First photos Bessa R3M 50/2 Heliar

[scho]

After many years away from 35mm film, I jumped back in with a new Bessa R3M and 50mm f/2 Heliar. I intend to use it primarily for B&W and since my darkroom was dismantled long ago when I switched to digital for most of my work (I'm still using 4x5 with Polaroid type 55) I'm using chromogenic C41 stuff now in the Bessa for convenience. I put a few scans from my first walkabout with the new Bessa on my pbase site.

I like the 50mm, but I'm also thinking of getting the 28mm f/1.9 Ultron as a second lens (75mm 2.5 will be the 3rd). Will RF focusing be a problem because of viewfinder obstruction? I have a 28/35 VC minifinder that I've been using on my Ricoh GRd and assume this would be OK for viewing with the 28 Ultron on the Bessa, but what about focusing with the Bessa finder?

 

[scho]

More 50mm f/2 Heliar scans

More 50mm f/2 Heliar scans

I added a few more of my Bessa R3M 50mm f/2 Heliar walkabout shots to my pbase gallery.

Getting better (read sharper) scans now that I switched form Epson Scan to Vuescan. Doing 16 bit gray using only the green channel seems to give sharpest scans. I was somewhat ambivalent about the Heliar sharpness, but seems to be OK and bokeh is also pretty smooth.

 

[RyanG]

These are nice.

Were these taken mid-day on a cloudy day? There seems to be a large amount of mid-range tones, and it seems like the mid-range are slightly lacking in textual detail.

I've been mulling between getting the 40/1.4 nokton, or the new heliar. I imagine (and have seen a few examples that verify) that the heliar captures faces well. But the overall tonal range seems limited. Anyone else agree?

 

[Dougg]

I like the 50mm, but I'm also thinking of getting the 28mm f/1.9 Ultron as a second lens (75mm 2.5 will be the 3rd).

Welcome, Scho! Some nice Heliar shots there... If you're looking for a 28 Ultron, you might talk with Joe (RFF user name "Back Alley") as it looks like he intends to sell his.

 

[scho]

These are nice.

Were these taken mid-day on a cloudy day? There seems to be a large amount of mid-range tones, and it seems like the mid-range are slightly lacking in textual detail.

I've been mulling between getting the 40/1.4 nokton, or the new heliar. I imagine (and have seen a few examples that verify) that the heliar captures faces well. But the overall tonal range seems limited. Anyone else agree?

Thanks Ryan. These were taken on two different days, but both dull, heavy overcast with very flat lighting. I wouldn't put too much blame on lens characteristics just yet. I'll get some more whenever the sun makes a re-appearance up here (could be awhile), but meanwhile this is exactly how late fall is in this area (dull, gloomy, etc.). I'm also not 100% pleased with the level of detail that the Heliar records, but I have no basis for comparison yet with other RF lenses. Certainly doesn't capture fine detail as well as a 50mm 1.4 or 135mm 2/L on my Canon 5D, but the latter is lacking when it comes to generating good DR for B&W (which is why I went back to film with the RF). I'm also considering a 40/1.4 Nokton to use on the R3M, but I'll work with the Heliar some more before deciding on the 40.

 

[scho]

Welcome, Scho! Some nice Heliar shots there... If you're looking for a 28 Ultron, you might talk with Joe (RFF user name "Back Alley") as it looks like he intends to sell his.

Thank you for the welcome Doug. I'm still procrastinating about the 28mm and how it would perform on the Bessa R3M, but if I do decide soon to go with an Ultron I'll see if Joe still wants to sell his lens. Does any one have experience using the Ultron 1.9 on either an R3M or R3a? I might just stick with the 50/75 (and perhaps 40) on the R3M and wait for an R4M this spring to use with wides.

 

[Richard Black]

Welcome

Welcome

Welcome and I think your pics a just fine. I lived in upstate N.Y. for a year while in the Navy, and I can't think of a place with fewer days of sunshine. I'm in nw Ok and we have full sun 270 days a year, bad in summer.

As to sharpness of the Heliar I can't say but much has been said. Suggestion only, pick up some Ilford 50asa film and on a bright day shoot some stuff. I send my tradional B&W development to Images, in Az. They will print a contact sheet and then you can see the full sharpness of the lens. I love C41 B&W film but when compared to traditional it just seem to lack that bite the traditional films have. My impression only. I have some 5x7 and 8x10s with the CV 28 3.5 that are stunning. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Trius]

Another welcome Scho ... as you said, I wouldn't make any judgements about the lens. I find C41 b&w film difficult to work with from a scanning perspective. I have a mini-lab (not drugstore) do most of my C41 stuff, and a roll I picked up yesterday of the scans from Kodak 400BW doesn't look good at all. They were high-res TIFFs, and the contrast is way out of whack. It was an older roll, shot at 400, so maybe that is a factor. I think some overexposure is better with this film, but one full stop is too much, I think.

 

[Trius]

Richard: Scho may have to wait quite a while to do that test!

 

[Photog9001]

a 28 with an external finder is no problem. if you don't have anything against external finders that is... otoh, i don't seem to get along well with the 40mm lines - which is a shame cause i really like the 40mm or thereabouts as a focal length... but i'm beginning to feel that it may have plenty to do with me being "left-eyed"

 

[scho]

Welcome and I think your pics a just fine. I lived in upstate N.Y. for a year while in the Navy, and I can't think of a place with fewer days of sunshine. I'm in nw Ok and we have full sun 270 days a year, bad in summer.

As to sharpness of the Heliar I can't say but much has been said. Suggestion only, pick up some Ilford 50asa film and on a bright day shoot some stuff. I send my tradional B&W development to Images, in Az. They will print a contact sheet and then you can see the full sharpness of the lens. I love C41 B&W film but when compared to traditional it just seem to lack that bite the traditional films have. My impression only. I have some 5x7 and 8x10s with the CV 28 3.5 that are stunning. Good luck and enjoy!

Richard,

Thanks for the welcome and suggestion. I will try some Ilford 50. I used to shoot mostly tech pan with my old olympus OM-2 when I had a darkroom and just loved the grainless, sharp negatives.

 

[scho]

Another welcome Scho ... as you said, I wouldn't make any judgements about the lens. I find C41 b&w film difficult to work with from a scanning perspective. I have a mini-lab (not drugstore) do most of my C41 stuff, and a roll I picked up yesterday of the scans from Kodak 400BW doesn't look good at all. They were high-res TIFFs, and the contrast is way out of whack. It was an older roll, shot at 400, so maybe that is a factor. I think some overexposure is better with this film, but one full stop is too much, I think.

Thank you Trius. I agree that the C41 pprocess film may also contribute to the low contrast.

 

[scho]

a 28 with an external finder is no problem. if you don't have anything against external finders that is... otoh, i don't seem to get along well with the 40mm lines - which is a shame cause i really like the 40mm or thereabouts as a focal length... but i'm beginning to feel that it may have plenty to do with me being "left-eyed"

I have a mini CV 28/35 that I could use for composing, but is there any problem focusing with the R3M finder if the big Ultron is blocking the view?

 

[Sonnar2]

Recent shots scanned.

see http://www.flickr.com/photos/14734139@N00/tags/rfvoigt2050/

I use "rfvoigt2050" as a tag at flickr for this particular lens.

This one wasn't focussed very precise but shows color and bokeh very nicely. The color reminds me to the original Apo-Lanthar of the 50's, which I'm happy to own (4.5/105 LF lens). The other pictures show this lens is sharp and contrasty as well. Flare is also well controlled.

cheers

 

[thafred]

Hallo Taunusreiter!
Wo ist denn Teil II des Heliar/Sonnar vergleiches? bin schon total gespannt!!!

I love your Website btw alot of usefull and competend information!

regards
friedrich

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Welcome Scho 🙂

Re: the 28 ultron ... I use it on my CL (with 40/50 framelines) and a VC 28mm VF with no problems whatsoever. The 28 ultron is one of the gems of the VC line and will work fine on your R3M/R3A. Give it a try.

And do contact Joe as Doug suggests, I know he is thinking seriously about selling his, and he has a mint example of the lens.

good luck

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

I have a mini CV 28/35 that I could use for composing, but is there any problem focusing with the R3M finder if the big Ultron is blocking the view?

The view blockage is very very small (about 5 to 10% of the VF) at best, and no where remotely near the focusing patch. It has no effect on your focusing. If anything, using a camera without a built in frameline for 28mm, actually gives you higher magnification and higher accuracy in focusing (sort of like using the 28 ultron on the Leica .85 mag versus the Leica .58 mag).

I assure you, you will have no problems focusing with the 28 ultron. Search the RFF archives and gallery and you will find tons of members using this lens on M2, M3, M6, R2, R2A etc etc.

cheers

 

[scho]

Recent shots scanned.

see http://www.flickr.com/photos/14734139@N00/tags/rfvoigt2050/

I use "rfvoigt2050" as a tag at flickr for this particular lens.

This one wasn't focussed very precise but shows color and bokeh very nicely. The color reminds me to the original Apo-Lanthar of the 50's, which I'm happy to own (4.5/105 LF lens). The other pictures show this lens is sharp and contrasty as well. Flare is also well controlled.

cheers

Thank you very much for showing your excellent color images taken with the Heliar. I haven't shot any color film yet with mine, but your work has encouraged me to do so.

 

[scho]

The view blockage is very very small (about 5 to 10% of the VF) at best, and no where remotely near the focusing patch. It has no effect on your focusing. If anything, using a camera without a built in frameline for 28mm, actually gives you higher magnification and higher accuracy in focusing (sort of like using the 28 ultron on the Leica .85 mag versus the Leica .58 mag).

I assure you, you will have no problems focusing with the 28 ultron. Search the RFF archives and gallery and you will find tons of members using this lens on M2, M3, M6, R2, R2A etc etc.

cheers

Tom,

Thanks for your assurance on using the Ultron on my R3M. This lens is now on the top of my "must have" list.

 

[boilerdoc2]

You'll need a finder for the 28. Welcome to RFF.
You also need to have a dedicated scanner to realize the full potential of the C-41 film. Flat bed won't do it. Nikon Coolscan or Minolta 5400 are without parallel. Scans done when film developed are generally lo res and crappy usually. No substitute for doing yourself! The Heliar is a superb lens, as is the Nokton.
Steve