Never should have held a Leica..

[f/stopblues]

Now I've been completley convinced of a nice Bessa R3a and all the nice photos I could churn out with one.. lots of reading and advice from RFF members have guided me in the direction of the Bessa. I'm just waiting for the moment when I sell off some Nikon slr gear and it'll be mine!

All was fine and dandy until I strolled into a local shop over the weekend and got my hands wrapped around a very nice little doublestroke M3, the first Leica I've actually touched mind you. From this untrained eye, it looked beautiful.. not a blemish on the thing aside from a little knick in the vulcanite. I looked through the viewfinder and Hark! large crystal-clear viewing! It just felt... good 🙂 All with a little tag that read $895.

Someone please bring me back to earth! The Bessa fits my student budget much better, right? I'm not giving up *that* much, am I?

<sigh>

Chris

 

[JoeFriday]

technically, you're not giving up anything.. your Bessa has a larger VF image.. of course, the Leica has the longer effective baselength, but it's not like the Bessa is totally outgunned there

and the Bessa has AE, of course.. not so with the Leica

for $895 you can have a nice AE-equipped rangefinder WITH a decent lens.. nothing wrong with that plan!

there.. did that help?

 

[f/stopblues]

Ah yes, smack that Leica right outta me :-D I had forgotten to add a handheld meter to the price tag. That does help. Oh, and that viewfinder is 1:1.. how nice!

I'm breathing easier now. Thanks!

 

[richard_l]

Bad mistake. Even if you get a Bessa, the Leicalust has been implanted. It's too late. No matter how much you fight it, you are destined eventually to join the dark side.

Richard

 

[hth]

The Leica is battery independent, smoother and has a more quiet shutter. It is way cooler and will last a long time. Shop around a bit more and have some patience. I have not regretted getting a Leica. It sort of took over when I got it, the Bessa see little use today, save for the Heliar lens that came with it, which seems to have a love affair with the Leica...

/Håkan

 

[richard_l]

Oh, and that viewfinder is 1:1.. how nice!

There ya go! The M3 finder has only a paltry 0.92 magnification. Get the Bessa. 😉

 

[ChrisN]

And the M3 doesn't have framelines for the 35mm, the most useful lens (have I got that right, Leicaphiles?).

 

[hth]

No, the 50 is the most useful lens.. 😉

/Håkan

 

[wyk_penguin]

Join the dark side you must. Your destiny it is. But the Bessa is a potent machine, while the Leica is a beautiful camera.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Yeah, that hand-held meter could run things up to an Even $900!

Same mistake I made, handling a Leica M3. $895 for one in that condition with a clean VF/RF is a good price.

 

[aizan]

i've found that the difference boils down rather simply: get the leica for object lust, get the bessa for your photography. it's certainly been that way for me.

does that help? 😀

 

[hoot]

And the M3 doesn't have framelines for the 35mm

Neither does the R3a, though; 40 being the widest. I think the only 1:1 viewfinder with 35mm framelines belongs to the Canon P.

 

[rover]

I will try to stay focused, because, as we all know, everyone needs an M3.

But, I did see the words student and budget used together. How ever much that budget is respect it. I assume you have many years ahead of you Chris, so a Leica can find you in the future, a graduation present? The R2a or R3a depending on how wide you want to go are excellent cameras and very good choices. The reality is the regardless of how wonderful a Leica it is you, not the camera that will be making the images good or bad. And since 99% of the world can't tell the difference between a Bessa and a Leica, they both look really cool to those used to seeing digital P&S cams.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> I think the only 1:1 viewfinder with 35mm framelines belongs to the Canon P.

The Nikon S3 also has 35mm framelines in its 1x finder. The Nikon SP and Canon VI-T have 1x finders for 50mm and longer, and built in finders of smaller magnification for 35mm lenses.

BTW: The Nikon SP and S3 make that Leica look inexpensive. and you would have to buy a meter for them as well.

 

[Richard Black]

The Bessa R2a has the 35mm frame lines also. Nice kit a R2a and the 35mm color skopar, m version. Suggestion, wait until you graduate and get a "real job" and then treat yourself to the object of your lust. The carrot thing!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I ate Peanut Butter for months in college after I bought my Nikon F2a.

Get the camera, eat Peanut Butter.

 

[captainslack]

Now you know why I actively refused to handle any Leica gear until I could afford to buy. I knew once I did, it would all be over and I've the Mother of All GAS Attacks.

I've got a IIf now. It's sitting on a shelf waiting for the day I can afford to put new curtains it. I still want an M-series camera, but that will have to wait. My IIf will do me for now.

 

[hth]

I think I need a Leica II, I do not know how to resist one in the long run.. Maybe I feel less guilty if I manage to sell some stuff...?

/Håkan

 

[f/stopblues]

Look at all the devil's advocates! Well, on the good side, listening to you guys will make me end up with some nice gear, even if it means peanut butter. I'm trying to keep in mind that the glass is the critical thing, and I can afford better glass with the Bessa. One day.. there'll probably be an M12 out by that time though. I need to get my hands on a Bessa in the meantime. None of the shops around here have them!

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Welcome to the Dark Side. Muuuuaaaaahaahahaha.

Well, if you are on a budget, you should consider an M2. The film counter may annoy the heck out of you (it's manual), but it has the 35mm framelines (as well as the 50mm and 90mm), and they tend to be cheaper in the same condition as an M3.

The M2 is really nice too. And you'll like the single stroke better than the double stroke. Ahh, that smooth, buttery, silky stroke...yeah baby...