first roll of film in the bessa R

[bluedust]

I decided to shoot ilford xp2 400iso to christen my bessa r and I just shot the last eposure this afternoon. The main purpose of shooting this roll was to experiment with how the metering works, composition with an RF, focusings and working out what exposures I can hand hold. My scanner has not arrived yet so I went to Jacobs photography that do C41 development in an hour for a fair price.

I can not believe how sharp the images are; out of the 36 exposures 14 of them are keepers. That is not bad at all considering I was just getting a feel for the camera. On my digital I could easily take 36 shots on 3 subjects and bin the all. It is so easy to snap away blindly with digital; I would never leave the house with a memory card that only allowed me to take a 36 photos but I seem to manage fine with film.

The CV 35mm lens is awesome but I need a telefocal. I am seriously considering the CV 75mm. The 90 mm is far to slow. Shall I go new or used?

I have 2 digital SLRs and I am contimplating selling 1 so that I can handle the overwhelming GAS. I have only had the bessa for a few days and I am in love already.

I have never had so much fun before.

 

[GeneW]

I have never had so much fun before.

I can't advise on your choice of tele, but I'm always delighted to read about another soul successfully converted to RFdom. Enjoy! 😀

Gene

 

[back alley]

the r with 35 and 75 is a near perfect kit.

joe

 

[dostacos]

I just got my first rolls back from my Bessa R too. I think my SLRs are going to be limited to long telephoto. The Bessa isvVery sharp, I have the 35 and the 75 lens and love them both. I hand held the 35 at a 15th shooting the "volcano" at the Mirage at night as well as the atrium waterfalls during the day, I am pleased with the camera no end. I have ordered a 50/1.5 for real low light. the bad news is the R is getting the focus properly aligned [ebay special NOT new purchase] so I am RF less and using my Pentax's for my photo class

 

[bluedust]

I have the 35 and the 75 lens and love them both.

Tell me more about the 75 lens; that is on my wish list big time. What is the bokeh like? If you have any shots with it I would like to see them.

The next lens on my list is the 50 1.5 too.

 

[dostacos]

Tell me more about the 75 lens; that is on my wish list big time. What is the bokeh like? If you have any shots with it I would like to see them.

The next lens on my list is the 50 1.5 too.

I am not the guy to ask about bokeh 😱 and I don't have a scanner yet so I cannot share....

my shots of Red Rock canyon in nevada look sharp to the edge, but then it is a landscape shot. I always shot fast, wide open with my SLRs and I am now playing with slower and smaller for the increased depth of field with the Bessa R [well I would be if it was not being adjusted 🙁 ...]

I cannot wait for it's return

 

[petebown]

The 90mm lens maybe a bit slow, but if it were any brighter you wouldn't be able to focus it at maximum aperture. It is an APO lens - the 75mm isn't.

 

[Ctho]

I can not believe how sharp the images are; out of the 36 exposures 14 of them are keepers. That is not bad at all considering I was just getting a feel for the camera. On my digital I could easily take 36 shots on 3 subjects and bin the all.

Nice article to share with all.

http://wilson.dynu.net/dilution.asp

 

[bmattock]

The 90mm lens maybe a bit slow, but if it were any brighter you wouldn't be able to focus it at maximum aperture. It is an APO lens - the 75mm isn't.

I don't know if I buy that - I am able to accurately focus my 85mm f1.9 Canon Serenar just fine - same with my A. Schacht Travenar 90mm f2.8. Both wide-open, portrait distance, focus is spot-on. I use a Bessa R as well.

Of course, I also routinely use various flavors of 135 LTM lenses on my R as well, and am just as often told that 'you can't focus a 135 on a Bessa R.' OK, well, I guess I ain't focusing then. Just looks that way! (grin)

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[pvdhaar]

I don't know if I buy that - I am able to accurately focus my 85mm f1.9 Canon Serenar just fine - same with my A. Schacht Travenar 90mm f2.8. Both wide-open, portrait distance, focus is spot-on. I use a Bessa R as well.

Of course, I also routinely use various flavors of 135 LTM lenses on my R as well, and am just as often told that 'you can't focus a 135 on a Bessa R.' OK, well, I guess I ain't focusing then. Just looks that way! (grin)

I've used a CV90 on a rangefinder, and I agree that focussing was never the problem. It was the framing that gave me shivers. These framelines for the 90 were so small, that I had compose very loosely. Ok, granted, that was 90 on a 0.6x finder, but I imagine that it's the same kind of fun you're having with a 135.

 

[petebown]

I find that the CV90 on my Bessa R tends to focus about an inch out when used at maximum aperture and the minimum focusing distance. The RF could be slightly out but its more likely operator error... The depth of field is no more that about 2 inches at this distance and aperture. Its fine when focused at other distances. Anything brighter than this lens may be difficult to focus at distances other than the minimum. However, I only talking theoretically... I've never tried a brighter or longer lens than this on a rangefinder.

The CV90 is a cracking lens and worth considering. I prefer to sacrifice maximim aperture for image quality.

One thing to note though, when the CV90 is used with its lens hood its visible in the framelines.

Pete

Bessa R, 25mm f4 Skopar, 35mm f2.5 Classic, 50mm f2.5 Skopar, 90mm f3.5 Lanthar