Bessa R4A / Ikon SW / 21mm / Glasses

[bwcolor]

I've only used a G2, Mamiya 7ii and Ikon ZM. So far, I've noted that the larger frames are hard to see with glasses.

I prefer a camera with a rangefinder, but how restricted is the 21mm frame when wearing glasses? The Ikon/Zeiss 21mm f/4.5 kit and the Bessa / Zeiss 21mm lens combination are about the same price.

Also, is the finder of the Bessa as bright as my Ikon ZM?

 

[sojournerphoto]

I have an Ikon and and R4m and wear glasses. I can't see the 28mm framelines in the ikno, but I can see the 21mm framelines in the R4m. My R4m is also a delight mechanically (the Ikon is fabulous, but that goes without saying really).

The only downside of the R4m for me is that the Biogon 25 2.8 obscures quite a lot of the viewfinder - this may not be the case for 21 4.5C and I believe isn't the case for the 21 and 25 color skopars.

The Zeiss 25 external vf is brighter than the R4m's, although that's good in it's own right, but of course you have to focus and compose separately. I use both combos, but have been tending towards the external vf on the Ikon lately. Of course, I may change my mind at a later date, depending on what I am doing with it,

Mike

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

The R4A is a delight if you use a 21mm lens and wear glasses. No problems at all.

I have to disagree with that--in my experience you have to hunt around a bit to get the whole frame. But it is doable.

The R4A finder is really superb.

 

[bwcolor]

I think that from what has been posted, I can expect the Bessa to have a bright viewfinder with useable 21mm frames mostly viewable with glasses. Viewfinder brightness is slightly inferior to the Zeiss external viewfinder, but then again one doesn't have to do the focus estimate of the SW.

The averaging meter would seem to be the only other issue that makes the Bessa less desirable than an Ikon SW. I'm guessing that Cosina uses the same metal focal plane shutter in the Bessa as the Ikon SW/ZM.

 

[wgerrard]

R4M and glasses here. I can see all of the 21mm frame if I move my head a bit. That's par for the course with me for any frame that runs along the perimeter of the finder, on any camera I've used.

Can't compare it's finder to the Ikon's, but it seems very clear and bright to me. The issue I sometimes have with the R4M is not being able to clearly see the images inside the patch, owing to the camera's 0.58 magnification. The dimmer the light, the bigger the problem. This is, I suspect, very much related to my eyesight and my eyeglass prescription, so it might not be much of an issue for you.