New Bessa L User-Need Advice on Lenses-Maybe Roman can help?

[Rick Waldroup]

Hello, I shoot a Bessa R2 and R3A. I have just purchased a Bessa L body from Stephen Gandy. Eventually, I intend to get the Voightllander 25mm lens and finder. But in the meantime, I would like to be able to use cheaper wide angle lenses on the camera. Maybe Russian lenses? In particular, 28mm and wider. I know Roman shoots a lot of Russian stuff, maybe he can help. Any info on any wide angle lenses (any brand) would be of great help. All I shoot is B&W. I bought the camera for the sole purpose of using very wide angle lenses. Thanks, Rick.

 

[sockeyed]

I'm not Roman, but I have a few thoughts.

Russian lenses wider than 35mm, such as the Orion, are really quite rare and will likely cost you more than a CV 25/4. My advice would be to save your pennies for the 25. In the meantime, if you have a CV 35mm, you could pick up a Russian (or other) 35mm viewfinder and use it on the L, zone focused.

I put a post in the classifieds looking for a 25/4 and got a number of responses. Have a look at the post if you want to start contacting sellers.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5150

Ben.

 

[daveozzz]

There's a couple of Orion's going on ebay for about 150 us BIN... no idea if that's a good price or not but cheaper than a CV certainly.

 

[Roman]

Rick,
my widest Russian RF lens is the Jupiter-12 35/2.8, which does not fit on the Bessas. Before I got my first Bessa, I was always on the look-out for an Orion, or maybe even a Russar, but those aren't cheap either, a used Snapshot-Skopar is not that much more...

Roman

 

[Roman]

PS: Also, I'm not sure whether these two (Orion and Russar) would fit on the Bessa, anyway...

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I searched the auction sites with not much luck. It looks as though I will be getting the 25mm much sooner. As a matter of fact, Gandy just emailed me and said he is out of stock on them. I have located a chrome one at B&H in New York and will order it from them today. I hope one day to add a 12 or 15mm lens as well. I currently have the 35mm 2.8, the 40mm Nokton, and a Konica Hexar 90mm that I use on my R2 and R3A. I plan on just leaving the 25mm on the Bessa L and using it as a wide angle rig. Thanks once again, Rick

 

[daveozzz]

So just out of interest... would these 2 28mm orions lens fit on a bessa-L OK..? I've been assuming they would but am now wondering...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7505241488&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT
and
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7505576324&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

 

[Roman]

Apparently they don't have the big butt of the J-12, so they should fit...

Roman

 

[tedwhite]

But why buy such a slow 6.0 wide angle lens ? I could see doing that in a very long focal length lens like 400mm or 600mm, but there are plenty of faster WA lenses out there, especially in 28mm. I've got the 25/4 Snapshot Skopar. Ignore the silly name. Save for it, it's well worth the money.

Ted

 

[daveozzz]

The Orion works out much cheaper than a CV which would be the reason to go for it in my book... the trade off is the sloooowness...
What are some other 28mm lenses in a similar price range to the Orion Ted?

(sorry about thread hijack!)

 

[mac_wt]

My Orion-15 fits perfectly on my Leica M5 and CL. I paid mine 120 Euro incl. shipping. It's a very nice lens, but since neither camera has 28mm framelines, I use a russian turret-viewfinder for framing. If money is the decisive factor, the Orion is the way to go in the 28mm range. Now the Russar is something else... If you're looking for a cheap lens in the 20mm range, Voigtlander is the best solution. The Russars are very scarce and expensive.

Wim

 

[sockeyed]

I guess that my initial comment about rarity and price was more in relation to Russars than Orions. If you decide to go for the CV 25/4, just put a WTB post in the 35mm classifieds and on photo.net. I did and I got quite a few responses. I paid $215 for a minty black one with LH-1 square hood, shipped.