Is the Bessa -R a good rangefinder ?

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juza

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i was thinking of getting the Bessa R3m but i came across the Bessa R instead.

is it as good as the Bessa R3M ? or is it better ?

Is a second hand Bessa R worth getting ?
 
A quick and short answer: YES, it´s a good camera, worth getting.

It´s not as good as the R3M which has a better, improved build quality.

Thomas
 
I recently got one off a fellow RFF'r and think its great! BUT if I could afford an R3M (or R2 or R2M or R4M) I would get that, the M mount allows more possibilities. But I cant so am VERY happy and satisfied with my R.
 
What in the world could be wrong with the camera that revived rangefinder photography for a broad audience? As long as you're aware that it only takes LTM lenses, and won't mount M-bayonet lenses, you can have a perfect time with one.
 
juza said:
Is a second hand Bessa R worth getting ?
Click to expand...

Hello Juza,
I guess the R3M has a better built and the M mount is surely a plus for the wider range of disposable lenses but I bought my second hand Bessa R from a fellow member here and I had lot of fun using it.
Ciao
 
Without having any other bessa's to compare it to..

Things I like about it:
-fast shutter 1/2000th
-3200 ISO
-Super bright viewfinder
-compact and light, yet feels well built

Things that I don't like:
-loud 'springy' sounding shutter
...I guess that's the big thing, if I think of anything else I'll add it.
 
I bought my Bessa R many years ago as experiment, just to give a try. Now is the most used among my cameras. The LTM mount is the only limit if you think in future to upgrade to a camera with an M mount and keep the BessaR as second body, but it is only an idea. If you think to keep that camera and take many pictures with it...it s a great camera !
rob
 
One feature of the Bessa R that I like better than the later models: You can use the meter regardless of whether the shutter is tensioned or not. The drawback to this is that if you pack the camera away with the shutter button pressed down, you'll drain the battery! But that's a pretty small risk -- you can always take the batteries out.
 
I like mine well enough that I bought a second one after I foolishly sold the first one. After using several other LTM cameras, I realized that I had been dumb to part wi the R so I bought another one.
Worth buying used? Sure if you get one that's not been mistreated.
Mr. Gandy(Cameraquest) has a few new ones left(or did. I guess they could be all gone by now) and the price is pretty good--especially if you get either the 35mm or the 25mm lens with the camera.
Rob
 
It's a great value for the money. A good basic camera that has everything you could need. Unless you want AE of course, which i don't.
 
The R was the first Viewfinder/Rangefinder combo that CV built. I have one that I got for my son to use. I have other Bessas (L and T) and several Leicas (M4-P, M6, IIIa) and a Nikon S3 2000. When I got the R from Stephen I was amazed at how bright the viewfinder was. While there is a lot more plastic on the camera than on my Nikon or Leicas, I used the L and T a LOT over the past years and they have held up fine. My son does not use his camera as much as I do so I can not comment on the Rs robustness. For me, LTM is a pain in the butt. I’m an M or S sort of guy, I like the ease of mounting it brings.

The R3X takes a rapidwinder which IMHO is the most fun and useful accessory that CV has made. Priced at about $160 USD new, it allows a camera to hang from it’s right side over your shoulder. My favorite way to hang a camera, it just feels better and is very fast to bring into shooting position. The R sadly does not take a winder. It and the L are the only 2 Bessas that do not.

From all comments I have read on the R3X it is a much sturdier build than the R. I can tell you that the T seems better than the R or the L. The T and the R2 are part of the second generation of CV Bessas, the R and the L are the first.

Is a used R worth it, only you can answer that question. I think new Rs are still available. I’m not sure what the delta is between a used one vs a new one. New ones come with a warrantee which might be handy. Of all the Bessa stuff I have ever purchased, I have only sent one item back for service. A very early 40/1.4 that was too stiff focusing for my liking, it came back perfect. Never had any reason to send any of the cameras back.

If this Bessa is going to be your first RF, if you can, buy it new. If it is your second body, used is fine. If you are building a set of new lenses and most of them are M, you might be better off with a T as a second body. If I were going to start over from scratch again today in Leica M mount cameras I would go with a R4A and a R3M. Price for the value is unmatched. Their viewfinders are as bright or brighter than a Leica. Are they as robust, no, but I can buy four or five new Bessas for the price of one new Leica.

B2 (;->
 
I had an R and sold it. Within a week I realized I had made a serious error and immediately bought another one - from an rff member - and never looked back.

The viewfinder is a bright treasure.

Ted
 
I bought my R used, and have never had a problem with it. It feels a little "plasticy" compared to a Nikon or something similar, but it's well made and reasonably robust. I love this little camera!
 
okay. i think i found a new target. which is the Bessa R.
it sounds really impressive and now it seems as if i need to have one.

is it good to be used with a nokton 50mm/f1.5 ? cause to my knowledge it doesnt have framelines for a 50. which means i would have to use an external viewfinder with the lens . Am i right or did i left something out ?
 
It DOES have 50 framelines!

it has 75, 35/90 and 50!

1445179150_a0a2d46b2d_o.jpg
 
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juza said:
okay. i think i found a new target. which is the Bessa R.
it sounds really impressive and now it seems as if i need to have one.

is it good to be used with a nokton 50mm/f1.5 ? cause to my knowledge it doesnt have framelines for a 50. which means i would have to use an external viewfinder with the lens . Am i right or did i left something out ?
Click to expand...

It has framelines for 35, 50, 75, and 90. You should get good results with the Nokton; I use a 50mm/f1.5 Jupiter 3 on mine all the time.
 
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