kshapero
South Florida Man
What are folks' experience with the Bessa Trigger Winder? I am feeling GASsy for it. Is this the same as the Rapidwinder?
kully
Happy Snapper
Hallo Akiva,
I've been using one for a year now. It's great for a left-eye bloke like myself and it adds a nice hold and heft to the camera.
However, you need to be careful winding as I do get occasional overlapped frames (1 in 2-3 rolls). I now only use it when I need to shoot quickly, but I wouldn't buy one again - it just doesn't do its job (advance the film correctly).
EDIT:
Some more thoughts:
- It is not a quiet device, it makes a nice kiiirsch-schuuk as you pull the "trigger" and then let it slide back to its original position. It is rather unfortunate if you are trying to be even slightly discrete.
- It makes the camera nice to hold, but this is double-edged as the camera then becomes quite large to stuff into bags/pockets &c.
- It is fun to use and people look and point and ask about it. Downside - doing this at an airport might get you machine-gunned (?)
Mine has serial number 494, I wonder how many of these were made?
I've been using one for a year now. It's great for a left-eye bloke like myself and it adds a nice hold and heft to the camera.
However, you need to be careful winding as I do get occasional overlapped frames (1 in 2-3 rolls). I now only use it when I need to shoot quickly, but I wouldn't buy one again - it just doesn't do its job (advance the film correctly).
EDIT:
Some more thoughts:
- It is not a quiet device, it makes a nice kiiirsch-schuuk as you pull the "trigger" and then let it slide back to its original position. It is rather unfortunate if you are trying to be even slightly discrete.
- It makes the camera nice to hold, but this is double-edged as the camera then becomes quite large to stuff into bags/pockets &c.
- It is fun to use and people look and point and ask about it. Downside - doing this at an airport might get you machine-gunned (?)
Mine has serial number 494, I wonder how many of these were made?
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Nando
Well-known
I'm thinking about getting one myself. My GAS has been absolutely relentless for the last week and I've been thinking about getting everything from a big telephoto to shift-tilt lens to an ultra-wide lens. The trigger winder is in the mix too and it would be the least expensive form of releaf right now.
Brian Webb wrote a good review on the Cosina-Voigtlander site:
http://www.cosina-voigtlander.com/content/view/21/28/
I'm still undecided.
Brian Webb wrote a good review on the Cosina-Voigtlander site:
http://www.cosina-voigtlander.com/content/view/21/28/
I'm still undecided.
kully
Happy Snapper
Cheers for that link Nando, I hadn't seen that before.
It's strange reading about his experience with an R2 vs. R2a. For me I have had worse frame spacing issues with my R2a and my R2m has been pretty much OK (apart from the overlapping frames).
He also mentions being smooth in its use, but that would take away from what it is meant for - winding on quickly! You should be able to snap, the shutter closes and then you pull the trigger across as fast as possible.
It's strange reading about his experience with an R2 vs. R2a. For me I have had worse frame spacing issues with my R2a and my R2m has been pretty much OK (apart from the overlapping frames).
He also mentions being smooth in its use, but that would take away from what it is meant for - winding on quickly! You should be able to snap, the shutter closes and then you pull the trigger across as fast as possible.
sienarot
Well-known
I have one. And I don't even have a Bessa! Haha! (Should be arriving within a couple days, though.) I got it because I like the idea of having the vertical lugs on the right and the side grip didn't appeal to me because it only covers a part of the bottom and lacks the tripod sockets.
Obviously not haven't used it, I can't say too much, but I am impressed with the build quality.
Obviously not haven't used it, I can't say too much, but I am impressed with the build quality.
Nando
Well-known
kully said:
Brian Webb has put a lot of time and effort into his Cosina-Voigtlander website. You can tell he's really enthusiastic about the CV stuff.
Tom Abrahamsson wrote a review too. I think it used to be linked off the cameraquest.com website but now I can't find it.
mc_vancouver
Established
I had a bessa trigger winder for about six months. Rarely used it. Felt a bit ridiculous when I extended the trigger, it was so attention-getting, which I don't want when I'm shooting, also the necessity to wind film forward quickly was not as much of an urgent issue for me as I had thought it might be. The best thing about it was it protected the base of my R3M and offered more heft, allowing me to shoot another stop or two slower, handheld, and it gives you another point to attach the strap. You can do that for less money with the accessory grip. All in all I didn't find it very useful.
mtbbrian
RF's ROCK!andFilm RULES!!
Is there a more "motoriezed" version? Like Leica's?
Brian
Brian
sockeyed
Well-known
I have one on my R4M and I like it. The winding action isn't particularly smooth or quiet, but it does provide a good alternative to thumb winding, plus I like the grip that i get with my left fingers on the wind lever. I also really like being able to hang my R4M vertically off of my shoulder while my M6 sits on my chest. This way I can reach with right hand and bring the R4M up to my eyes without the strap getting in the way.
It's no Rapidwinder, though. They are built like classic Leicas.
It's no Rapidwinder, though. They are built like classic Leicas.
BrianPhotog
Well-known
Nope. That would be cool, thoughmtbbrian said:
pvdhaar
Peter
kully said:
I'd hesitate to put one under my Bessa-T because it's apparently possible to fool the camera into not completely winding but being able to trip the shutter anyway.
I've already needed a shutter/advance repair on my T, and given the number of posts on jammed and broken Bessa-T's, I've the impression that its shutter/advance mechanism is not its strongest point.
kshapero
South Florida Man
Sounds like I am losing GAS on this.
anna missed
Member
I've had one for a few months now. I bought it mostly to solve the cv hang problem. Have always liked the Leica CL/M-5 vertical hang way better than horizontal. I'd rather buy some "thing" that would hang the camera, like the CL, with the lugs on the other side -- away from the winder/shutter/speeds -- it could still have a grip though.
Two weeks after I got my winder the lower lug came out (& came real close to dropping the camera). Being a tinkerer, I decided to fix it myself and had to open it up. Interestingly, the winder operates using a couple gears and !! a rubber belt !!. The winder is a sort of belt drivin operation, which I could see as not lasting a real long time or easily stressed (or stretched). Mmmmmmm overlapping frames?
Anyway, I still like it and use it regularly.
Two weeks after I got my winder the lower lug came out (& came real close to dropping the camera). Being a tinkerer, I decided to fix it myself and had to open it up. Interestingly, the winder operates using a couple gears and !! a rubber belt !!. The winder is a sort of belt drivin operation, which I could see as not lasting a real long time or easily stressed (or stretched). Mmmmmmm overlapping frames?
Anyway, I still like it and use it regularly.
I've had my trigger winder for four years, serial numbered just over 1200, originally fitted to my Bessa-T. It was sort of a nostalgic purchase, as I recalled liking that feature of a Canon VT Deluxe I used in the 60's.
Of course I had to see how fast a shoot-wind sequence I could manage, and got out of synch enough to temporarily jam the shutter and cause some frame overlaps on the film.
It has three main attributes for me: First, it makes it easier to wind-on while keeping my eye at the viewfinder. Second, I like its side-grip. Third, I very much like its two strap lugs allowing vertical carry. With it over the right shoulder, it's a natural quick grasp of the grip with the right hand to bring it up smoothly to eye level. I no longer think of it as a quick winder, just a different and more convenient winder. Actually, I often forget, out of habit, to use the trigger to wind!
When I put it on the new R4A I noticed right away in the first few rolls that I was getting an average of one overlapping frame-pair every 12 frames or so. I was not using the trigger to wind at all, just using the camera's regular wind lever in my usual methodical way.
I had concluded there was something wrong with the R4A film transport when it occurred to me to remove the trigger winder and try again. A couple rolls without the winder showed no frame overlaps at all.
Now in experimental mode for sure, I put the trigger winder back on, taped up the camera's film-wind lever to prevent my using it, and shot a couple rolls while advancing film using only the winder's trigger. No frame overlapping, worked perfectly.
I haven't used my Bessa-T very much, but I remembered I had an un-processed roll from that camera+winder... After processing the 24-exp roll I noted one pair of frames partly overlapped. So it wasn't just the R4A alone suffering the problem; the T had it too (winding with the camera's wind lever).
Now I propose the trigger winder's coupling to the camera is adding a little drag to the winding process when using the regular film advance lever. Maybe under this usage the belt drive builds up a little tension that occasionally results in an incomplete advance of the film.
And, since I like the trigger winder for its other attributes, I think I'll leave it on the camera, and make sure to actually use the trigger to wind the film. This seems to be working fine, even if the winder mechanism could use a lube job...
Wondering if anyone else can report similar behavior with their winder?
Of course I had to see how fast a shoot-wind sequence I could manage, and got out of synch enough to temporarily jam the shutter and cause some frame overlaps on the film.
It has three main attributes for me: First, it makes it easier to wind-on while keeping my eye at the viewfinder. Second, I like its side-grip. Third, I very much like its two strap lugs allowing vertical carry. With it over the right shoulder, it's a natural quick grasp of the grip with the right hand to bring it up smoothly to eye level. I no longer think of it as a quick winder, just a different and more convenient winder. Actually, I often forget, out of habit, to use the trigger to wind!
When I put it on the new R4A I noticed right away in the first few rolls that I was getting an average of one overlapping frame-pair every 12 frames or so. I was not using the trigger to wind at all, just using the camera's regular wind lever in my usual methodical way.
I had concluded there was something wrong with the R4A film transport when it occurred to me to remove the trigger winder and try again. A couple rolls without the winder showed no frame overlaps at all.
Now in experimental mode for sure, I put the trigger winder back on, taped up the camera's film-wind lever to prevent my using it, and shot a couple rolls while advancing film using only the winder's trigger. No frame overlapping, worked perfectly.
I haven't used my Bessa-T very much, but I remembered I had an un-processed roll from that camera+winder... After processing the 24-exp roll I noted one pair of frames partly overlapped. So it wasn't just the R4A alone suffering the problem; the T had it too (winding with the camera's wind lever).
Now I propose the trigger winder's coupling to the camera is adding a little drag to the winding process when using the regular film advance lever. Maybe under this usage the belt drive builds up a little tension that occasionally results in an incomplete advance of the film.
And, since I like the trigger winder for its other attributes, I think I'll leave it on the camera, and make sure to actually use the trigger to wind the film. This seems to be working fine, even if the winder mechanism could use a lube job...
Wondering if anyone else can report similar behavior with their winder?
Ken Ford
Refuses to suffer fools
I had one on my Bessa-T the whole time I owned that camera (three years?), and never had a problem with jams or overlapping frames. However, I used it deliberately - no speed trials.
I like 'em.
I like 'em.
Nokton48
Veteran
I've had one on my T for six months, like it, and haven't had any issues so far. But I do wind it slowly. Sometimes I forget, and use the regular advance . I think it improves the balance of my Telemetro, especially with the Canon 1.2 lens, and I like the way everything is weighted.
. I think it improves the balance of my Telemetro, especially with the Canon 1.2 lens, and I like the way everything is weighted.
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