Got Body. Need Glass

[Scamper]

I have been eyeing the Bessa R for quite a while now and finally pulled the trigger on a used R from Robert White. Very exited to have this in my hands.

But...

I need a lens. I am FSU bound.

Should I take a chance on a ebay Jupiter or wait for one to show up here on rff?

At this point, I am looking at the Jupiter 8 and/or Jupiter 9. Both lenses seem to be exactly what I want.

-Hank

 

[rover]

I have had 2 late black J8s, both were excellent. The J9 lenses tend to need to be re-shimmed to the correct back focus of a true Leica LTM camera, you may want to shop carefully for one. Good luck.

 

[brachal]

I use the Jupiter 8 and Jupiter 9 all the time with my Bessa R, and haven't had any problems with them. I also regularly use a Jupiter 3, Industar 61LD, and Jupiter 11 -- all have worked well and I'm very happy with all of them. If you can find a good Jupiter 3, I would recommend one of those. More expensive, but faster and better overall (IMO) than the Jupiter 8.

There's a chance that some FSU lenses won't close focus wide-open and up-close on a Bessa -- the Soviets used a slightly different focal standard -- but variations in manufacturing may or may not cover it. You probably won't notice on a 50mm lens unless you shoot f/2.8 or wider at 1 meter or so. I've never noticed it personally, but I don't shoot that way very often. Truthfully, with my eyesight and the short R finder length, focusing f/1.5 at 2meters is going to be a crapshoot anyway.

I've only ebay'd one lens (the J11), and it's fine, but I wouldn't make a habit of it. If nothing pops up here try these dealers:

http://www.okvintagecamera.com/
http://www.fedka.com/

both are first-rate. You can be almost certain of getting a good lens from either Oleg or Yuri. Both can also arrange to have any lens you buy adjusted to the R's focal standard.

 

[petebown]

May be worth looking at the Industar 61 as well as Jupiter. My father uses an Industar and he's very pleased with it... It works well on the Bessa R.

 

[kshapero]

Beg, borrow or steal a CV 40mm f1.4.

 

[Scamper]

industar

industar

Yeah, I have been browsing the industar pics on flickr as well. I love that site as a buying guide!

Well, my Bessa body fell through (RW had already sold it and hadn't updated their site) and I am on to classifieds for one as well. Lovely 🙂

 

[jamiewakeham]

Is the Bessa R's effective base length really enough to focus a J-3 or a J-9, wide-open and close-up? I don't know, I've never tried a Bessa - it's an honest question!

Jamie

 

[Uwe_Nds]

Yeah, I have been browsing the industar pics on flickr as well. I love that site as a buying guide!

Well, my Bessa body fell through (RW had already sold it and hadn't updated their site) and I am on to classifieds for one as well. Lovely 🙂

So check out the head bartender's site then. Very good offer, quick delivery to Europe.

Best regards,
Uwe

 

[Sparrow]

Is the Bessa R's effective base length really enough to focus a J-3 or a J-9, wide-open and close-up? I don't know, I've never tried a Bessa - it's an honest question!

Jamie
__________________
Canonet QL-17 --- Zorki 1

Subjectively the base length makes no difference to the photographer focusing the lens, a shorter base-length just requires the manufacturer to hold tighter tolerances

 

[payasam]

To that cry from the Cotswolds, I shall add that an I-61 L/D is easy to find and inexpensive. I have developed a considerable respect for the lens.

 

[oscroft]

Beg, borrow or steal a CV 40mm f1.4

That's not much use - a bayonet mount lens won't fit on the Bessa-R

 

[oscroft]

Well, my Bessa body fell through (RW had already sold it and hadn't updated their site) and I am on to classifieds for one as well

As it happens, I've just listed one on eBay UK, here. (I wouldn't normally try to promote it here, so I apologise if thus is out of order, but I'm just trying to help with a specific need). You'd get a full money-back guarantee if you were less than happy with it.

Best,

 

[Scamper]

I noticed your auction, but did not know that you were from here. If my deal here doesn't go through, I will ping you.

 

[oscroft]

I noticed your auction, but did not know that you were from here. If my deal here doesn't go through, I will ping you

Best of luck whichever one you go for 🙂

 

[jamiewakeham]

Subjectively the base length makes no difference to the photographer focusing the lens, a shorter base-length just requires the manufacturer to hold tighter tolerances

Really? Surely small focussing errors (made by the photographer) in the VF are magnified more by shorter EBL? If not, why is an M3 better than an M2 for focussing a noctilux?

Jamie

 

[Sparrow]

Because the magnification is greater on the M3
an R3a is easier to focus than a M2 despite the base length being shorter

 

[Avotius]

go for some of that great cheap canon glass!

 

[brachal]

To that cry from the Cotswolds, I shall add that an I-61 L/D is easy to find and inexpensive. I have developed a considerable respect for the lens.

The I-61 L/D is impossible to beat for the price. I got a new example for $40 with a mint Fed-5 still attached! I think this is one of the sharpest lenses around, and very contrasty -- also the only LTM FSU with click-stops. My only complaint is that the aperture range is a little limited, f/2.8 => f/16. I usually reach for my Jupiter 8 over the industar because it gives me another stop in each direction.

 

[oscroft]

Because the magnification is greater on the M3
an R3a is easier to focus than a M2 despite the base length being shorter

It's the effective base length that counts (and is what people are generally referring to when they do comparisons), and that is a function of both the physical base length and the magnification.

 

[brachal]

Is the Bessa R's effective base length really enough to focus a J-3 or a J-9, wide-open and close-up? I don't know, I've never tried a Bessa - it's an honest question!

Jamie

It can be done, but there would probably be some luck involved. Some people say you can't accurately focus a 135mm lens wide-open and close-up on an R, but it's been done. Take extra time and care focusing. If that type of shooting, with those lenses, is a requirement, make sure to have them adjusted to the Leica focal standard.