R3M + 50 "Classic Heliar" First Roll

[Abbazz]

isn't anyone getting the R2M? Is .7 viewfinder magnification that much less desirable? I am more interested in wide angle than long.

It's a matter of personal taste. When I shoot wide, I like to have a big view, so I use my Fuji GL690 with a 65mm wide (equiv. 28mm) or a 50mm ultra-wide (equiv. 21mm). Usually, I use 35mm rangefinders with normal lenses or small teles. So the R3M is better suited to my taste with its 1x super clear viewfinder.

If you need to shoot with lenses shorter than 50mm, even moderate wide angles, take the R2M or buy an accessory viewfinder. In my R3M, I cannot see the whole 40mm frame without twisting my eye -- and I don't wear eyeglasses.

Cheers,

Abbazz

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

I think if it is difficult to see the 40mm frameline without eyeglasses, your safest bet is to get the R2M if you intend to use a 35 lens. Not worth the extra effort of shifting your eye around to find the framelines on the R3M. FWIW, I find the R2A perfect for the 35 (with eyeglasses).

 

[Tom Diaz]

Not to hijack/go OT, but isn't anyone getting the R2M? Is .7 viewfinder magnification that much less desirable? I am more interested in wide angle than long.

BTW, I really, really like the way this lens renders!

I got an R2M and am very happy with it and (especially) the lens. I will try to get motivated and post a couple of pictures to illustrate.

 

[Socke]

My main lenses were 28 and 45 on the Contax G2 until I had the 35 which more or less replaces both in 90% of my shooting. There the "zoom with your feet" aproach works quite well.
I use the 90 only rarely and nearly never for portraits so if I enter the world of M-Mount a viewfinder for 35mm is esential for me.

But we're getting away from the topic of this thread, the Heliar looks realy good to me and I hope there'll be a chrome R2M left for me coming christmas 🙂

 

[Sonnar2]

My R3M has arrived finally and the finder is GREAT. The 1:1-finder is what I like most on my Canon. This is a camera to use with 50mm's or longer. For wideangles I will always keep my Bessa-R. A 1:1 picture is to big for good compose with a 35mm. It works with my Canon P, I see the 35mm frames but 1:1 means "main lens 50mm" not 35mm. 1:0,7 works best with "main lens 35mm" and 1:0,58 probably best with 28mm. It's a matter of pictures size, not just the frames are there.

Materials are much better with the R3M. Better film advance and frame counter. Even the shutter sounds more solid. Low vibrations when fired - similar to my Canon RF's. But not that smooth noise.

What annoys me: First, the cumbersome rewind crank prevents the camera from sliding in my very small bag, what I used for my Bessa R. No rear lens cap - I hate having more lenses than caps. Front lens cap can't be put on with mounted hood - need to glue sandpaper on the fingertip surfaces. Also a reversable lock would habe been nice. Not a real small lens compared to some of my Canon glass but classic Heliars were always long lenses. Focus and aperture ring quite small - if they were bigger probably the lens couldn't be made collapsible. The blue coating looks very similar to classic German Voigtlander coating - blue means probably a "warm" lens.

About the blinking +/- LED steps: I don't know if I really need that. Makes me nervous. Maybe I will get used to it. So the quality impression is better than the actual handling feel. Let's wait for the pictures. Did I told how GREAT the 1:1 finder is...? This will be a great street shooter.

cheers Frank

 

[Tom Diaz]

I got an R2M and am very happy with it and (especially) the lens. I will try to get motivated and post a couple of pictures to illustrate.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=42138&nocache=1

This ostrich soon reached out for my Heliar, as a result of which the lens hood now has a little dent. Its interest in the lens is understandable, I think.

 

[awilder]

Nice test shots withe the new Heliar especially the one shot into the sun behend the leafy tree. Behaves better in this respect than the 7/6 and 6/5 Summicron M lenses.

 

[Abbazz]

Nice test shots withe the new Heliar especially the one shot into the sun behend the leafy tree. Behaves better in this respect than the 7/6 and 6/5 Summicron M lenses.

Classic Heliar formula has 5 elements in 3 groups, that makes only 6 glass/air interfaces, like a good old triplet lens. Combined with modern coatings, this design allows to tame reflections inside the lens, resulting in outstanding flare control.

Cheers,

Abbazz

 

[Silva Lining]

A bit late, but here is a shot from my first R3M roll,

Fuji Superia - a t Kew Gardens. There are more here with apertures.

 

[Trius]

Silva: Lovely. My impression is that the Heliar/Superia combination results in a very realistic, neutral image.

 

[Abbazz]

Some more pictures taken with my R3M with Classic Heliar (first 3 pictures at f/8.0, last 2 ones full open):

Cheers,

Abbazz

 

[steve garza]

How big is this lens in comparison to the Elmar?

 

[Trius]

Abbaz: Very nice! That third shot is my favourite; I love the graphic quality, and the contrast and colour seem perfect to me. Now someone needs to stick this on an M8!

 

[Grober]

One compeling reason for me to buy the Bessa R2M: solo 75mm frame. The R2M works very well with my Leica 75mm Summicorn after you train yourself to manually flip the frame switch on the top of the camera. I like having only one frame in the v/f when I use this short tele lens for people shots.

I bought the R2M and not the R3M because I don't have nor intend to buy any 40mm lenses.

I hated the lack of the Motor drive I used frequently on my M7 so I subsequently obtained the CV trigger winder for the Bessa. The trigger winder is well made and a pleasure to use. (I have also used both the Rapidwinder and Leicavit winders on both my formerly-owned M6 Classic and M7 cameras.)

Metering display in the v/f on the Bessa R2M is excellent and gives the shooter a good reference and "feel" for any slight over or under exposure one wants to make as a quick compensation.

One smallish point: the film speed is very hard to read in its little adjustment window. Why didn't they just drop the last digit? (800 film would be an easier-to-read "80" in the tiny display.)

The collapsible Heliar 50mm is a pleasant surprise and also feels dense, heavy, implying quality (hardly a scientific measurement here). Since I shoot mostly with the 25mm Biogon, 28mm LTM Canon, 35mm Summicorn ASPH and 75mm AA Summicron, I really have not taken this new Heliar 50 very seriously yet. I having bought it to complete the set with the offered R2M. (I also have two other 50's that also don't get much use.)

I intend for this Bessa R2M to be my last film camera as I have already sold my M7 + two Leica lenses (90 AA & 135) to build up the necessary cash for the M8 already on order with my local Leica dealer. My previous (unsatisfactory) Bessa experience was with two different Bessa L cameras, both purchased new from an authorized CV dealer. Each developed film advance problems (and were discarded!) just after the warranty period expired. I perceive that the Bessa R2M is bit more beefy in construction although I'm still holding my breath each time I advance the film, either with the lever or bottom trigger.

Bottom line on the R2M: good initial value and a pleasing-to-use camera. Now, we'll see if it survives the warranty period intact.

 

[mc_vancouver]

R3M sounds like...

R3M sounds like...

Just got it today, really thrilled by it. Classy black paint. Compared shutter sound with my Leica IIIf, didn't seem particularly louder, but "sharper" sounding. SHould probably have recorded at different shutter speeds. Maybe will do that some other time. The view: with the 1:1 viewfinder, I think it will take some time for me to get used to having both eyes open, if I want to do that at least it offers the opportunity to see what's around me as I'm shooting. I wear glasses. Currently I have a 35mm lens, and the camera, of course, has a 40mm frameline, so I'm using it mainly as a rough guide to what I'll get. Even if I mounted the 35mm viewfinder atop the camera it would still only be an approximation (and I've sold the v/f anyway, so its a moot point). With glasses, I don't really see the framelines, but I'm just going to assume that its the full field of view in the viewfinder, including area outside framelines. It's nice to have a larger frameline for the 75 and 90 mm focal lengths (now to get a longer lens...) More later, will post pix when I get negs scanned. (Anyone got a good film scanner for sale?) I'm a Happy camper.