My last words on the R2.

pizzahut88

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Oct 29, 2006
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Ha! :p

I sold my Bessa R2 and bought a new Zeiss Ikon yesterday.
I really hate to sell my Bessa R2 . . . but I had to let it go to free up the cash.

For those thinking about getting the Bessa R2,
I give it two thumbs up!
If that's what your budget allows, then get it!
It's truely a nice camera for your money's worth.

The Bessa R2 produced for me lots of beautiful pictures.
And I think many here would agree.
The meter is spot on.
It was reliable.

Everything here was taken with it:
http://viking-manfred.blogspot.com/


Cheers,
Manfred
 
When I think of moving up from my Bessa R3A (a silly thought, since I've only had it a short time) I think of the Zeiss.
I too would be interested in seeing what you think of the differences.
 
The difference

The difference

funky1 said:
How would you compare the R2 to the Ikon? What are the major diffrences?
Difference between the Ikon and R2, here's how I felt when I first picked up the Ikon:
(1) The Ikon viewfinder is much better, easier on my eyes, I wear glasses, now I focus much faster. The patch is larger, and the sliding is more refined and smooth.
(2) Inside the Ikon finder, the speed is displayed inside, at first I hated it when I was studying the manual/instructions when I was considering whether to buy it. Now I love that feature.
(3) Concerning the body, it feels more tough, rigid. All logos, symbols, signs are embossed, ink filled with glossy black ink. Very nice.
(4) The winder/stroke is also more smooth.
(5) Shutter sound is more quiet that the R2, reduced by about 40% (I think subjectively).
(6) Compared to the Leica MP, it doesn't feel as tough, since the body is made MG alloy, it weights less than MP, but in truth I don't think it's any less tough. I thinking the Ikon can also stand up to years of use, if not beatings. I cannot proof this claim.

Conclusion:
The Ikon costed me HK$11,000 new.
Last October, I paid HK$3,300 for the R2.

Is it worth the price?
Both will give me the same pictures.
With the Ikon, I can now work much faster.
Focusing is easier, especially for those who wear glasses like me.

In terms of body construction:
If a Leica MP gets 9 stars,
The Ikon would get 7,
The Bessa R2 gets 5 (just pass)
The R2 gave me trouble free operation,
my borther also has a R2, he had problems.
Double exposure, shutter curtain stuck,
I avoid the problems, becos I knew of them from reading the posts here and took effort to avoid them when I bought the R2.


Is it reliable?
I think so . . . only time will tell.


Complaint:
tripod mount on the Ikon is off centered.
It's not balanced.
I know Rf are for street photography and what not,
but that doesn't mean you can freely mess with design.
 
Last edited:
Hi, pizzahut88. i'm the owner of your Bessa R2. I have fun with that!
please come to my online gallery and comment on my works when your are free~
i'm very happy with your R2 as it looks a new one~
 
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