Modding Bessa L or J12???

[NL2377]

I've been wanting to get a j12 and bessa L for a while now, but after some research, have found that they most likely will not be compatible with one another. I Have also read that there is a possibility that some of the later J12s can mount some Bessas... so I have a couple of questions:

Is It possible to alter the Bessa L body in order to fit a J12 on it (IE relocate the meter without creating a substantial difference in metering (0r if there is a way to alter the metering circuitry to be more accurate with a 12 on?

What would happen if I were to include a spacer between the lens and the camera, just enough so that the lens would fit snug, but wouldnt make contact with the parts of the camera? Im guessing that focus to infinity would be lost, distortion would be higher, DOF would be shallower, and that the focusing scale would be off slightly, but my question is more or less by how much?

Are there any inexpensive alternative lenses (35mm or wider) that would fit the body better w/o modification and still allow metering?


Thanks for your help in advance. -Nick

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

I would say look for a used Canon Serrenar or leica lens.

 

[RML]

It might be cheaper to get a $20 FED and stick the J12 on that. BTW, the J12 also fits on the Leica M series and on the R-D1.

 

[BrianPhotog]

Maybe it's because I don't trust my hands that much, but I would recommend against hacking the lens and the L to get them together. I would second RMLs opinion on just getting a FED. Heck, you can probably get a FED with a Jupiter-8 attached for twenty bucks!

(and the jupiter 8 meters fine on the L) 😛

 

[NL2377]

Thanks for your comments... unfortunately, the fed doesnt have exactly what Im looking for (fast shutter speeds, unobtrusive body, etc...) the j8 does seem to be a nice little lens, though... I do have a fed otw, btw.

 

[RML]

A FED is not inobtrusive? IMO a FED-2 is even more inobtrusive than the Bessa L, and I have both.

Just curious, but why do you need fast shutter speeds? I usually don't shoot faster than 1/500, which is a FED's highest speed. Admittedly, sometimes it would be nice to have 1/1000 but I hardly sweat over that. I now exclusively use my R-D1, which goes to 1/2000. I can't even remember if I ever used 1/1000, let alone 1/2000. I normally just select a smaller aperture.

 

[NL2377]

A FED is not inobtrusive? IMO a FED-2 is even more inobtrusive than the Bessa L, and I have both.

Just curious, but why do you need fast shutter speeds? I usually don't shoot faster than 1/500, which is a FED's highest speed. Admittedly, sometimes it would be nice to have 1/1000 but I hardly sweat over that. I now exclusively use my R-D1, which goes to 1/2000. I can't even remember if I ever used 1/1000, let alone 1/2000. I normally just select a smaller aperture.

I imagine that I would use it quite often when shooting w/ 400 film outdoors (400 seems the happy medium for indoor and outdoor all in 1 film for me)... and when I want those extra stops in the aperture for DOF, then the shutter has to take a beating...

I've even been restricted by the 1/4000 speed on my 10d and elan 7e when shooting at f1.8 ISO 100, so If I were shooting at f3.5 ISO 400, It would be overexposed by about a stop.

Yes, I know that there are ND filters... but I am not a fan of them... I have one, and have used it once.

Im not going to start hacking If I dont feel that It will be worth the effort... I am in the process of looking for an inexpensive m42 to ltm adapter, and if I can find one, then I wont have to think again about modifying the body. Thanks for your input.

 

[wrenhunter]

Nicholas, will you be doing a lot of night shooting outdoors? I mostly shoot Tri-X outdoors with a Bessa R and L, and like RML rarely go faster than 1/500.

 

[NL2377]

Nicholas, will you be doing a lot of night shooting outdoors? I mostly shoot Tri-X outdoors with a Bessa R and L, and like RML rarely go faster than 1/500.

Yes, I will... but film is expensive to me, so I often only shoot a couple shots at a time, meaning it has to last me days and nights alike... If Im pushing trix 400 to 800 one night, and wish to take a shot the following day, I'll need those extra shutterspeeds.