New member

[unsharp]

Hello all!

I have been peeking at this forum on and off for quite some time and realized it is time to enter, before i buy me a rangefinder.

Last year I sold my Canon EOS gear because of it size alone. While thinking of digital I could not find anything I wanted, so I bought a Leica CM while looking.

Next logical step I realize is to get a rangefinder. Have been looking around, mostly on the web I must admit, but also in shops etc and I am now about to order a Bessa R3A with the Nocton. It seams out of stock in the big B&H / Adorama so that Cameraquest guy I will ask later this evening, if he has it ready to ship.


Anyways, fun to be in here and I will post pics in some weeks, I hope.

Anders, Stockholm

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Welcome, Anders. Pleased to have you aboard!

 

[sockeyed]

Cameraquest also offers a Bessa R with a CV 35/2.5 Classic lens for $425, which is an amazing deal. Both the camera and the lens are highly regarded (I have both).

 

[ijonas]

Hi Anders,

Welcome aboard, glad to see you joining our merry ranks. The Voigtlander cameras are great cameras. Utterly wonderful to use. My first RF was Bessa R2 + 50mm Nokton. With hindsight I probably should have bought the 35/2.5 Color Skopar first. Amazing lens design in the Color Skopar, so you should definetly consider the special deal at cameraquest.com.

Ij.

 

[peter_n]

Welcome Anders! There was a long thread here recently discussing the various Bessa models/lenses started by a (then) new member Karl Wiechel from Stockholm. A link is posted to the thread below. There are lots of Swedes here now you guys should meet up together! 🙂

New to RF photography - Bessa or what?

 

[Wiechel]

Välkommen, Anders!

 

[kneedropper]

Hej Anders,

I know where you're coming from, sold my EOS-1N with md and lenses 6 months ago and now sport a R3a+35/2.5C+50/1.5 and an L+15/4.5. I'm sure the R+35 is a good value deal, but no AE there. Yes, not too hard to live without, but a R3a or R2a for that matter will make the transition smoother. I didn't like the 40/1.4 but many do. with the 35mm I now have to guess what the R3a is capturing on film... I'm pretty sure a R2a+35/2.5C or PII would be a great choice, too. But don't take my word for it. Stephen at CQ however is a safe bett!

By the way folks, I'm getting tempted by the dark side soon, as a mint Nikon F3HP I eBought for my brother in law will soon pass through my hands. I'll have to shoot a roll with it as a checkup, and since it was my favorite of all SLR's I ever had...

 

[unsharp]

Thanks all ! (Hej Karl)

I will read your link Peter, it seams very interesting. Yesterday god told me I should use a Bessa R3A until I die. let me explain:

I asked my lokal dealer, which are really good guys, yesterday for a trade on my CM. Off course you can not expect to be happy with prices in such a deal. But anyway, the delivery time was 1 month! Argh. So checked B&H, Adorama and called Stephen Gandy. All where out of stock! Stephen said new lenses would arrive by end of March, as they where being produced at Cosina right now. I friend of mine is going to the east cost to he's brothers in beginning of april. So first week of April was the window when the gear must be delivered if I want to get net prices. Since I know a bit about manufacturing I realized the risk that Cosina will be late is quite present. In addition Stephen told he was going to Japan for 14 days on thursday, and I needed to put the order today, basicly. I want the camera really bad and as soon as possible but I realized that the risk is it will get stuck in the US. long story, I know. It is my RF Genesis.

New chapter:

Then God, Allah, Thor and Phil Lynnot looks down on me and makes the RFF member Gerold put his R3A/Nokton out for sale !!! What are the odds for that to happen this the same day? It is a mission. Say no more!

So, I am waiting for the post...

 

[Skinny McGee]

Welcome, this is a great forum. Folks are nice and helpful... I have not seen any one get out of sorts here... Definitly get your gallery going it is fun . And photo projects for the month.

Enjoy! I know I am!
Skinny

 

[Designer]

Welcome to the forum! Anders. Looking forward to seeing your new toys. 🙂

 

[peter_n]

Then God, Allah, Thor and Phil Lynnot looks down on me and makes the RFF member Gerold put his R3A/Nokton out for sale !!! What are the odds for that to happen this the same day? It is a mission. Say no more!

Say no more, say no more! A nudge is as good as a wink to a blind horse!! 😉

And that R3A/Nokton was a great price too, Anders! Actually the same thing happened to me on eBay a month ago. I bought a used enlarger with no lens, then went looking for a lens. I immediately found a Leitz Focotar going in less than an hour and won it at a very cheap price. That lens had my name on it! 🙂

 

[unsharp]

Hej Kneedropper, I missed your sw. hello.
Hyvvä!

Still waiting. What to do with a mission without the holy gear? Maybe order some aditional lenses meawhile? Yes, maybe that's it. God is talking to me again. It must be so. Wait, I can hear something. - twenvtne? Toetiieoann? TALK LORD, OR SEND AN EMAIL! - 21mm? 21MM!! Bushes are burning and Adorama is out of stock on everything. I'm being tested.

Anders

 

[peter_n]

Anders has it bad - he could easily spread it very quickly to other new members... 😉

 

[Doug]

Anders, congratulations on your lucky timing! But I wonder if that's the deity speaking, or perhaps more likely RFistopheles, the patron demon dispensing GAS? 😀

 

[Scarpia]

Hej Anders.
Try Photo Village (www.photovillage.com) in New York City. They are also an official cosina Voigtlander dealer and are nice folks.
Also, welcome to the forum.
Kurt M.

 

[dilu]

Welcome to this nice forum, Anders. 🙂

Dilu.

 

[unsharp]

Tack Kurt, I will check out the photovillage site. Yes, I agree Dilu it is a very nice forum. In fact I think I will make a short post about just that!
Anders

 

[Scarpia]

Var saa god, Anders.
Kurt M.

 

[Gerold]

Tack Anders - have a look here: Me and YOUR BESSA !

Provided all deities of land parcel transport are on your side - next week you'll enter Bessa Nirvana. If you want my advice: Forget new lenses for a while. Don't chase gear, USE the 40 for everything for a few months, train your 40mm-vision, make it second self. You'll enjoy it!
Kind regards, Gerold

 

[tedwhite]

Muy Buenos Noches, Anders. Down here on the Mexican border, in Cochise County (a county in Arizona larger than several New England States) there are actually three people who own Bessa's.

But I'm going to top them, the rascals. I just ordered, in addition to my Bessa R with the very good 35/2.5, a Bessa L with the Skopar 25/4.

I've got to stop buying Bessa stuff. After all, one must eat.

Just think: if I sold my '03 VW Passat 1.8 Turbo and bought a twenty year old pickup truck, I could, with the cash difference, assuage my burning desires.

Naaah, I like my car.