Rollei 35 RF or Bessa R

[bHeinemann]

Hi, I'm having trouble finding info on the Rollei 35 RF (comparison wise)...My girlfriend is a painter, but is beginning to really enjoy photography 🙂 She doesn't have a camera of her own, and I want to get her a nice RF...I've seen the rollei for 450 I believe with 40 (?) mm lens, and the Bessa R for 400 with 35mm...What would be the better choice, I'm assuming the Rollei as the build quality seems better...Just looking for some helpful suggestions...

 

[bHeinemann]

Actually, I think that 450 price I saw was body only 🙁...fine print

 

[laudrup]

I was considering buying one of the models you've asking for info about

someone correct me if i'm wrong but isn't the rollei 35rf basically a repackaged bessa model anyway? I'm sure i read somewhere that they are virtually the same camera? it may be a bessa r or r2 or r2a or something?

robertwhite.co.uk has the 35 rf for £450 with trigger winder, 40mm f2.8 sonnar & lenshood.

the bessa r is £265 with 35mm f2.5 classic color scopar lens.

although i noticed in the small print that the prices exclude vat!!!

here are a couple of user reviews etc for each camera, hope they help

review of rollei
user guide for rollei

bessa r info
bessa r2 info
bessa r2a/r3a info

good luck

 

[Huck Finn]

The Rollei 35 RF is a special version of the Bessa R2 with 40/50/80 framelines. Like the R2, build quality (all metal body) is an upgrade from the Bessa R (plastic body). The Rollei use M-mount, which makes it quicker & easier to change lenses but which also means that you'll have to include the cost of an adaptor for most of the Voigtlander lenses since, with a few exceptions, they're made in Leica screw mount. In contrast, the Bessa R is a screw mount camera, which means that you are restricted only to Voigtlander screw mount lenses if you are buying new and to older screw mount lenses if you are buying used AND it means that you cannot use any M-mount lenses on this camera. Both are very nice cameras for what they do.

Huck