Just got R and CV 75mm

[nihraguk]

Just received the Bessa R body I bought from gregarpp off RFF. Its gorgeous in black with the CV 75mm... very ergonomic and compact. This is my first interchangeable-lens RF, and I love the smaller footprint of the kit compared to my SLR.

I actually prefer the Bessa L's metering display to the R. Don't like having the metering indicators within the VF as well... makes for more clutter and it means you have to bring the camera up to your eye to focus, compose as well as meter. The Bessa L has the metering LEDs located on the camera body itself, so you can meter without attracting attention.

Attempted to take some candid portraits at a dinner gathering, and developed a process whereby I would bring the camera to my eye to frame, focus and meter first (at which point the subject would assume a posed, non-candid expression) and then put the camera back down on the table without releasing the shutter. At the next photo opportunity I would then quickly raise the camera and shoot, since everything else would already have been adjusted during the first 'pretended' shot.

The camera arrived in excellent condition, nicely packaged and entirely as described by gregarpp. Thanks, Greg! 🙂

Will get round to uploading shots once I finish this first roll of Fuji NPS.

 

[szekiat]

greg, why not just do a general meter of the room, lights tend to be rather constant indoors. can also guesstimate the focusing dist too. That way, u only raise the camera up once. I tend to find a wall and meter off it knowing that the value will be about 1.5stops under.

 

[clarence]

I also prefocus, meter and feint the first shot, before taking the proper shot later. Wouldn't guesstimating the focal distance be a bit hard with a 75mm? I'm not sure since I haven't used that focal length before. On my Jupiter 9 85mm it's not quite possible to do that.

Szekiat, about metering off the wall: Do you mean that you will compensate for exposure by opening up the aperture or decreasing shutter speed by 1.5 stops, assuming the wall is cream-coloured?

Clarence

 

[Justin Low]

I have a Bessa R2, and I too find the LEDs in the viewfinder distracting. My solution: remove the batteries from the camera and use a handheld meter.

 

[nihraguk]

Justin: I would do so, but I find that a handheld meter slows me down for my purposes.

 

[Talisker]

I don't have any problems with the LEDs in the R2 viewfinder (I've been used to them for over 25 years in my Pentax MX!), as long as I'm not using an accessory finder - then it becomes a real pain and I'd rather use the T, which has the same arrangement as the L. I would balk at guesstimating focussing distances with the 75mm.

 

[szekiat]

for me guesstimating the position to within 5-10cm helps cut down the focussing time. As for the metering bit. Depends on what you need more, dof or shutter speed. I normally shoot wide open so decreasing speed is the only option. Essentially, the correct exposure for the wall, and indeed the room should be 1.5stops more than what your camera shows u. Either that or i've been doing it wrong all my life (which is a possibility)..........