Questions on the R2a

[Uncle Bill]

Hi Voightlander owners,

I am toying with getting the R2a as an AE companion to my Leica M3 as a birthday present to myself later this year. My eyesight is still good so I don't have to go up to the R3a, my questions revolve around durablity and reliablity. Generally what are the forum members experiences with rangefinder allignment and shutter reliability. I see these two areas being a bit of challenge for the camera on different photography forums with posts from frustrated owners. Have both these issues been adressed by Cosina?

I plan to use this camera hiking, walking in the city, events, concert photography etc and I plan to buy new. I already have a 35 f2.5 Skopar lens and I plan to use my Collapsable 50 Summicron, Canon 50 f1.4 and I would most likely pick up the 75 Helier as my short Telephoto.

Bill

 

[monochromejrnl]

Bil the R2A is well built and i haven't had any issues with my VF/rangefinder alignment... it's not a Leica but i'm sure it will withstand daily use for at least 3-5 years... before anything wears out..

having said that, i'm planning to sell my grey R2A in original box/manual and strap... PM if you're interested (located in Toronto, Canada)... offered for a very fair price...

cheers,
Ken

 

[GeneW]

Bill, by coincidence I ordered a new R3A yesterday. We should compare notes. I'll also be putting a 75mm Heliar up for sale ...

Gene

 

[back alley]

Bill, by coincidence I ordered a new R3A yesterday. We should compare notes. I'll also be putting a 75mm Heliar up for sale ...

Gene

and here i am considering the r3a so i have a body for my cv 75 lens!

joe

 

[Uncle Bill]

Gene,

Who are you are ordering your R3a from?

 

[Bingley]

I'm interested in this thread because I'm mulling over acquiring an R2* for some of the same reasons as the OP. Having a light weight but sturdy rf w/ easily visible 35mm framelines and the ability to do 28mm using the entire viewfinder would be a nice complement to my Canon P. In my case, an R2* would probably replace a Canon 7, which has a great viewfinder but is on the large size. If the R2* is a durable camera body w/ a trouble-free rangefinder, that would be tempting...

 

[ferider]

Steve, "it is not the R2* you are looking for" ....

(meet Elvis, my M2)

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[GeneW]

and here i am considering the r3a so i have a body for my cv 75 lens!

joe

I'm not 100% decided about the 75mm, but I rarely use a lens longer than 50 on RF, tending to prefer SLR for short tele stuff.

Gene,

Who are you are ordering your R3a from?

From Mr. Gandy, of course! 🙂

At some point I hope to add a 40/1.4 Nokton to the new body as well.

Gene

 

[Bingley]

Steve, "it is not the R2* you are looking for" ....

(meet Elvis, my M2)

Cheers,

Roland.

You mean, HE'S ALIVE???

Roland, you are a devil! 😀

Actually, I got the chance to handle an M2 over the weekend, through the good graces of fellow Sacto RFF'er bobkonos. A nice camera body, but (please don't hate me) the vf did not blow me away. I don't know what I was expecting, but in a side-by-side comparison I felt that my canon bodies more than held their own in that department. What did blow me away was the vf on bobkonos's Bessa R -- how easy it was to see the 35mm framelines, how bright the patch was. Sigh. The M2 is smaller than the 7... but then so is the R2*....

I can't decide. Go ahead, tempt me some more...

 

[back alley]

I'm not 100% decided about the 75mm, but I rarely use a lens longer than 50 on RF, tending to prefer SLR for short tele stuff.



From Mr. Gandy, of course! 🙂

At some point I hope to add a 40/1.4 Nokton to the new body as well.

Gene

actually, i'm thinking the r3a for the 50 and 75 to pair up with the r4a (used for 15 to 35)

 

[BillBingham2]

Bill,

I started on the CVUG years ago and have heard nothing bad about the R2A RF, unless you plan on putting into a bicycle bag and riding all day long every day and expecting it never to go out of adjustment. It took a while to explain to that person that they might be looking at the wrong tool for that job.

You might want to look at an R4A as an AE companion to your M3. The M3 rocks at 50 and above, the R4A rock below. I think they would make a great combination.

B2 (;->

 

[Uncle Bill]

Bill,

I started on the CVUG years ago and have heard nothing bad about the R2A RF, unless you plan on putting into a bicycle bag and riding all day long every day and expecting it never to go out of adjustment. It took a while to explain to that person that they might be looking at the wrong tool for that job.

You might want to look at an R4A as an AE companion to your M3. The M3 rocks at 50 and above, the R4A rock below. I think they would make a great combination.

B2 (;->

Bill,

Funny, I never pack a rangefinder when I ride my bike, I prefer to run with my Nikons (F, F2 and now F3), Pentax Spotmatics and Olympus OM-1s.

I have not considered R4a/m I was looking for more general focal lengths, I would have to give that some thought, I was keen on getting a short tele (the 75mm Helier).

Bill

 

[GeneW]

actually, i'm thinking the r3a for the 50 and 75 to pair up with the r4a (used for 15 to 35)

I could see that combo being pretty sweet. Me, I'm trying to thin down to a single RF camera (excluding my beloved XA, natch). I'm shooting much more with SLR's these days. Got a brigade of Nikon bodies and lenses 🙂

Gene

 

[Avotius]

I have a second hand r2a and I shoot in rural parts of china bouncing around in old buses and whatever else. Total film count now is hard to say, a lot though. My r2a has only developed one problem in the year or so I have had it, the range finder is ever so slightly out vertically and there is some dust in the viewfinder but it doesn't bother me. Thats it.