R4A set to go, now the lens...

[toksuede]

For those of you who were so kind to answer my dreadful, "which camera for moi?" questions, I take this place and time on the web thing to say, "merci". I just checked my bank account and voila, I just got paid by my clients. I am now in somewhat sound mind and body, capable of can (or will) ready to pounce on that R4A. Just don't tell the woman who's sleeping right behind me not knowing that I'm making such a funky move.

By all means, 750 dollars is still a lot of money and now I have to invest my hard earned cash on a lens. Here are the ones who made the short list:

-28/1.9 Ultron
-35/2.5 Pancake
-35/2.5 Skopar
-35/1.7 Ultron

24/4p was my initial choice, but after reading reviews and realizing that f/4 is just way too slow to shoot in any sort of dark grimey conditions, I decided to go for something faster. I'm quite gobsmacked with the 28/1.9, but if any of you could convince me or dissuade me, please do so and don't hold back.

As some of you have mentioned the 28/1.9 isn't all that big and I have just carried a 24/2.8 with Nikon F3 without a strap (don't ask me why) over the weekend.

I also have no idea if 35mm will be wide enough, but I'm man enough to give it a try.

I thank you very much in advance for what may be my 2nd RF experience (after my initial "I give up" with the G2).

Ryu

 

[ISO]

hahaha, I was just posting that I got a lens and look for a body. Maybe we should share the camera.....😀

 

[toksuede]

hahaha, I was just posting that I got a lens and look for a body. Maybe we should share the camera.....😀

That's the type of reverse engineering, I'd like to get myself into.
I do feel that choosing a lens is so much more difficult with RF as they are all primes.

With me shooting sports, it's super duper telephoto, telephoto zoom, wide zoom, and voila, you're done.

Which lens did you get?

 

[ISO]

UC-Hexanon 35, for B/W street. I am thinking about to get a Bessa R2a. How do you like the feel of your new R4 ? Sport - I did some snowboard, surf- and skateboard stuff, for a while.... I think for that I would like to have a DSLR 8 frame/ second machine now... But sure you can get some nice results with a R4a and wide angles, especially in skateboarding... What sport you take pictures of?

 

[rover]

Well, by way of comparison, the 28 Ultron blocks as much of the 28mm framelines on the R4 as it does the 28mm framelines on the M6TTL. Likewise, the 35 Nokton 35/1.2 blocks the same amount of the 35mm framelines on the R4 and M6TTL.

Also, the 35 Ultron blocks only a tiny corner of the 35mm framelines in the R4 (I assume the 35 Biogon will be similar). The pancakes should be fine, no blocking at all, maybe the vented hood will be visible.

I have only been using the 28/3.5 on my R4a, it refuses to come off the camera.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/roversworld/sets/72157600284197679/

 

[peter_n]

I have the original CV 35/2.5 pancake lens and loved it. Very short throw and great for street shooting. But also very contrasty, almost too much to my liking, and I like contrasty pictures. 28mm is a great focal length for that cam because its the only frameline in the VF... 🙂

 

[toksuede]

UC-Hexanon 35, for B/W street. I am thinking about to get a Bessa R2a. How do you like the feel of your new R4 ? Sport - I did some snowboard, surf- and skateboard stuff, for a while.... I think for that I would like to have a DSLR 8 frame/ second machine now... But sure you can get some nice results with a R4a and wide angles, especially in skateboarding... What sport you take pictures of?

Well, I'd like to say I love the R4A, but since I haven't yet bought the damn thing, I will hold back any sort of excitement for now. As for the sports pics, it's almost always football. I do most of my work up in Scotland and in France where there are two "prominent" Japanese players: Nakamura with Celtic and Matsui with Le Mann. The rest is champions league stuff involving big European clubs. I don't know if the R4A will be efficient enough to shoot any sort of football, but you never say never again.

I wouldn't mind giving the 35mm a try, but for some reason I find the length a wee bit short.

 

[toksuede]

Well, by way of comparison, the 28 Ultron blocks as much of the 28mm framelines on the R4 as it does the 28mm framelines on the M6TTL. Likewise, the 35 Nokton 35/1.2 blocks the same amount of the 35mm framelines on the R4 and M6TTL.

Also, the 35 Ultron blocks only a tiny corner of the 35mm framelines in the R4 (I assume the 35 Biogon will be similar). The pancakes should be fine, no blocking at all, maybe the vented hood will be visible.

I have only been using the 28/3.5 on my R4a, it refuses to come off the camera.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/roversworld/sets/72157600284197679/

Mmm... does the 28 Ultron block as much of the 28mm frameline as the 35 Ultron blocks its frameline? After reading your post, I'm quite set on going for either of the two, 35 or the 28 Ultron. Faster does it for me and although I would like a pancake like small ones, if I have to give up stop, stop and a half, I'd rather carry something a tad heavier.

By looking at your pics, I'm thinking that the 35mm is the longest I can go in terms of "wideness". Anything wider than that will be considered illegal in my country.

 

[toksuede]

I have the original CV 35/2.5 pancake lens and loved it. Very short throw and great for street shooting. But also very contrasty, almost too much to my liking, and I like contrasty pictures. 28mm is a great focal length for that cam because its the only frameline in the VF... 🙂

That's the other things I was thinking in terms of 28mm. The frameline thing. Perhpas this might be the reason why I should get the 28 over the 35mm?

 

[mfogiel]

I cannot comment on the 28 Ultron, apart that all the user comments on this lens have been very positive. I've bought the R4A primarily for use with a 28mm lens, and I think this is surely the frameline that works best with this camera.

As for the lens, I have an Elmarit (3rd), which despite being an 2.8 lens is pretty long and blocks a bit the view, but you can live with it. My general comment is, that this FOW is extremely versatile, and with an extra f stop from the Ultron, you will have an F2/1/15sec combination, that with a fastish film like XP2 (200-250ISO) or the new Provia 400X, can almost take pictures in any light situation.

 

[toksuede]

I cannot comment on the 28 Ultron, apart that all the user comments on this lens have been very positive. I've bought the R4A primarily for use with a 28mm lens, and I think this is surely the frameline that works best with this camera.

As for the lens, I have an Elmarit (3rd), which despite being an 2.8 lens is pretty long and blocks a bit the view, but you can live with it. My general comment is, that this FOW is extremely versatile, and with an extra f stop from the Ultron, you will have an F2/1/15sec combination, that with a fastish film like XP2 (200-250ISO) or the new Provia 400X, can almost take pictures in any light situation.

I'm getting sold very fast on the 28 Ultron. You're absolutely on the ball with this one as a lens this fast, it's a real bargain. Right, I really need to find whether I can get one second hand (lens) and as for the body, I shall ask the man at Camera Quest if he can ship it to me in Paris.

Over 1000 bucks on the whole ordeal... I am going to have to use this setup as much as I used the 3 digital compacts in the past couple of years...

 

[toksuede]

Just a question:

If I buy the 28 Ultron, do I need an M mount adapter? Are there anyway I can buy the adapter as well as the Ultron cheap? Is Ebay the only way?

 

[rover]

No, the 35 Ultron does not block much of the 35mm framelines at all, only the lower right corner a bit. The 28 Ultron blocks about half of the lower right quarter of the 28mm frame area. I was concerned about this much blockage, but then I put the 28 Ultron on my M6 and surprise the same amount of the 28mm area was blocked. I think I knew that, but seeing them side by side made me less concerned about using the 28 Ultron on the R4.

Mmm... does the 28 Ultron block as much of the 28mm frameline as the 35 Ultron blocks its frameline? After reading your post, I'm quite set on going for either of the two, 35 or the 28 Ultron. Faster does it for me and although I would like a pancake like small ones, if I have to give up stop, stop and a half, I'd rather carry something a tad heavier.

By looking at your pics, I'm thinking that the 35mm is the longest I can go in terms of "wideness". Anything wider than that will be considered illegal in my country.

 

[rover]

Just a question:

If I buy the 28 Ultron, do I need an M mount adapter? Are there anyway I can buy the adapter as well as the Ultron cheap? Is Ebay the only way?

Yes, you will need an adaptor. They are available new made by Cosina, you can get one from Stephen if you are buying the camera from Cameraquest.

So, another question. Being in Europe, after tax/customs and shipping buying from the US is still less expensive than buying from Robert White or another European shop?

 

[mfogiel]

toksuede,
check your Paris shops for this stuff... after all France gave birth to Cartier Bresson, and there is still a large following of his style there, I am sure you will find a shop that stocks Bessas... find out also about buying from the US - in Italy you have to pay the customs plus the VAT when you ship from there... strange as it seems, it usually does not happen if you buy from Japan or Hong Kong...

Also, you may try Luigi Crescenzi from Leicatime Rome, or Shphoto from Germany, who are both sponsors of this forum. I didn't even know Luigi held Voigtlander stuff, and then I discovered he was well stocked - I bought a ZI with the 35 Nokton from him... He will also advise you on gear, as he is a photographer himself...

 

[peter_n]

I do most of my work up in Scotland and in France where there are two "prominent" Japanese players: Nakamura with Celtic and Matsui with Le Mann. The rest is champions league stuff involving big European clubs.

I wouldn't mind giving the 35mm a try, but for some reason I find the length a wee bit short.

OMG OMG I am so jealous!! 😱 😱 😱 That Shunsuke Nakamura is one heck of a player and he has done brilliantly for Celtic this season. He makes it look "so Japaneasy" too! 😉

All the digital shots of football look very similar - all obviously taken with zooms. A wide-angle like a 28mm could be dynamite if you could get very close to the line at a corner or a throw-in.

 

[BillBingham2]

Ryu,

Another choice might be the ZI 25/2.8. Costs a bit more, is a bit slower. I do not know enought about what you are going to shoot to know if loosing a stop and being only a bit wider is worth it. Tony Rose has great prices on them these days.

If I were to carry a two lens kit, it would be the CV 28/1.9 and Leica 75/2. I wish Pres K would come out with a faster 75 (perhaps f1.9) for those of us who love to reach out a bit. The CV is priced so that if you trash it you have not broken the bank.

CV has fine LTM to M adapters, you can find used one on EvilBay at a reasonable price. As you are using a Bessa, which one you get is not critical. If you ever think of moving to ZI or Leica, get the one that pulls up the 28mm frame lines now.

If you get really wild and crazy, think about a Bessa L and an old CV 25/4 as an everywhere camera. It's fun, gives you control and feels like almost nothing over the shoulder.

B2 (;->

 

[toksuede]

Yes, you will need an adaptor. They are available new made by Cosina, you can get one from Stephen if you are buying the camera from Cameraquest.

So, another question. Being in Europe, after tax/customs and shipping buying from the US is still less expensive than buying from Robert White or another European shop?

Right, I just had a heart to heart with the woman of the house (but not my pockets) and she said that between a new LCD TV and a new camera, she will be happier with me with the camera. The lady is not too keen on having a big TV, so I guess all set for go.

I am planning to get the whole lot from Cameraquest as they are the ueber specialty store for Voigtlander things. Someone did mention about the fact that if I ought to move to Zeiss or Leica lens in the future, I should get a 28mm frame thing. I don't quite get this, but I'm assuming that I need to get a 28/90 frameline?

Yes, tax, VAT, all those evil things. Well, as far as I know, someone who is very close to me had his mother send him a D2Xs from Japan to the UK, with the customs form declaring the item's worth was "used camera 100 bucks", type of thing. Considering the relative weekenss of the yen and the dollar compared to the euro and the pound, at the end of the day, even considering the amount of VAT you have to pay, you will be paying less. It's that crazy over here.

As of this time in the evening, I'm thinking the R4A, 28 Ultron (the ZM are just way too out of my reach at this point), adapter, and that's it. While I'm feeling frisky, anything else I need to complete my lust for gears? I am NOT going to buy another lens until I figure out I can tame this beast first. As for visiting a shop in Paris, I'll probably just end up buying one and will regret that I paid so much more for it compared to the ones I can get across the pond.

Ryu

 

[toksuede]

By the way, thanks everyone for convincing me that the Ultron won't black out my viewfinder. That was a very crucial info in making the decision.