chris00nj
Young Luddite
There is a great Bessa R3M in the classifieds right now for £295, which includes shipping. That leaves a lot of room for a lens. 
The Bessa R3M is a solid camera, easy to focus at wide apertures and has good metering.
Even if you don't go with it, get a mechanical camera. A camera with AE is just not good for learning the basics.
The Bessa R3M is a solid camera, easy to focus at wide apertures and has good metering.
Even if you don't go with it, get a mechanical camera. A camera with AE is just not good for learning the basics.
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jan normandale
Film is the other way
Hello, my daughter just finished her fashion studies and she is now entering a great photography school in France. It seems that for her course she will need to buy a film rangefinder.
As a professional photographer myself I have unfortunately not have had much experience with film or rangefinders, I always shot with digital SLRs ever since I started a few years back.
Now I have set a budget of no more than £700 for the body. My daughter wants a Leica but she doesn't seem to realise how expensive Leicas are, not to forget the lenses. Could anyone here please advise on what I should buy for her? She would prefer to buy a new camera rather than used (I think this may be due to OCD, she always sees mistakes and scratches on everything, a used camera would be the end of the world for her even though it would be much cheaper for me... Oh well.), she will use it for portraiture and street photography, she will mostly use black and white film. A friend of mine dropped me an e-mail telling me to look at Voigtlander's range, but he is on holiday so I won't be able to get ahold of him for a while. I didn't know they made cameras, those must be expensive though... Any suggestions? Thanks!
PS: Did I mention that it should be tough and long lasting? She is a little clumsy... Broke my Nikkor 70-200 the other day...
ask her photography school what they recommend and buy it ... ?
Darshan
Well-known
BillBingham2
Registered User
If you need to go Leica-ish here is what I would go with for Ms. ButterFingers……
Black Bessa L, purchase 2 both with Tom A MSRs.
Old CV 25/4 with bright line finder.
Bessa T (low cost strong M mount)
New CV 35/1.4 lens or old 35/1.7
Black 35mm Metal Bright Line CV finder
One LTM to M adapter
The T can extend to any lens CV has made, just need to add a finder. It was their first M mount body and is well understood with respect to adjustments. With a 35 she will have a lens that is fast and without any distortion, a fine choice. While I might suggest the 1.2 (52mm filters!) it’s a bit to high priced. You might look at an old 50/1.5 as an option to match the 25, its up to you. I know I like the long jump between lenses so for me it would be better.
The L is the perfect carry everywhere camera screw mount but like the T has a meter, very handy. The 25/4 is the perfect lens for just about everything but existing darkness. Sharp, low distortion, reasonable cost, small and with click stops to making guess focusing easy. I’ve described the technique to learn this here several times, drop me a PM and I will write something up for her.
A different approach is to get an old Nikon S2, they almost never need CLA compared to Leicas that do. Bessas are not old enough to need them yet. Get it with a 50/2 or 1.4 and pick up a Sekonic L318 IMHO the perfect small hand held meter that does works as well incident as reflected. You will find the full frame on the S2 is perfect for a CV 28/3.5 SC for it and together you have the kit that I would get for either of my Sons. I prefer the Nikon way of focusing (you can hold, focus, shoot and wind with one hand) and their cameras take a lot of abuse and keep ticking. The SP is way out of your price range but a nice Nikon S2 and good internal focusing 50/2 and a CV 28 should not stretch but maybe 50 pounds max.
Tell her to learn LOTS and have fun.
B2
Black Bessa L, purchase 2 both with Tom A MSRs.
Old CV 25/4 with bright line finder.
Bessa T (low cost strong M mount)
New CV 35/1.4 lens or old 35/1.7
Black 35mm Metal Bright Line CV finder
One LTM to M adapter
The T can extend to any lens CV has made, just need to add a finder. It was their first M mount body and is well understood with respect to adjustments. With a 35 she will have a lens that is fast and without any distortion, a fine choice. While I might suggest the 1.2 (52mm filters!) it’s a bit to high priced. You might look at an old 50/1.5 as an option to match the 25, its up to you. I know I like the long jump between lenses so for me it would be better.
The L is the perfect carry everywhere camera screw mount but like the T has a meter, very handy. The 25/4 is the perfect lens for just about everything but existing darkness. Sharp, low distortion, reasonable cost, small and with click stops to making guess focusing easy. I’ve described the technique to learn this here several times, drop me a PM and I will write something up for her.
A different approach is to get an old Nikon S2, they almost never need CLA compared to Leicas that do. Bessas are not old enough to need them yet. Get it with a 50/2 or 1.4 and pick up a Sekonic L318 IMHO the perfect small hand held meter that does works as well incident as reflected. You will find the full frame on the S2 is perfect for a CV 28/3.5 SC for it and together you have the kit that I would get for either of my Sons. I prefer the Nikon way of focusing (you can hold, focus, shoot and wind with one hand) and their cameras take a lot of abuse and keep ticking. The SP is way out of your price range but a nice Nikon S2 and good internal focusing 50/2 and a CV 28 should not stretch but maybe 50 pounds max.
Tell her to learn LOTS and have fun.
B2
David Charlwood
Established
Difficult to load? I don't think so! Also, she does not need a built-in meter - that is why she is going to school!
taskoni
Well-known
Leica M2 + Elmar 50mm f/2.8
I guess you are not considering a screw mount Leica, but they are real jewels too! You can get her a very beautiful one (IIIf, IIIc?) with 50mm lens and you'll still have some money left to buy lots of film to come with it.
Good luck to your daughter!
Regards,
b.
I guess you are not considering a screw mount Leica, but they are real jewels too! You can get her a very beautiful one (IIIf, IIIc?) with 50mm lens and you'll still have some money left to buy lots of film to come with it.
Good luck to your daughter!
Regards,
b.
zauhar
Veteran
I recently got a Canon 7, and my daughter (15 yrs old) has had a lot of fun with it, including using it for some school work. i have been using it a lot also, with my Leica M3 still laid up. ;-(
Camera + lens (50mm /1.4) was all of $450, and the same seller has a set in less pristine condition for < $400.
It was my first eBay purchase, may be my last as I don't want to ruin the good vibes.
Best of luck,
Randy
Camera + lens (50mm /1.4) was all of $450, and the same seller has a set in less pristine condition for < $400.
It was my first eBay purchase, may be my last as I don't want to ruin the good vibes.
Best of luck,
Randy
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
Having owned the Voigtlander R3A, R4A and a Leica M6 simultaneously I'd suggest maybe also looking at the Voigtlander Bessa R2A. It's a little less expensive than the other two models.
It has a better spread of viewfinder framelines 35/50/75/90 than the other two which tend towards either the longer lenses 40/50/75/90 or shorter 21/25/28/35/50.
Don't worry too much about the A or M versions. The A versions have aperture priority but they can also be used in Manual mode.
It has a better spread of viewfinder framelines 35/50/75/90 than the other two which tend towards either the longer lenses 40/50/75/90 or shorter 21/25/28/35/50.
Don't worry too much about the A or M versions. The A versions have aperture priority but they can also be used in Manual mode.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Well, I think we all take things at face value at first, but after that...
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
Jaime M
Established
thegman
Veteran
If it must be a range finder, must be new, and must be under £700, it has to be a Bessa, there is nothing else available really. If her OCD is not so bad that it permits second-hand gear, then consider Leica or Zeiss, otherwise get a sparkly-new Bessa.
drinkingeye
Well-known
yes, strange thread..... anyway: as I have 3 daughters I already have 3 Canonet G17 iii
..... I really hope I will be able to make my girls get interested in film....
..... I really hope I will be able to make my girls get interested in film....
I will stick with the suggestion of a new Bessa with a 35/1.4 or 40/1.4 Nokton.
Be sure to get an Ever-ready case for it, and a filter and hood for the lens. "Will cushion falls".
By the time my daughter was 5, she had already taken pictures with the Nikon SP, Nikon S3, and Leica M3. One time we were out, and my wife asked her "Do you want to take a picture of Mommy and Daddy with my camera" (a point-and-shoot), my daughter replied "No, I want to take a picture of Mommy and Daddy with Daddy's camera". She handled the S3 rather nicely.
Be sure to get an Ever-ready case for it, and a filter and hood for the lens. "Will cushion falls".
By the time my daughter was 5, she had already taken pictures with the Nikon SP, Nikon S3, and Leica M3. One time we were out, and my wife asked her "Do you want to take a picture of Mommy and Daddy with my camera" (a point-and-shoot), my daughter replied "No, I want to take a picture of Mommy and Daddy with Daddy's camera". She handled the S3 rather nicely.
OurManInTangier
An Undesirable
:bang::angel:This is a very weird thread and I'm simply having a very tough time believing any Photography course at any college or university would specifically require students to go out and buy a rangefinder. I had to learn about studio lighting set-ups and medium format cameras when I studied photography at Uni, none of which we had to buy, we just used the two sets of lights and the three or four Mamiya bodies that had obviously been bought second hand or donated from somewhere. We used a batch of old 35mm Pentax cameras if we didn't have our own 35mm SLR and we all left Uni with only a passing knowledge of RF cameras from books about Capa, Seymour, Arnold etc etc.
However, if its advice you want I think Jan has given the clearest, most concise and by far the most sensible...
...it may even save you the majority of that 700 quid
biakalt
Long Tran
how about a chrome M2 + Elmar 50/2.8 collapsible? Aperture UK has their M2 at average price of £500 + Elmar 50/2.8 for another £200. i think she should be happy with this combo
You never know about University Instructors. How many departments use books that their Professors authored, that the students are required to buy? -a lot-
So, maybe this instructor is a member of RFF.
If my daughter was taking this class, I could believe she would come home and tell me "Dad, you are not going to believe this. Our instructor requires that we use Nikon Rangefinders for his class." - I am taking that class!
So, maybe this instructor is a member of RFF.
If my daughter was taking this class, I could believe she would come home and tell me "Dad, you are not going to believe this. Our instructor requires that we use Nikon Rangefinders for his class." - I am taking that class!
Sparrow
Veteran
My daughter simply appropriated one of mine, the best one naturally, however it wasn't a requirement of the course ... she actually seems to use her GF1 more than anything else
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
If the kid says she wants a Leica, and you can afford to get her a used M2 or M3 with Elmar 50, I'd say get her a Leica.
kehng
Established
Just checked the MW Classic site for you. They have a M5 for £499 and a collpasible summicron 50mm for £239. Mohindra and David will probably do you a deal under your budget if you buy them together.
cambolt
Green Spotted Nose Turtle
Tell her she can have a second hand m6 or something...
When she says no get her one, polish it up a little and tell her it's new.
If not, cheap out like I would and get a canonet (shutter priority) or yashica 35 GSN (aperture)
When she says no get her one, polish it up a little and tell her it's new.
If not, cheap out like I would and get a canonet (shutter priority) or yashica 35 GSN (aperture)