New guy - new R3A

A new problem! Was starting to pack the gear, but once more winded and pressed the shutter – nothing! Took the batteries out, put them back, tightened the cover – nothing. Loosened the cover maybe 20° – "thratak"! Winded, tightened – nothing. Loosened – "thratak". So if I tighten the battery cover as tight as I can with two fingers, it wont fire. Interesting...
 
Kneedropper, the lens will loosen up with use. The grease hardens quite a bit in the cold weather (which I'm sure is more severe where you are!). Just keep "exercising" it.

As for the body, well... I've consistently had quality-related problems with the Bessas. I had two Bessas which suffered from the occasional jam and an out-of-focus rangefinder. I've stayed away from the cameras, but I love the lenses.

Good luck. Don't let this faze you.
 
alansoon said:
the lens will loosen up with use. The grease hardens quite a bit in the cold weather (which I'm sure is more severe where you are!). Just keep "exercising" it.
Click to expand...

No I won't 😀. Sent both the body and lens back today. No point in hanging on to the lens, since the only body had to go... and I only wish we did have proper winter weather, but the temp is swaying on both sides of freezing, so it sucks. But we do have heating in our igloos, so maybe the lens would have been ok with time.

I'll give Bessa another chance, since AE is somewhat a must for my street work, as I don't have an integrated light meter in my head and cannot afford an M7.

But since Stephen has to send me a new camera and lens and I've paid for it, My Visa probably could stretch for yet another lens. But what should I get? 15mm is too wide for human (main) subjects, but wide is good (a must really) for shooting climbers, which I enjoy 😉. So maybe the 25/4? On the other hand, I'd also like to shoot portraits. Is 50 too short? Is the CV 50/1.5 really good?

Hit me.

Johan
 
On the other hand, I'd also like to shoot portraits. Is 50 too short?
Click to expand...

IMHO, 50mm lens with camera held vertically is nearly ideal for full-body-length or waist-up portraits. It keeps you far enough away to avoid weird perspective effects, but not so far away that you can't interact with the subject (which is the most important ingredient for good portraiture.)

If you want to shoot tightly-cropped "headshots," you might be more comfortable with something slightly longer, such as the C-V 75mm.
 
Johan I don't see why you can't use the 40mm for portraiture when the new one arrives...

The CV 25/4 is not rangefinder coupled, but the CV 21/4 is and it is a great lens and only $75 more than the 25/4.
 
The 25/4 would be a great choice in its focal length; I have one and think it's a great little lens. True, it's not RF coupled, but it does have distance click-stops and with careful attention to estimating distances it works rather well. Maybe not the best choice for wide-open and close-in.

One of the 28mm lenses would also be a useful companion to the 40mm, and both Voigtlander 28's are excellent lenses.
 
Well, I got my replacements today.

Same problem, but at the opposite end of focus. Managed to take a pic through the VF at minimum distance.

I feel somewhat sick. Waiting for Stephens comments.

The 40mm Nokton is smoother. But there is a clacking noise from within when I lighlty shake it, like something is loose. Normal?

Johan
 
Forgot to mention that just like with the first one, the cussioning inside the box for the body had collapsed in transit. I asked Stephen to look into this and maybe put some extra stuff inside before sending the replacement, but I guess he forgot. Cosina should invest a few cents more in the packaging...
 
kneedropper said:
Well, I got my replacements today.

Same problem, but at the opposite end of focus. Managed to take a pic through the VF at minimum distance.

I feel somewhat sick. Waiting for Stephens comments.

The 40mm Nokton is smoother. But there is a clacking noise from within when I lighlty shake it, like something is loose. Normal?

Johan
Click to expand...
No, not normal Johan. A lens should not be making a clacking noise. And that packaging looks really poor.

If it makes you feel any better, Allen Gilman in Tokyo has also had two faulty bodies, and has given up on the R3A and (I think) bought a used Leica. I believe he got a good 40mm Nokton though.

I wouldn't blame you if this sours you on the Voigtlander brand. It would me... 🙁
 
Just got my first film developed - scanning... this forum also seems to have a technical problem, so I had to register under a new username...

Johan
 
No, but I'm not sending it back, I can get it fixed here. The RF alignment doesn't seem to be the only thing, though, the lens seems to be behaving badly, my focusing falls short. But I'll have to do some more testing to make sure it's not me, too, or only...

I do like the athmospere the 40 gives... but not the loose clacking sound coming from within.
 
To further clear things out: I did some "scientific" shooting and although focusing on subjects at 2, 3, 4 and 5 meters gave the exact reading on the focusing ring, the resulting images were off focus (short, waaaay short). So go figure... if there is something loose inside - and it seems to be glass by the weight of the sound and feel - I'm one unlucky sob...
 
You certainly are! 🙁 If it were me, I would just send everything back and ask for a credit. Stephen Gandy is a very decent man - he would do something like that, no problem.
 
Dear Johan,

I am sorry (and kinda scared 😱 ) to hear of all the problems you have with your Bessa R3A. I am waiting for my R2A to arrive and I have been following your thread with particular interest. Thank you for such a detailed description of your first impressions of the Bessa R3A. I hope you will eventually sort out all those alignment problems. I guess I am also hoping to "get lucky" with my Bessa.

Like you this is my first foray into the rangefinder world and I hope you will not be put off by these problems.

Will continue to follow this thread with interest.

Take care,

AJ
 
To hear you guys tell it, it sounds like getting a properly-working Bessa body is somewhat akin (if not as extreme ) to getting a properly-working FSU FED or Zorki...

Looks like Bessa really needs to work on that QC.
 
Well, if it helps, according to Stephen at CQ (and I have no doubts) the gear I got was in perfect working order before shipping. But over 5000 miles of "economy" handling on the way seem to be too much for it. But should it? I think not. But then again, maybe one shouldn't expect the ruggedness of a Leica for 1/4 (or less actually) of the price I guess...

Here are the images that got lost yesterday...

Johan
 
Those are some pretty nice pics, Johan 🙂 Maybe Stephen should consider offering more 'premium' S/H options then. I hope you manage to get lens/camera in working order soon.
 
FinBred, I hope you get the Bessa fixed soon. Then, check again how the 40 performs. If any problems with the lens are still there I'd say you should inform Stephen Gandy a.s.a.p. Good luck on you!
 
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