rivyr -- you realize of course you're going to stir up a (friendly) hornets' nest with this question of yours! 🙂
I have owned, through the course of time, a Zeiss Ikon, a Bessa R3A, and a Leica M6 (non-TTL). They're all great cameras. I've had a great time shooting with each of them.
My (entirely subjective) impressions:
Bessa
Pros: a great camera for the price, especially if you can find one used. The viewfinder is big and bright. The Bessa is easy to use and very well-made. The AE is very handy and reasonably accurate. Fast 1/2000th shutter speed, which is much faster than Leica. Quick 1/125th shutter sync, again faster than Leica.
Cons: 100% battery dependent operation. Definitely does not have that tangible Leica build quality. The AE on my R3A has inexplicably been confused occasionally, resulting in under-exposed shots. AE-lock button is awkward and only retains the lock while being pressed. Framelines are manually set, which means you have to remember to flick the selector switch whenever you change focal lengths.
Zeiss Ikon
Pros: Very well-designed camera. Beautifully bright viewfinder. Auto framelines (with numbering) are wonderful. AE is fabulous (the AE design on the Zeiss is a slightly better design than the Bessa, from what I understand). AE lock has better placement than the Bessa, and retains the lock without needing to be pressed in. The alloy body is nicer than the Bessa.
Cons: 100% battery dependent operation. The LEDs on the Zeiss Ikon are sometimes hard to discern -- and I don't even wear glasses. The traveling leaf shutter on my Zeiss has inexplicably jammed -- causing me a lot of worry. It mysteriously fixed itself. The ISO selection dial on my Zeiss has broken, through no mistreatment on my part. Needless to say, this is the first 'pro' rangefinder that I've owned that will be requiring service.
Generally, the shared DNA between the Bessa and the Zeiss gives me pause for thought. The viewfinder and shared AE / shutter technology are almost identical. You can tell when you look through the viewfinders of both -- the Cosina technology is evident in both machines. The shutter also sounds the same on both cameras. So what exactly is a photographer paying for with the Zeiss Ikon? A slightly nicer alloy body? A slightly longer rangefinder base length? These are minor benefits, IMHO.
I think Zeiss could have (should have) done a better job at making this camera a true contender for the Leica M6 or M7 ... in the end, it feels like a prettied-up Bessa with nicer bone structure than its plane-Jane cousin.
If you can find a Zeiss Ikon used for a reasonable price, I'd say go for it. I would never buy one brand new. They don't hold their value in the used market that well (a used one sells for roughly 50-60% of the new price), and a Bessa is not a very different camera. Heretical, I know. But I've owned both for about 2 years now, and that's my experience.
Leica M6
Pros: It's a Leica.
No, seriously. You can feel it when you hold it in your hands. It's heavier than the Bessa or Zeiss, and exudes quality. It's a finely crafted instrument. Exquisite. A tactile pleasure. I love mine to death.
More pros: simple center-weighted spot metering, which is very reliable once you understand how it responds. Very quiet shutter (much quieter than the Zeiss Ikon). Excellent viewfinder with auto framelines. Durable construction (the cloth shutter is supposedly rated for 400,000 actuations). Easy on batteries, and more importantly, 100% functional without batteries. Another big pro: because the 'newest' M6 is now almost 14 years old, they have fully depreciated. You can always re-sell it for roughly what you paid for it. If anything, prices for clean M6 bodies are creeping upwards.
Cons: No AE. Framelines are not numbered. Viewfinder is not as bright as the Bessa / Zeiss. Quirky bottom-loading film system (really isn't bad once you get used to it). The non-TTL M6 has a smallish shutter speed dial, which means some awkward finger fumbling while you're composing a shot with the camera held to your eye. Another con: the 'newest' M6 is now almost 14 years old (see earlier comment) -- so chances are any M6 will need a CLA / tune up in the not-distant future. I think mine needs an oil change and a tire-rotation.
Verdict? Short of actually borrowing / renting each of these cameras, I would suggest looking at your budget and making a list of the qualities you're looking for in a rangefinder. What is important to you? Auto-exposure? Super-fast shutter speed? Old-world quality? In the end, only you are the one who can make the correct decision.
Any of these cameras can take fabulous pictures. After all, they're ultimately just metal boxes that you stick a lens onto. It's the mind behind the camera that makes the photo. 🙂
Good luck with your search!
