Happy new Bessa-R owner

P

photobizzz

Speak of the Devil
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Just received my Bessa-R in the mail from cameraquest. I am so glad I decided to go with a newer style body. Dont get me wrong I love the feel of the classic Barnack cameras but they have nothing on this viewfinder. I am sure that the more expensive Bessa's and Leica M's are even nicer but I am satisfied with this. I think I might even buy another body just to keep incase they stop making the R body. Popped my Canon Serenar 50/1.8 on it an started shooting. Cant wait to post some photos.

:D
 
Dont get me wrong I love the feel of the classic Barnack cameras but they have nothing on this viewfinder. I am sure that the more expensive Bessa's and Leica M's are even nicer but I am satisfied with this
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I've had a Bessa-R, and I now have a Leica M6 and a Bessa-R4A (I would have kept the R too if I could, but I needed to sell it to help raise the cash for the R4A). And to be honest, I don't think there's much to choose between the quality of the viewfinders. The viewfinder of the R really is first class - I hope you enjoy using it :D
 
Just noticing that the RF patch is not directly centered in the frame lines, it is a bit high of center, is this the same on the rest of your cameras?
 
Just noticing that the RF patch is not directly centered in the frame lines
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That's because the framelines themselves move when you focus, in order to correct for parallax - the RF patch is fixed in the centre of the VF and doesn't move with them.
 
Congrats! I'm an happy owner of a BessaR too :)
Did you already tried with the orion 15? what are your impression?
Ciao
 
I have taken a couple of shots with the Orion, the focusing is kind of touchy as the throw is short on that particular lens but it seems to work fine. The only issue with the Orion is that I have a UV filter on the lens and I have to take it off to change the apature...so I usually leave it on 11 or 16. Thanks for the info on the VF/RF, just wanted to make sure. I bought a nice wrist strap for mine, I prefer to not use a neck strap if possible. I do use one with my DSLR sometimes just because with a big lens it gets heavy after a while.
 
photobizzz said:
I think I might even buy another body just to keep incase they stop making the R body.
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The R has been out of production for more than a few years. Stephen posted a month or two back that he had only a few R bodies left.

I think the R is a real classic; you'll be very happy with yours. If you have the cash, pick up the LTM Voigtlander 28mm f/3.5 Skopar. A great lens, and it's faster and easier to use than the Orion-15. Unfortunately the Skopar is also out of production, but, I think, still available new.
 
Enjoy, a great camera. I love mine. One that I'll never sell. Just remember not to wind the film advance too quickly or too violently after taking a photo. Mine jammed this way.
 
Mine arrived yesterday!! I have a russian 50 on the way too. Got mine with the 21/4 Voigtlander, and it's the first time I've focused w/ range finder. What a diffirence with the Nikon d80 .....

Film should arrive today!!

Can't wait to get snapping

Dave
 
photobizzz said:
Just received my Bessa-R in the mail from cameraquest. I am so glad I decided to go with a newer style body. Dont get me wrong I love the feel of the classic Barnack cameras but they have nothing on this viewfinder. I am sure that the more expensive Bessa's and Leica M's are even nicer but I am satisfied with this. I think I might even buy another body just to keep incase they stop making the R body. Popped my Canon Serenar 50/1.8 on it an started shooting. Cant wait to post some photos.

:D
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Colin: I regard the Bessa-R as a modern classic of sorts. It's one of the key factors in the "Rangefinder Revival" IMO. It has allowed those of modest means to own a modern, flexible, and reliable interchangeable-lens rangefinder at very reasonable cost. It's one of the cameras I reach for when I need to take pictures and really get the shot in the can reiliably and without messing around.
 
That was very well said David. I find the CV 35 Skopar and 75 Heliar to be a good match with the Bessa R, making for a light weight, compact kit.
 
photobizzz said:
Just received my Bessa-R in the mail from cameraquest. I am so glad I decided to go with a newer style body. Dont get me wrong I love the feel of the classic Barnack cameras but they have nothing on this viewfinder. I am sure that the more expensive Bessa's and Leica M's are even nicer but I am satisfied with this. I think I might even buy another body just to keep incase they stop making the R body. Popped my Canon Serenar 50/1.8 on it an started shooting. Cant wait to post some photos.

:D
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Congrats on the bessa R. I love mine. I would be real interested to hear your take on that Canon serenar 50/1.8 on your R when you can. I have a j-3 that is more of a miss than a hit when I shoot it wide open and I would like to get a good 50 for mine. So I would like to know your thoughts.
 
The R is one of the better values out there, I think. I am also a happy R owner. With my varied assortment of LTM lenses, the R has worked well for me. I am currently using either a J-8 or a Canon 50/1.8 as my normal and liking both pretty well. I'm thinking about a faster 50 but haven't got serious about that yet.
The one lens I miss using is the J-12; one of my favorite 35's but the sample I have won't work on my R.
The CV75 looks interesting but the CV lens I'm really wanting now is the CV15. I have the teles well covered but my CV21 is starting to feel a bit narrow sometimes.
Enjoy your R!
Rob
 
rbiemer if you look on evilbay you can pick up a CV 15 with finder for $269. I will post a few photos from the Canon 50 once I get this roll developed. I also just found out from Mr Gandy that he is completely out of the Bessa-R. I was thinking of buying on and putting it in the closet for a rainy day but I will have to find one elsewhere.
 
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