New Voigtlander Bessa III on U Tube

Lucky for you all, I speak fluent Japanese. I've taken the trouble to translate the conversation in the first video:

Interviewer: Now, sir, now this is a beautiful camera, but can you tell me if the rumors are true?

Cosina representative: Yes, the rumors are entirely true. We have no intention of ever manufacturing or marketing a camera like this. Don't you know? Film is dead!

Interviewer: But why make such a detailed prototype? I can even open the door and extend the lens.

C.R.: This prototype, as you call it, is just wood and styrofoam model painted black. My nephew put it together for a project at school concerning obsolete technology. I saw it and thought, hey, let's bring it to Photokina and drive those Rangefinder Forum kooks absolutely crazy!

Interviewer: That's brilliant! What a fun idea. Did they fall for it?

C.R.: Are you kidding? They lit up the board for weeks talking about nothing else! They argued about the lens, about the film plane, about the price. My colleagues and I would log in every day to read what was written and sh&t ourselves laughing.

Interviewer: It's amazing that a little bit of wood and styrofoam would cause such a ruckus.

C.R.: I know. But I tell you, they are absolutely crazy on Rangefinder Forum.

Inteviewer: Do you have plans for more humorous antics?

C.R.: Now I am going to circulate a rumor, from a very high source, that Kodak's Tri-X film will be discontinued in 35mm and 120 and from now on will be available only in Advantix and 110 formats.

Interviewer: What fun that will be. Thank you so much for talking to me.

C.R.: It was my pleasure.
 
That's the most entertaining post I've seen here for a while! :p
 
Hilarious!

On a more serious note, there was a video from photokina with a representative from Cosina (or was it Fuji?) showing how the camera worked who mentioned an MSRP of 300,000 yen. Which would probably mean a street price around 220,000 yen -- well over US$2200 at the current exchange rate.

Hopefully the March release date will give Cosina/Fuji (or the currency exchange markets) time to reconsider.
 
Which would probably mean a street price around 220,000 yen -- well over US$2200 at the current exchange rate.


Or $3600.00 AUD if you're lucky enough to live in OZ.

Fat chance of moving many here at that price!
 
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Pricing - Voigtlander Bessa Iii

Pricing - Voigtlander Bessa Iii

I contacted the Australian agent for the Voigtlander Bessa III several weeks before the world financial problems hit.

The expected price then was around AUD$1300 but now they are up in the air about pricing due to the currency fluctuations.

Regards
Peter

PS Sorry about the goof-up with the 'III' in the title.
 
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