Bessa R3A viewfinder

[kev.yong]

Hey guys,

I just recieved my first rangefinder yesterday. Bessa R3A. I'm finding the 40mm framelines difficult to use. They seem too far to the sides of the frame. (the 50mm lines are much easier to use).

I was considering switching over the R2A with 35mm lens. Are the 35mm framelines on the R2A easier to see than the 40mm lines on the R3A?

Cheers
Kev

 

[Donovan]

I wear glasses and the 35mm lines on my R2A are a little difficult. They are way out there, so you gotta move your head around to see all 4 lines.

 

[Avotius]

I have the r2a and when using a 35mm lens and my glasses I have found that its not so bad, I can see just a little around the frame lines and dont have a lot of trouble seeing the corners. I wear contacts most of the time im out though and its significantly easier that way.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I find exactly the same with the R3A 40mm lines so I use the whole viewfinder instead.

The lines are so close to the edge it makes little difference.

Framing with any rangefinder is never really accurate anyway.

What I do sometimes is to use the 40mm lens with the 50mm framelines so I can can check verticals and horizons easily.

The R3A is a fine camera; you made a good choice. And the 40mm lens is a natural on this camera.

 

[reala_fan]

Hello Kev...

Yes, I too have the R3a and find the 40mm framlines "way out to the edge" to be annoying. I have a nice 50mm coming, would rather use the 50mm framelines with some air around them. If I keep my M-Rokkor 40mm, I think I will get a CV 40mm brightline finder and use that to frame with intead.

 

[kev.yong]

Thanks guys,

After a couple of days of use, I'm starting to get used to it somewhat, but still feel a bit out of sorts. Definitely not a camera that I feel immediately comfortable with. I'm not sure if that is because it's my first rangefinder or because of the wide framelines.

I have found using the 50mm lines and giving myself a bit of space around them works well so far. I think using a 40mm finder kind of defeats the purpose of having the R3A.

I'm still thinking about the R2 to give me a bit of space in the finder. Even the R4 as I only have 25 and 40mm lenses.

 

[gilpen123]

I find it difficult to see the 40 frameline as well but nothing much is lost in the frame anyway. The 100% VF compensates for that as I find it a joy to shoot with 2 eyes open. I guess all framelines for Bessa at the widest end is really difficult. Maybe they should improve the VF and make it wider.

 

[dazedgonebye]

As others have said, just use the whole viewfinder for the 40mm.
Close enough, and you stop worrying about framelines so you can look past them to the subject.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Kev,
See my recent thread about the Zeiss Ikon ZM camera. I wear glasses and I went through the same process you're going through now. It took me about nine months of buying cameras and trying them out, then selling them and trying something else. I had the Bessa R4a, R3a, R2a, and add-on viewfinders on the Bessa L and T. Nothing seemed quite right... viewfinder framelines weren't comfortable for my eye, or the combination of framelines didn't cover the range of lenses I like to use. Until I found the Zeiss Ikon ZM.

The ZM is a lot more expensive than the Bessas. You can get a slightly used one from Tony Rose at PopFlash for about $1000. The 35 & 50 framelines are PERFECT for my be-spectacled eye!! And the 28 frameline is kind of like what I think you're experiencing with the 40 frameline on the R3a. There's an 85mm frameline that I can use to approximate the view for my CV 75mm (or I'll use my add-on CV 75mm vf). And the camera is built beautifully! The shutter is as quiet as my Leica III (Thanks, Roland). 🙂

 

[kev.yong]

Thanks for that Jamie,

I checked out your thread in the other forum. That diagram of the framelines was quite helpful.

The Zeiss looks perfect. My favouite focal lengths are 28 and 35. Budget is an issue. I will persist with the r3 for now. A guy at my work has a zeiss so Ill get him to bring it in for me to check out. Still tempted by the R4..

Cheers
KEv

 

[Bobfrance]

I've just got an R3a and am yet to make my mind up about it too.

Being a glasses wearer I find even the 50mm framelines a bit close to the edge of the viewfinder. I also find my 50mm Zeiss Planar intrudes into the framelines quite a lot, especially with a hood on.

Although the 0.65 viewfinder of my Hexar RF is much smaller than the Bessa's it has none of the issues. I'm going to persevere with it for a bit, but am already considering either an Ikon or a CLE as my second body.

 

[Austerby]

I've had an R3a for a couple of months now and am utterly convinced by it - I love the 1:1 viewfinder and the 40mm Nokton is sem-permanently installed. I use the entirety of the viewfinder and shoot with both eyes open, that way you can get the framelines floating naturally in front of you rather than squinting through the viewfinder. It takes some practice but works well when you've got it.

 

[Spyderman]

A bit Off-topic here, but did you know that The 35 framelines on R2x are almost perfect fit for the CV Nokton 40mm lens ? they are even smaller than 35 framelines on Leica M6, and even on M6 the combination is pefectly usable (read: no problems with chopped-off heads), so on Bessa R2x it must be even better !

 

[reala_fan]

I do agree with Austerby that "Both Eyes Open" is the way to go on the 1:1 viefinder of the R3a, but I still like the 50mm framelines "floating in air" better than the 40mm framelines.

 

[JRG]

"I guess all framelines for Bessa at the widest end is really difficult. Maybe they should improve the VF and make it wider."

I think the reality is that most RF viewfinders are like that: The widest framelines offered are tough to see easily, more so if you wear glasses. There are exceptions: The 50 lines on my M3 are dead easy. But the 35 lines on my M4 are definitely tougher --- not impossible, but more effortful than 50 on the M3.

I suspect that most camera manufacturers are just trying to offer the most they can with the viewfinder they've installed; the widest lines are the price paid --- not easy, for many of us.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Kev,
I had the R4A for a couple of months. The 28 frameline is PERFECT for eyeglass wearers! And the 35 frameline is very nice, although I think it is combined with another frameline.
Jamie