. I opted for the M6 option purely because the handling of a Leica is in a different league to the Bessa's (I now own an M2) and you won't regret the purchase...

 

[brbo]

Update with Will van Manen's reply. They informed me they didnt't have the electronics spare parts and they were unable to help me. :-(

Don't bother with Van Manen. The return shipping (and they REALLY insist on using particularly expensive service) from them to Croatia would be in the range you were quoted for a round trip to Japan.

As others have said, getting M6 doesn't mean that it won't need a service in the future. Get a new camera with warranty if you want a peace of mind.

I went through a couple of Bessas (R and R3A) and now I have M6. It's nice, but I was just as happy with a Bessa.

 

[Michalm]

Get another r2a and keep the one you have for spares.

 

[Snapper_uk]

Get another Bessa R2a - that's what I intend to do when/if the time comes.

 

[JohnTF]

I have a couple in LN condition, just almost retired from shooting, I know I have the R3A, email, or pm me -- I can get a dealer to ship it-- sounds as if it will be less than repair and shipping within Europe.

Or I can ask my favorite restaurant when one of their relatives are making a trip. ;-)

I bought most of my gear in Prague at Skoda Foto when the dollar was strong, I have the others as well.


Regards, John

 

[Austerby]

Have you tried Robert White in England? - they repaired my R3A easily enough,though that wasn't an electronics issue.

 

[Spider67]

I had to Bessas and they had the same quirk: Suddenly I couldn't operate the film advance Lever to the end. It simply stuck halfway. The remedy was simple I pressed the rewind button and rewound the film (only pressing the button did not help). No big thing but the didn't work ina decisive moment.
So I bought a Leica M6 which works just fine. The only repair that was necessary with the M6 was when my cat peed through the shutter release into the camera. But thtas another Story....

 

[analoged]

when my cat peed through the shutter release into the camera. But thtas another Story....

I hate when that happens...😀

 

[RLG]

Get another r2a and keep the one you have for spares.

All of the RxA are discontinued, only the RxM models with mechanical shutter are still listed.

 

[FrankS]

OP: it all depends on whether you want to get into digital photography or not, and how much you liked the film RF experience (minus the breakdown.)

I voted: get an M6