Lens adaptor or Bessa L?

[DHu]

I am planning to add a wide lens to my setup which currently consists of an R2 and a 50/1.5. I know I could use the same adaptor but after trying to unscrew the 50 a few times for practice, I realized what a pain it was.

So do y'all just buy the Bessa L instead so that the wide has a dedicated body? I notice the adaptor is $55, and the L is $69. So for $14 more I get an extra body to fondle with...isn't it a sweeter deal? Anything bad about the L that it's price has dropped so much?

 

[JohnM]

Nothing wrong with the L at all; considering the price, I don't know why everyone doesn't have one. Manolo is right - if you're looking towards something 28 or longer, get the adapter. If you're looking at the 25 or wider, get the L and never look back!

 

[newspaperguy]

My wide stays on my L.

L as in Love it.

Rick

 

[tedwhite]

Rick:

Seeing as you have both the Bessa R and the Bessa L (and thanks to your loan of a Kiev 4A so I could get my RF feet wet, I now have a new Bessa R) is the sound of the shutter release on the L about the same as the R?

My God, for $69 how can one go wrong? The real expense, obviously, is the lens.

I am now contemplating the L. Clearly, there is no end to this.

Ted

 

[DHu]

Thanks guys. Yep, can't really go wrong with a $69 camera body, I just needed someone to twist my arm 🙂

 

[JohnM]

The L's shutter sound resonates a bit more than it does in the R; it is not whisper quiet, but none of the Bessa's are. I don't really pay much attention to it.

Again, for $70, everyone should have one.

 

[Doug]

If you have any appreciation for weirdness, you can't really pass up a Bessa-L for $69! consider it has TTL metering, but no viewfinder. That's weird. When I bought the 15 and 25mm lenses some years back, the salesguy pointed out the L body came in combination with the 25 for only $100 more. At about the same price as a Leica screw-mount adaptor, I jumped for it, obvious choice!

 

[RML]

Get the L anyway.

And adapters don't need to cost $55. From Merkle Camera you can buy Marumi adapters for $30. They're good (both the adapters and MC). Many of us now use these adapters.