Getting Started again; Bessa R3a?

[joeyjoe]

Hello everyone. I've taken a pretty long hiatus from photography as a whole and from these forums for about 4-5 years. It's been interesting to see my old gallery and stuff that I have photographed as if they weren't taken by me. Very weird.

I have been annoyed with digital photos in general due to their generally smaller/poorer viewfinders. The camera that I have been using lately is my Canon 20d. I want to get back into having a small, portable, high-quality camera regularly. I used to carry my Canonet QL17 GIII around quite a bit and have taken some of my very best photographs with it, however I'm looking to step up a bit and look into a Bessa R3a. I really like the idea of a 1:1 viewfinder. I also really liked the 40mm perspective of my Canonet and would be looking into picking up the 40mm 1.4 Nokton to go with the R3a

I like AE (particularly aperature priority) but was wondering if the R2a would be a better choice since they are more available used, however I figured that it would be "safer" (focusing-wise)to run wider lenses with an accessory finder than longer lenses. Is this assumption correct? I would mostly be doing "snapshots" and street photos with 40mm and wider with the occasional portrait session here & there.

I also plan to shoot a ton of hp5 (my staple, a couple years ago) and scan the negatives.

Lastly, any tips for someone who has taken a long leave from recreational photography? I think the convenience of digital has something to do with why I stopped taking pictures.

 

[Austerby]

The R3A and 40mm combination is one of the finest in all my rangefinder experience, which includes modern and vintage Leicas and Zeiss Ikons. I've sold off others but have held onto these two as they're so complementary to each other and to good film usage.

If you are looking to use wider lenses then there is sense in the R2A of course but I do sometimes stick my 28mm Ultron on the R3A anyway and shoot away - you soon get the principle of the angle of view.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

My first Bessa was the R3A with the 40/1.4 Nokton. A great combination and a sensational viewfinder, as you've noted. With AE it's very convenient and quick in use but you can go manual if you wish as well. With it I bought a 25/4 and the 75/2.5. For the 25 I needed the supplementary viewfinder, of course. (Also got a 15/4 but that's not what you're asking).
I've since acquired an R4A second hand and with it the 35/2.5 and 50/2.5 lenses. I use the 25mm lens a lot when travelling and so the R4A has become my main user at the moment. The 50mm viewfinder frame is relatively small on the R4A but it has the advantage of viewfinder frames for a number of WA lenses from 21 up to 50mm.

I think your decision on which camera depends in part in what lenses other than the 40/50 length you might want to use and then considering the viewfinder frames in the three models. If you mainly want to use 40mm then the R3A is a lay down misere. If you want to use wider than 40mm then you either need to consider the R2A (frames for 35/50/75/90) or the R4A which covers 21mm to 50mm (but only 35 - not 40) but either way you'll probably end up wanting a supplementary viewfinder - either for a WA lens with the R3A or R2A or a longer focal length with the R4A.

 

[payasam]

If I didn't already have a Leica M based kit -- and if I didn't find it so damn difficult to use anything other than an M -- I'd probably have an R3A with just two lenses, a 40 and a 90. There are advantages, of course, in replacing the 90 with a 75.

 

[kehng]

I had a R3A with the 40mm and the 15mm vc lenses which I took on my travels last year. This combo was hugely satisfying both in use and when i got my negs developed. I have since upgraded to a M7 which I love to bits but when I look at the photos from that trip I do wonder if the gains are that substantial. The R3A + 40mm is a fantastic combination and I would recommend it highly. Great for portraits, street, etc. The body is a little quirky but is a well made Japanese tool. Sure it isn't as well crafted as a Leica but all the functions and ergonomics are excellent for the price. Also the ever ready case can be got quite cheaply and i thought that was a good addition with the 40mm. Although others have mentioned 35mm and 50mm frames on the R4A the 40mm is perfectly fine and better value for money for the similar vc 35mm. I think you will be really happy if you do get it.

 

[joeyjoe]

I think your decision on which camera depends in part in what lenses other than the 40/50 length you might want to use and then considering the viewfinder frames in the three models. If you mainly want to use 40mm then the R3A is a lay down misere. If you want to use wider than 40mm then you either need to consider the R2A

I imagine that I will be doing 75% of my shooting with the 40mm. I have gotten used to, and thoroughly enjoy, that angle of view. 20% would probably done with something wider and 5% with something longer, like a 75mm for portraits.

The main reason that I wouldn't want to go to an R2a is due to the 1:1 viewfinder on the r3a. I got to try out an M6 at a store once and I thought it was outstanding being able to leave your eyes open and shoot.

I guess the question is if the 1:1 viewfinder that big of a deal? or does the nostalgia wear off?

 

[Spleenrippa]

I'm left eye dominant and do the squinting act on every other cam, but when I use my R3A I switch over to my right so that I can see with both. I wouldn't say that the novelty will ever wear off, but YMMV.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

I imagine that I will be doing 75% of my shooting with the 40mm. I have gotten used to, and thoroughly enjoy, that angle of view. 20% would probably done with something wider and 5% with something longer, like a 75mm for portraits.

The main reason that I wouldn't want to go to an R2a is due to the 1:1 viewfinder on the r3a. I got to try out an M6 at a store once and I thought it was outstanding being able to leave your eyes open and shoot.

I guess the question is if the 1:1 viewfinder that big of a deal? or does the nostalgia wear off?

I think the R3A viewfinder is GREAT! Especially for the 40mm lens. Better than anything else.
Sounds like a good setup for what you want to do would be the R3A (framelines cover 40mm and 75mm focal lengths) and a 25/4 CV or similar M mount 24mm lens - for which you'd need an accessory viewfinder.

 

[aizan]

using a 1:1 viewfinder is supposed to make the camera intrude less, but it actually does the opposite. it's paradoxically less disturbing to use the one-eyed viewing method.