Fed up with Russian cameras and ready to buy a Bessa!

Spyderman said:
Especially if manufactured in 1986 - the year of the Chernobyl disaster.
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😱 HOLY $HOOKST! REALLY? I have a j-3 coming in and I think it was made around 1986.. Is there a way to tell when it was made based on the serial number?

BTW, One more vote for the bessa R. The viewfinder is great! Very very nice..
 
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My vote: Bessa R. I have the Color Skopar 35/2.5 and the black Canon 50/1.8. The camera works flawlessly and both lenses deliver the goods.

I sold the Kiev 4AM to Gene in Port Credit. Nothing wrong with the camera, but it was becoming a shelf queen due to the Bessa's superior viewfinder. Ditto for my Leica IIIf. I found the IIIf extremely difficult to see through (two tiny peepholes) because my eyesight is not what it used to be, plus the PITA loading system, but I loved the build quality of the camera and its shutter release sound. Nevertheless, I just put the IIIf on ebay (180110809720) and hope it goes to someone who loves Barnacks.

For csisfun I would recommend the Russian J8 if money is a problem. The one I currently have was something like twenty bucks.
 
ibcrewin said:
😱 HOLY $HOOKST! REALLY? I have a j-3 coming in and I think it was made around 1986.. Is there a way to tell when it was made based on the serial number?

BTW, One more vote for the bessa R. The viewfinder is great! Very very nice..
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For Jupiter lenses the first two digits of the serial number usually correspond to the year of manufacture. As far as I know, nobody has ever accused any Jupiter lens of radioactivity. The Industar-61LD has that reputation because of a rare, slightly radioactive, element mixed with the glass. Lanthanum maybe?
 
I had no problems with my I61 or j3 on my bessa-R.

Russian RF's got me back into photography, but my Fed5 crapped out, my Kiev has a light leak. I love both of them, especially the kiev. The lens on that thing takes amazing pictures. But I bought an R last year, and just recently an R2A. I haven't really looked back at all. Just too much trouble, especially at times when all I want to do is take photos - not fiddle trying to reload the kiev or hoping the curtains are ok in the fed.
 
Hi...
Here's another vote for the Bessa R. By the way, I also have the Bessa T,
and a Rostow 35mm VF is usually in the T's shoe... even tho' I have
dedicated finders for CV 25/4 & 75/2.5 lenses.

By the way: I also enjoy a recently arrived and much loved Fed-2 from
the 1960's. It's like apples & oranges; you can enjoy both... no need to
knock FSU cameras ;-)
Cheers, mike
 
i have yet to use my bessa R, i need to save money for other things but it is a really nice camera and from what i could tell the rf is bright i dont think you will be dissapointed...

i look at mine and get all excited about it, i just need to save some cash for a 35 skopar...

GO FOR IT AND GET IT!
 
"Fed up with Russian cameras..."

FED up with Russian cameras?

Sorry, had to. I'm surprised no one else got to is first. I'm either really clever or no one bothered because it was really that bad... 🙂
 
One more nod here for the Bessa R -- it's just a wonderful machine. And all this J-12 talk ... well the J-12 is OK, but there are all sorts of other (many are much better) wide angles in LTM that will work just great.
 
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I have both and love both. If I had to choose just one, it would depend on my lenses. If I needed critical focussing for fast/long lenses, I'd go for the T. My 90 2.8 Elmarit goes with the T, for example, because I don't trust myself to focus it accurately on my R bodies. Don't sweat it, because either will send your Zorki to the closet or *Bay.
 
As much as I wanted to love this, I agree, go Bessas.

T vs R is not that hard, both ways you win, they are great cameras. As Pat said, if you want to focus anything faster than a 75/2.5 or 90/3.5, you need a T. No R with do a 75/1.4, 85/2, 105/2.5 but Ts rock. The only thing they can not handle close up wide open is a 135/2.8.

I used a T for years and love it. If you are wide angle (wider than 35mm) you have to use an accessory finder. So if you have a 28, 25 or 21 on a R, you need to use an accessory finder. Not a big deal, but it can add up. With the T every lenses you have an accessory finder, or you get a zoom finder (tewe, nikon or others).

What is your budget for the new camera? Sit tight and look at the classifieds for a week or so and I bet you will find what you are looking for unless you have big bucks to spend.

B2 (;->
 
How often do you shoot up close, wide open and nail the focus? You might be the lucky one who has it just right. Most folks have issues. If you shoot outside and stop down to say f4 your DOF will cover what ever you do fine. Upclose wide open is another thing, at least for me. I've used the R I have for my son and my Nikkor 85/2 wide open and close up it just does not cut it. Put the lens on my M6 and things are fine.

B2 (;->
 
I second what BillBingham2 said. I have a Fed-2 and a Bessa-R. Shooting with a J-8 wide open at f/2, focusing is always accurate on the Fed-2. On the Bessa-R, it is more like a hit and miss, because of the short rangefinder baselength. This is my only real beef with that camera. (this, and the tilted framelines that my Bessa has).
 
Maybe it's the environment (Arizona) but I'd have to go into a bar in order to shoot wide open.

Ted
 
I started off in photography with cheaper cameras and eventually worked up to a Leica when I could afford it. There is nothing wrong in that. Besides there is a certain joy in using a less expensive camera and getting fine results. I am afraid some FSU cmaeras are quirky however as the quality control is not all it should be. So if not happy go to the next level. I have only a Jupiter 85mm f 2 lens right now and find it to be a fine lens in terms of optical quality. I was prepared for problems but luckily none.
 
Lemures-Ex said:
"Fed up with Russian cameras..."

FED up with Russian cameras?

Sorry, had to. I'm surprised no one else got to is first. I'm either really clever or no one bothered because it was really that bad... 🙂
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LoL I was gona call him on that Pun as well. I've used a Fed-2C quite well as a backup and it hasn't failed me (yet) , but I also bought the Fed-2C from a technician who had close to 50 of them with the habit of using good parts from 80% of the back cameras to build good russian bodies and tune them properly as opposed to being tuned by a Soviet Tank Mechanic. So right now its my backup to my Bessa T (all my lens currently are LTM).
 
Hi. I am putting in my recomendation for a bessa R because I have one. They are really nice cameras and like you, I was debating between the T & R. It wasn't too hard for me, mainly because I have screwmount lenses and the T takes M mount lenses and the adapter I would need would only have been an added expense. Plus I have a bessa L and use my 25/4 lens on that body. I have had some issues using a J-3 on the R but only at wide open apertures. I here the J-8 is a fantastic lens on the R and I have had good results with the I-61 and the I-50/3.5 that comes with most zorki cameras. The killer combo is the 35/2.5 color skopar. Since I got that combo a 50 rarely mounts my bessa. Have you checked Camera Quest prices with shipping. Stephen has a deal on this combo and maybe he can save you some $$. Anyhow the final dicision will have to be yours based on the kind of shooting you do. But which ever way you choose you'll be happy. But I will add that I have several different finders, and the convience of the built in finder on the R plus the quality of brightness is no comparison.
 
gbhill:

Indeed, the 35/2.5 Color Skopar on the R is hard to beat. It's on my R 90% of the time.

Ted
 
Bessa R is the way to go...

I was delighted to read in Spyderman's post, the I-26m will work OK on the R.
Re: J8's: Many of these have to be collimated [modified] to "Leica standard,"
to work perfectly on the Bessa R. I bought one from Brian Sweeney; it is superb.

I've also ordered a J12 for my Fed & Zorki, and will try it on the R as well.

Good luck!
 
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Trust me, anything with bright frame lines, as well as a modern build is going to make you much happier!

I bought an M3 with upgraded Viewfinder to allow for 35, 50, 90, and 135 framelines and it is gorgeous. The framelines were my favorite part about the camera. Before I had only used a Zorki 4K... and as far as quality... it's obvious that the Zorki felt like it was made of tin. hah.


Even so, I still enjoy using my Zorki, but ever since i've been afforded such luxuries such as not having to wind the film lever before changing exposures I've been in love.
 
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