Can I use a 135mm lens on Bessa cameras?

[potomo]

Hello,
I'm new on this forum. And I have a question for Bessa's possessors 🙄

I have some russian RF camera and a good number of lenses. In particular I love my 135mm f4.

It's possible to use it on Bessa cameras and in particular on R2a (with Leica screw-Leica M adapter)?

I found on internet that there are some problems with lens longer than 90 mm: is it true?

Thank you very much

Potomo

 

[JohnM]

I would not want to.

It doesn't have framelines for the 135 and even trying to "imagine" the framelines inside of the 90 framelines would not be all that accurate or remotely enjoyable to try

What camera are you using for the 135 now?

 

[Xmas]

You would need to use a separate viewfinder in the 'hot shoe'. A 135mm f/4 is marginal but should work ok at normal (f/5.6 or less), the lens will be soft at f/4 anyway.

Noel

 

[Talisker]

Yes can - once you fit the adapter it should work (I've used an FSU 135mm on an R2 and a T). The only issues are framing - you presumable have some way of dealing with that on the Fed, such as a separate finder- and accurate focusing. The baseline is a bit shorter than the Fed 2, so the Bessa T is better in that respect having a magnifier on the rangefinder. It reallly depends what sort of shooting you do as to how critical you need your focusing to be.

 

[brachal]

I've used the Jupiter 11 quite a bit on my Bessa R, and haven't had problems. As others have pointed out, a finder of some sort is a good idea.

 

[John Robertson]

Yes basically. you will need a finder, I use the Russian turret one.
I use a Jupiter12 and a Canon f3.5 135 quite successfully with both my
Bessa R2 and better still with my Bessa T. I use a bean bag as a support when I can. I also used a Hektor f4 before I sold it.
The Bessa T's r/f is more than accurate enough for a 135., but I've had no problems with the R2 either, as someone already said these lenses are better stopped down a little anyway.

 

[wlewisiii]

As others have pointed out, it certainly is possible. I use a Canon 135/3.5 on my Bessa R (and before that on a Leica CL with an even smaller baseline) quite successfully. I do tend to use it stopped down in daylight and near infinity - both factors make focusing much easier.

Good luck & good light,

William

 

[foto_fool]

I do tend to use it stopped down in daylight and near infinity - both factors make focusing much easier.

Good luck & good light,

William

Aye and there's the rub. Steven Gandy has a page on his site giving the effective rangefinder base length for a bunch of different bodies. With an EBL of 25.16mm your Bessa is just going to have more trouble accurately focusing any 135 mm lens than, say, an M3 ir a ZI.

What are you shooting your 135 mm on now? If it s a Fed or Zorki you might find focusing with the Bessa to be a bit of a challenge.

Best of luck - John

 

[potomo]

In primis: thank you all very much!!
I'm a quite newbe of rangefinder world, so that forum is really a huge mine of informations!

I try to answer at all your questions:
I have 3 russian rangefinder: Fed 2d, Zorki C and Zorki 4. I prefer to use the Fed 2 because I have a good feeling with it 🙂

My 135 mm is a J 11 lens and i always use it with the russian turret-viewfinder wich I like so much.

My favourite subjects are architecture and urban landscape, so normally I have a bit of time to take photos.

Because I love black and white photo I've decided to use the traditional analogic way of taking photo (I use always dSLR for working) and I think that rangefinder cameras and lenses are very useful when you want to take photo in a discreet way.
White Canon L lenses always scare the people, instead with my little fed I can shoot everything and everywhere and aat the end but not less important: using old lenses and cameras have a unique fascination!

So I try this new photographic world 🙂

After the summer all my russian lens (some 5 cm and the 13,5 cm) are going to be used on a Bessa camera, that's why I ask you these informations.

If you have some indications for me write them!!

🙂

P.s.: I write from Italy, so sorry for my bad english

 

[lubitel]

I understand you liking of Fed-2. Its a feel-good-camera 🙂 I havent used j-11 myself, but if you can use it on a Zorki-4, I dont see why you cant use it on a bessa. Its pretty much the same base-length I think.

 

[BillBingham2]

Potomo,

The lens will work fine on any Bessa. Framing is dependent upon your external finder and how good it is, again, this should not be a problem.

The only place you may have problems is focusing up close and shoting wide open. The effective base lenght of the R series of cameras is quite short. The shorter the base lenght, the less accurate the focus is. This is not a problem for the vast majority of us as we use wider lenses which have a very forgiving depth of field. When you stop down the 135 to say f8 or smaller, you should not have a problem even up close. The Bessa T has a much longer effective base lenght, but it too has it's limits. I do not use my 135/2.8 Komura wide open up close.

From what you wrote, you will be fine. Enjoy and please share your results.

B2 (;->

 

[QUAsit]

I used Jupiter-11 on Bessa-R. Actually two samples of these lens - Perfect and not very perfect -) With perfect J-11 sample Bessa focused w/o any problem on f/4 on every distance starting from 2.5 m and actually J-11 is quite sharp wide open. I used both Turret viewfinder (VU) and 2/3 of Bessa`s 90mm framelines. Well... It was rather slow process, but no problems with focusing and framing.

P.S. "Not perfect" sample of J11 is very unstable with flaring w/o hood - TOO Much oil inside lens actually. But still - very sharp lens.