R2+Summicron-2/50 closeup mismatch and R3A question

[Noorderlicht]

Hello everybody,

Below is the caveat I would have liked to read before buying, so here it is for what it's worth in case you're tempted by the combination. Related question comes at the bottom.

Bought the Bessa R2 and the latest Leica Summicron 2/50 for one another back in 2002, and slides have been sharp ever since, as long as I keep subjects at arm's length (literally).

Fact: below the very 0.8m notch on the lens, R2's RF lens coupler loses contact with the rear lens rim altogether.

Amounts to: basically iffy focus 1-0.8m (unless heavily stopped down, of course) and obviously none at all 0.8-0.7m (the latter being the Summicron's closeup limit). And of course, from 0.8m to 0.7m the outline in the RF patch stays frozen with respect to its main counterpart.

Your (perception of) mileage may vary, but once you get used to the sharp results the very same combination is capable of (e.g. landscape, 1/1000s f:4, Velvia 100F), the closeup problem won't go unnoticed, and that's an understatement.

Related question now: has anyone mounted a Summicron 50 on the new Bessa R3A and turned the distance ring end-to-end, outline in the RF patch offsetting accordingly all along?
If not, but combination at hand, could someone check that up for me, please?

Thanks in advance, best of light to you all!

 

[thmk]

Hello, I do not shoot that close normally but I had to check this at once. I have the Bessa R3A and a Summi with serial 388xxxx. The RF patch starts moving at about halfway between the 0.7m and 0.8m mark. I feel a very slight resistance at this point, only remarkable while moving the distance dial very slowly. After that there is movement until infinity.
Hope that gives an idea.

Thomas-Michael

 

[Huck Finn]

Noordelicht, all of the Bessa cameras before the R2A & R3A are rangefinder coupled to 0.9 meters (3 feet). The R2A & R3A are rangefinder coupled to 0.7 meters (27 inches). I had a hard time finding this information when I first started looking for it. This limitation on the Bessa cameras was not mentioned in any of the obvious places; I had to dig to find it, but the fact that the R2a & R3A focus to 0.7 m is readily available.

The Leica CL had a somewhat similar restriction, focusing only to 0.8 m (31 inches), I beleieve. And in fact, the Leica 40 Summicron-C lens was built with a minimum focus distance of 0.8 m as well

It was odd that Cosina didn't improve this sooner since the vast majority of their standard & wide angle lenses have a minimum focus distance of 0.7 m or closer. The only exceptions to this are the 50 Nokton & the 35 Ultron, both of which have a minimum focus distance of 0.9 m. The MFD of 0.7 m is also standard on all Leica lenses in the standard & w/a focal lengths. In addition, this restriction on the camera bodies was not an issue on the Voigtlander wide angle lenses that are not rangefinder coupled, like the 25/4 & the 15/4.5.

Interestingly as well is the fact that the new Zeiss Ikonwill be rangefinder coupled to 0.5 m for use with 3 of its lenses that have a minimum focus distance of 0.5 m - the 28/2.8, 25/2.8, & 21/2.8. The 15/2.8 has a minimum focus distance of 0.3 m, but it is not RF coupled. This means that the CV 21/4 can only achieve its MFD of 0.5 m on a ZI & not on any CV body. Odd.

Among other rangefinders currently or recently on the market, all Leica M bodies, the Konica Hexar RF, & the Rollei 35RF are rangefinder coupled to 0.7 meters.

 

[Noorderlicht]

Vielen Dank Thomas-Michael and thanks a lot Huck,

Your feedback has just been paramount in my deciding not to go for the R3A!...

It seems that CV almost got it right this time, enough to announce close RF (0.7m) in the R3A/R2A specs, but in fact only halfway to 0.8. Perfect description Thomas-Michael, nearly saw and felt it myself!

 

[dougi]

Thanks to Huck from me too! My R2 always uncoupled ~0.8m uisng M-Hexanons and suspected this was a design isue but could never find any proper info. R3A works a lot better in this regard!

Dougi