Bessa R2a / Zeiss Ikon ZI - Focussing

knodd said:
Sorry for the OT, but avotius, why do you not like the leica? Since i got into rangefinder photography and i got my r3a, i have constantly been captived by the charm of leicas. In fact i've already started saving up for an m6, and although i'd love it alot i'm just looking for reasons to tell myself i don't need to get one...
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I like my m6, but I like my bessa better, its a lot lighter, and the viewfinder is better, being able to see the shutter speeds in the finder without taking my eye away turned out to be pretty important after all. Sure you can try to remember where the shutter dial is already, and thats fine if you are taking pictures of a potted plant, but when doing street photography you rarely want to be thinking about where that shutter dial is when things are going on all around you.

On the other hand I do find the bessa a little too light sometimes, while nice to carry around, I feel that I can shoot low light easier with the m6. Also the m6's rangefinder is more accurate, and the shutter is quieter, etc etc....

Yeah...maybe I should sell both the m6 and the bessa and get a zeiss ikon, or a m7...who knows.
 
Dear Vicky,

The best summary of the Bessa-ZI-Leica relationship that I have read was in the British Journal of Photography a year or so ago: I wish I'd written it. The reviewer said that if all three cameras were made by the same company, the prices would well reflect the market positions (features and 'feel').

Bessas are superb, and unless you really need to focus fast lenses at close distances, the short base length is not worth worrying about. On the other hand, I find Bessas marginal with 50/1.5 and 90/2. I had more success with the 35/1.2 but that may simply have been luck/extra care; I only borrowed the 35/1.2 for review, but own or have access to other fast lenses.

But there's more to RFs than EBL. The ZI has a far brighter finder, auto frame selection and longer EBL. The Leica... Well, it's a Leica. You might find the following interesting:

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/reviews.html

Cheers,

R.
 
I have finally managed to take in all the fabulous advice and experience that has been shared here.

As for second hand/new -- I'm not too bothered either way as actually the vast majority of the equipment I use is second hand, EOS 3 itself, the 35, 50 and 135mm lenses are. In fact the only new equipment I own is the 70-200 lens and tripod! I shall keep an eye out in the classfieds for what may come along!

Reading the comments here I am inclined to try out the R3a with a 40mm lens. Spyderman, you made perfect sense and I can see how the EBL is obviously pretty important with a 75mm+ lens with that description. Certainly I use the 70-200 f/4L on my EOS 3 for portraits, but also the 135mm Takumar I have which is also f/3.5 matching the Voigtlander 90mm's aperture and I have always been pretty happy with the result. I must admit I don't actually like portraits too much where the background is completely out of focus, I like a semblance of the backdrop.

I've also looked at the fact I could get a 28/35mm mini viewfinder attachment for the R3a if I am dead set on the 35mm aspect.

I would still like to try the R2a but I think for what I am looking for the R3a will probably become quite a good option.

The older Leica's such as IIIc - IIIg aren't really an option for me, as I do want Av mode, and I don't really want to carry a light meter around. I'm not that much of a purist, but I know for what I am needing this camera for, I need it to be light and fairly no fuss, as it will get a lot of use when I am hiking and I must admit I don't want to spend too much time faffing -- if that makes sense, I need to be able to keep on the go, of course sometimes I'll go for a stroll where the slower workflow would work superbly and I would have that option. Also I am looking for versatility in the built in framelines.

Aso thanks for the advice on the grip, I can see me getting peturbed by the camera digging into me otherwise, the EOS 3 does the exact opposite where it hangs forward with anything other than the 50mm!

I am used to rangefinders in that I am always so happy when using my fairly crude but good Oly XA. I do enjoy using the camera, and I must admit that most of the time I find auto-focus more of a hinderance than a help as I never use flash, always work with available light and it gets a bit irksome when the camera is hunting! (Hence why I use MF lenses actually...)

As such so long as the camera feels right, I know I will enjoy using the rangefinder.

Hopefully I will be able to start reporting back on the choice I made and some first shots in the not too distant future as I am thinking I may dispense of the 70-200 EF lens, gorgeous kit but, it doesn't get used as much as it needs to. Especially with my Takumar 135mm being single coated, it is a lovely bit of glass for portraits...

Camera lust is such a bad thing! 🙂

Thanks everybody!
Vicky
 
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