Confused

[MikeyGaGa]

Dear friends:

help me out here;I am confused as to whats available. Im an old-timer who hasnt kept up with gear. But I love Rfs-ive got a couple dozen from 1950 to 1970s and usethem all the time. I am a street/people shooter.

I am intrigued by the Bessas. the bodies are low in price,but the lenses are expensive. I am not a purist;Ill use anything that works-tell me please what I can buy thats cheap and good(Russian?)and where(but not eBay-Im fed up with crooks).

I just came back from Mexico. Took my Olympus OM-4T with Vivitar 17-28 zoom.

Its big and heavy and I seem to use it mostly at the 17mm end;I love very wide shooting(Ive had a Widelux since 1980,but stoped using it cause I cant easily buy slide film here). I was thinking of getting a couple of OM bodies and mounting prime lenses on them instead of the zoom. You know,see a shot,then reach for the body with the 21,28 or 35 on it.


Caan you give me the pros and cons of doing this kind of shooting with a Bessa or similar camera(s)?

Leicas are out of my tax bracket,by the way!

Thanks


Mikey GaGa

 

[back alley]

most cv lenses are cheaper than than a used om 21.

take a look at cameraquest's site for prices and more info on the bessa line of cameras and lenses.
they are really good lenses and in camparison are cheap, cheaper than leica and zeiss.

 

[Trius]

I've been impressed with a good number of the FSU lenses, though I think you'll be hard-pressed to find many choices wider than 35mm or so. And getting an FSU lens in good condition/calibration is sometimes a challenge.

 

[fishtek]

Sounds like me, Mikey!

I found an old Kodak RF in the closet, and took it to Mexico (along with my DSLR), and had fun with it. I started looking into current technology rangefinders, and gagged at the prices of Leica, etc. Found the Bessa line, and glommed onto the Bessa R. Mechanical, except for the meter, LOTS of screw-in lenses to buy (ended up with 35/50/75 trio, light weight, accurate meter, and fun to shoot with.

I highly recommend 'em. There's a pretty good range of sophistication available, what with the R2's and R3's, not to mention the "wide"-oriented R4. There ought to be one of them that trips your trigger!

Regards!
Don

 

[lZr]

Bessa R with 35/2.5 starter kit is amazing performer/value.

 

[vodid]

Scale focusing, as you know, is a perfect match for street shooting...just set the lens in advance so you know what'll be covered by depth of field so you'll know what'll be in focus. And set the expected exposure too. Then you can pull out the camera and click quickly, as if it was a point and shoot. The great little Voigtlander 25mm Skopar lens is not coupled, it's a scale focus lens, and therefore a perfect match for the Bessa L body which does not have a built in rangefinder. I started with the 21mm, but found the innate wide-angle distortion disturbing for shots that were not "composed" to make sure heads weren't in the corners of the frame, etc. The 25mm has a much more natural look to it, and is still very wide with the generous depth of field you'd expect from a wide-angle. You compose using the large bright & clear viewfinder that comes with the lens and fits into the flash shoe on top of the camera...much nicer than viewing through the dim ground glass of an SLR. The only drawbacks are that you'll have to remember that everything is manual, and it's easy to forget to remove the lens cap...but if you're already using vintage rangefinders, you know that. In addition, it is probably the cheapest way to try out a Voigtlander camera and lens. I think most folks on this forum would agree that the Bessa L and 25mm Skopar are a match made in heaven. And since you prefer the wide-angle end of the spectrum, on a budget...it seems like the perfect Voigtlander camera and lens for you. Hope this helps.

 

[oscroft]

most cv lenses are cheaper than than a used om 21.

I'm not sure about that - my used OM 21 cost me around £100, and my CV lenses cost a lot more than that.

 

[MikeyGaGa]

Thanks,mates

Thanks,mates

thanks for your advice,Ill look into the options. by the way,I know that this has been debated before,but i have always been happiest with the 35mm focal length as standard. My eye leads me towards street scenes and people interacting. The 50mm puts me too far away from my subject(although the perspective is superior)When i was a pro,i used 2 OM-1 bodies,one with a 35/2,the other with an 85/2;that covered all but specialized work. Wish I still had those lenses;when I closed down my studio,I sold all my Zuiko lenses(kept the bodies,bought Vivitar zooms for personal snapshots).

Mikey GaGa

 

[PlantedTao]

Go with a used Bessa R2 or R with the cv 35/2.5...my favorite street lens.
This forum is a very reliable place to get used equipment in good shape for a reasonable price. I've pick up a 35 & 50 lens here and some RFF folks helped to find me a xpan for cheaper and better condition than keh.

Cheers.
Jason