loneranger
Well-known
Just wondering if, besides coating, there is any difference in the Heliars on bessa 1 and 2? And is the coated heliar just contrastier, is there any other difference? thanks for the help
Steve M.
Veteran
I'm not sure about the Bessa I (actually, I don't think the Heliar was even avail on that model), but I had a Bessa II w/ coated 105 Heliar, and I've owned a couple of the older Bessas w/ uncoated Heliars, and w/ Tri X and a yellow filter the shots looked close enough to say the lenses were identical. W/ color film I'm sure the coated model has more saturated colors and more contrast.
My current Bessa RF w/ uncoated Heliar outperforms my Hasselblad 80 Planar, my Rolleiflex T Tessar, and my Minolta Autocord's Rokkor, so that's some excellent company to be in. The only downside is it's a red window folder, so shooting it is slower than the cameras I mentioned. But in terms of sheer optical quality, for what I'm looking for, it can't be beat.
My current Bessa RF w/ uncoated Heliar outperforms my Hasselblad 80 Planar, my Rolleiflex T Tessar, and my Minolta Autocord's Rokkor, so that's some excellent company to be in. The only downside is it's a red window folder, so shooting it is slower than the cameras I mentioned. But in terms of sheer optical quality, for what I'm looking for, it can't be beat.
JPD
Retina and Rollei user
The Bessa I was only sold with Color-Skopar and Vaskar, and use front cell focusing. Heliar can be found on the RF Bessa (E-Bessa in german) and Bessa II. (The "Heliar" Bessa III isn't a real Heliar).
I have a RF Bessa with uncoated Heliar and love it. I bought it for €40 (ca $50) and all I had to do was to clean the shutter blades. The rangefinder is spot-on and the Heliar is excellent. I have compared it with the Color-Skopar on a Bessa I, and the Color-Skopar is a bit contrastier and feels sharper, but the Heliar has more "soul". I sold the Bessa I and kept the RF Bessa. (I already own an east german Ercona II with a coated Tessar that I use when I want to use that type of lens).
I don't feel that I would "need" the little extra contrast provided by the very expensive Bessa II. The RF Bessa with a sunshade is good enough, and I mostly shoot black and white with it.
I have a RF Bessa with uncoated Heliar and love it. I bought it for €40 (ca $50) and all I had to do was to clean the shutter blades. The rangefinder is spot-on and the Heliar is excellent. I have compared it with the Color-Skopar on a Bessa I, and the Color-Skopar is a bit contrastier and feels sharper, but the Heliar has more "soul". I sold the Bessa I and kept the RF Bessa. (I already own an east german Ercona II with a coated Tessar that I use when I want to use that type of lens).
I don't feel that I would "need" the little extra contrast provided by the very expensive Bessa II. The RF Bessa with a sunshade is good enough, and I mostly shoot black and white with it.
kuzano
Veteran
Inquiring here... Are you sure the Heliar on your RF is uncoated, even single coated????
I had a Bessa RF and was under the impression that the only lens on that model that was uncoated was the Helomar triplett, which my RF had. I thought the Heliar was (is) a 5 element lens and was single coated???
The Helomar was the "budget" lens and ranked along with the Bruanschweiger lenses as entry level.
The Heliar was the highest grade lens offered on the Bessa RF.
For those shoppers who know, the Helomar will often sell for $150 to $200 less on a Bessa RF than the Heliar equipped RF. Most often see the HELIAR RF selling in good condition for $250 to $350.
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JPD
Retina and Rollei user
Yes, it's uncoated and from 1938. The first run with no red window cover. Most RF Bessas were made before the war and have uncoated lenses. Some made after the war have single coated lenses.
The Heliar is a five element lens, but four of the elements are cemented in pairs, so it only has six glass-air surfaces just like a triplet.
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Steve M.
Veteran
Wow, you got a deal on your Bessa RF JPD! I paid nearly 10 times what you paid and still consider it a good deal. Comparing the shots from my uncoated RF to the ones from a Bessa II w/ Color Heliar I used to own, I see essentially no difference. Must be the same optical formulas, and a yellow filter takes care of the contrast difference nicely. Fantastic lens. In the same league as the Leica Summicrons, but you get a much bigger negative.
And you're correct, the Bessa I never came w/ a Heliar. All the 105 Heliars were unit focusing going back to the Inos and 6x9 roll film models, and the Bessa I didn't have a moveable bed. It takes a front cell focusing lens. The smaller 75 Heliar on the Bessa 66 and Perkeo were front cell focusing I think. I had one, and the optical quality wasn't in the same league as the Bessa RF and II Heliars.
And you're correct, the Bessa I never came w/ a Heliar. All the 105 Heliars were unit focusing going back to the Inos and 6x9 roll film models, and the Bessa I didn't have a moveable bed. It takes a front cell focusing lens. The smaller 75 Heliar on the Bessa 66 and Perkeo were front cell focusing I think. I had one, and the optical quality wasn't in the same league as the Bessa RF and II Heliars.
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monochromejrnl
Well-known
SteveM - from the BessaRF I got from you (post CLA) - TXP rated at ISO640 with the yellow filter on - souped in Diafine
