OT: Bessaflex opinions?

tedwhite said:
Apparently I must drive to Canada to find a Bessaflex? Stephen Gandy is out of the black TM, and all he's got left is the Topcon-styled models at $279.

Ted
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Ted, you'd be welcomed in style if you did! We'd get the whole Toronto RFF contingent out to greet you. And don't let anyone kid you -- most of them are closet SLR shooters :)

Like you I prefer black camera bodies, but had to go with the silver Topcon-styled model. A good friend of mine from bygone years owned a new Topcon D and it was a neat camera (loud though!) I'll think of him when I shoot the B'Flex.

Gene
 
ed1k said:
Oh, you don't waste time, Gene. Just one day and you sold color scopar and bought bessaflex. Thank you, sure a pint of beer sounds good. On week days around 5 clock I'm taking route 19 from Queensway to Lakeshore (or around 8 am in opposite direction, but it's too early for a pint, me thinks but is not quite sure :eek:)) - I guess I'm passing by your place. On weekends it's even easier to arrange. Waiting for PM or e-mail from you. I hope you'll enjoy bessaflex and it's a very good camera indeed.
Eduard.
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I don't think even I would fancy a Guinness at 8am, though I might want to experiment :)

Sure thing, Eduard. As soon as it arrives, we'll annoint it with a little focusing fluid, either in Port Credit or downtown TO.

Gene
 
I heard that not all lenses could be mounted on silver body - that's major difference between silver and black bessaflex. Some long tele won't mount, I forgot which one. I'll check diameter of my 135/2.5 Takumar; I'm pretty sure my 135/4 has the same diameter as 50. Have to take off, buy now.
Eduard.
 
Gene & Eduard: I'm probably headed to GTA either the weekend of 11/4 or 11/11. If you are getting together either of those weekends, let me know, I'd be glad to get my paws on the Bessaflex for aminute. Also, Eduard, I've never actually handled a Contax/Kiev, and have a Mozilla tab open to Fedka as we speak. :bang:

Edit: I'll bring an OM rig to get in the SLR spirit and to remind Gene of the error of his ways...
 
Earl, with luck the Bessaflex should be here by then -- sooner I hope. Got an itch for a Contax or Kiev eh? Check with PeterC -- I think he may be selling his Kiev gear to thin his collection a bit.

Ah, you know I love OM's. From a distance... :)

Gene
 
Gene: I sorta have the itch for a couple of reasons, the biggest one being older Zeiss/Zeiss copy glass. But I think I'll resist for now. Mainly I'd just like to handle one for the feel, how the focusing works, etc. Not that it would tempt me any more, mind you. ;)
 
The silver Bessaflex arrived yesterday! Thanks to everyone for advice and encouragement. It's a very pretty cam -- nicer than it looks in the pics. Fairly basic Cosina design. Very bright viewfinder. Relatively quiet for an SLR. I bought mine from cameraquest and Stephen kindly let me pick up the special $1 Bessa case so I could use it on my Bessa L. The top doesn't fit the Bessaflex, but the bottom half does. Couldn't resist putting it on the Flex. Looks like a poor-man's Luigi :)

I'm off today to test it out with a Super Takumar 55/1.8, CZJ 135/3.5, and Montgomery Ward 28/2.8. On Monday I'll be adding a Jupiter 9 85/2.

The body is quite lightweight. With the relatively heavy M42 lenses, it balances nicely. Should be fun. Of course I'll tuck a little RF in the bag too :)

Gene
 
Gene, congrats on the new friend! There are a lot of us here who shoot SLR too. Life is too short not to have a great 180/2.8.

B2 (;->
 
Gene:

Congratulations. How about a shot of your new silver friend?

Ted (feel serious GAS attack coming on)
 
Wow! How'd you get that from colour to B/W? Very top job. And that J9 is clearly a keeper.

Very clean and crisp. Perhaps it's the air in Port Credit?

Ted
 
tedwhite said:
Wow! How'd you get that from colour to B/W? Very top job. And that J9 is clearly a keeper.

Very clean and crisp. Perhaps it's the air in Port Credit?

Ted
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Earl, thanks for putting up the link.

Ted, straight use of Photoshop's Channel Mixer, using mostly the Blue channel. It gave me the best tonality for this particular image. Then a little warm toning using Color Balance. And a touch of burning at the corners and edges.

The J9 that I bought from Kin Lau seems very, very crisp. I really like it.

Gene
 
I guess there are J9's and then there are J9's. I had one a couple of years ago and used it for a time on Spotmatic SP bodies, but it was nowhere near as sharp as the one you've got, so I sold it.

I'm trying to learn how to do that Photoshop stuff, poco a poco.

Ted
 
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