switch: Bessa R3a -> Leica M6 TTL 0.58

[Marko]

Hi all.

After a long time of fighting with the 1:1 viewfinder on my Bessa i finaly gave up! I has purchased the Bessa i was completely new to rangefinders. Iam wearing glasses thats the big problem! I has maked a big mistake with the R3a. I have no chance to see the 50mm frame on the Bessa! I has hoped that i can learn to shot without the completely frame but that was also inane!

Yesterday i was in Berlin to the newopening of the Leicastore Berlin. I have looked trought a 0.72 and 0.58 viewfinder and on the 0.72 i can see the 50mm, with a litte bit of pressing my glasses on the viewfinder, complete. But with the 0.58 i can see all the framelines perfectly!

The Leica feeling... I have shoot with my Bessa for more then a year. I had think that the Bessa is a very good camera. But yesterday as i held a Leica M in my hands it was like a other world! My Bessa is going bumpy as i release the shutter the Leica M is calm. There is no "hectic" in the camera. The shutter on the M is quiet, quiet, quiet 😉 The winder is going better on the M and so on ........

I was falling in love to the M :angel:

So peoples here in the Bessa Forum. Thank you for support iam switch to the M and to the Leica M forum.

 

[jakieff]

Bessa r3a

Bessa r3a

hello Marko
Are you selling your R3A?
If so, at which price ?

Jacques

 

[sf]

I doubt that anyone falls in love with Leica M. Love for those cameras is innate. We are only made aware of that passion at first sight.

 

[Marko]

Hey George. It was not the passion of the first sight. I have looked since a half year for a Leica M. The shutter sound of my Bessa has make me ill! Every peoples look at me as i take a picture -clack- it was terrible!! But the first sight was the finaly decision..

 

[Marko]

Hi Jacques. I sell the the Bessa with a 40mm Nokton with LH-5, a Leitz Elmar 90mm, a Leicatime halfcase, a sidegrip and the original Voigtländer schoulder strap for 750 Euro. I have make the offer to some friends of me. If nobody want the Bessa then i will see whats next..

 

[jakieff]

Bessa r3a

Bessa r3a

OK Marko.
I'm interested by the Bessa with the 40 mm Nokton, less by the Elmar.
Jacques

 

[f/stopblues]

Enjoy, Marko! I suspect in the coming couple of years I'll be following just what you're doing now. I'm extremely pleased with my R2A, but I fear its a matter of time before the power of the Schwartz is too great to ignore. I'll probably cross over by way of the M4-P.

The Voightlanders here say bon voyage! Don't forget your roots 😉

 

[Fred]

Hey, think twice before releasing the old trusty Bessa back into the wild.

It's always good to use a second body and the R*A is an M mount. Use one for colour the other for B&W or just different film speeds. Always handy.

OK the Bessas are more noisy than the Leica M, in most cases that does not matter. Unless the VF is causing problems like in Marko's case I'd hang on to th R*A and use them both.

 

[ZaphodB]

Hi, I'm considering buying an R3A and was wondering if anyone else finds the viewfinder problematic? I'm a bit confused since you say you find it difficult to use when wearing glasses; I also wear glasses (am very short-sighted) and find it difficult to use small (or small magnification) fiewfinders; I would have thought a 1x finder would be ideal?

 

[Chuck A]

Sorry you are unhappy with your Bessa. I have an R3A on the way. I have never seen one or looked at its viewfinder, but I don't wear glasses so I am hoping the 40mm framelines will be alright for me. The biggest question I have is about shutter noise. I have heard that the Bessas are louder, we will just have to see how much when I get it next week. I am spoiled by the leaf shutters on my RC and RD.

I was impressed by the meter in AE on the R3a. To get a Leica with those capabilities costs alot. I will eventually get an M6, I will just use the R3A until I can afford one. An M7 is out of the question.

Good Luck.

 

[f/stopblues]

Sorry you are unhappy with your Bessa. I have an R3A on the way. I have never seen one or looked at its viewfinder, but I don't wear glasses so I am hoping the 40mm framelines will be alright for me. The biggest question I have is about shutter noise. I have heard that the Bessas are louder, we will just have to see how much when I get it next week. I am spoiled by the leaf shutters on my RC and RD.

I was impressed by the meter in AE on the R3a. To get a Leica with those capabilities costs alot. I will eventually get an M6, I will just use the R3A until I can afford one. An M7 is out of the question.

Good Luck.

Chuck, don't worry.. you should be pretty happy with the Bessa. It's a very nice camera. I've owned quite a few cameras in lots of styles and formats, and this is my favorite all-around camera. The shutter is not quiet, but that's when you compare it to Leica, etc. It's quieter than the vast majority of cameras out there. I can't really comment on the AE cause I use a handheld meter 95% of the time. Hope you like it! What kind of lens(es) are you sticking on it?

 

[triplefinger]

Although I just put it up for sale, I very much like my r3a. I don't wear glasses and can see everything in the VF no prob, I also shoot w/ a 35mm on it and just use my imagination!

enjoy!

I'm selling cause I bought a ZI and need to pay off the credit card!

mike

Sorry you are unhappy with your Bessa. I have an R3A on the way. I have never seen one or looked at its viewfinder, but I don't wear glasses so I am hoping the 40mm framelines will be alright for me. The biggest question I have is about shutter noise. I have heard that the Bessas are louder, we will just have to see how much when I get it next week. I am spoiled by the leaf shutters on my RC and RD.

I was impressed by the meter in AE on the R3a. To get a Leica with those capabilities costs alot. I will eventually get an M6, I will just use the R3A until I can afford one. An M7 is out of the question.

Good Luck.

 

[Chuck A]

Chuck, don't worry.. you should be pretty happy with the Bessa. It's a very nice camera. I've owned quite a few cameras in lots of styles and formats, and this is my favorite all-around camera. The shutter is not quiet, but that's when you compare it to Leica, etc. It's quieter than the vast majority of cameras out there. I can't really comment on the AE cause I use a handheld meter 95% of the time. Hope you like it! What kind of lens(es) are you sticking on it?

Thanks for the reply and the vote of confidence in the R3A. I found a 40mm M-Rokkor for it the next day for a good price. It always gets such great reviews for sharpness and bokeh. The lens should be here tommorrow and the camera next week. I also got a Industar 61LD to try out. I am dying to try them. I will keep you posted when I get them.

Next on the list is a 75mm or 90mm and then a 25mm or 28mm. Will it never end

 

[triplefinger]

good luck with that 40mm, i might suggest the industar-50, I had the 22, 50 & 61... the 50 was my favorite. I also found a great jupiter3.

cheers, mike

Thanks for the reply and the vote of confidence in the R3A. I found a 40mm M-Rokkor for it the next day for a good price. It always gets such great reviews for sharpness and bokeh. The lens should be here tommorrow and the camera next week. I also got a Industar 61LD to try out. I am dying to try them. I will keep you posted when I get them.

Next on the list is a 75mm or 90mm and then a 25mm or 28mm. Will it never end

 

[Chuck A]

good luck with that 40mm, i might suggest the industar-50, I had the 22, 50 & 61... the 50 was my favorite. I also found a great jupiter3.

cheers, mike

The Jupiter 3 looks great. That is one that I may add on later.

 

[troym]

Hi, I'm considering buying an R3A and was wondering if anyone else finds the viewfinder problematic? I'm a bit confused since you say you find it difficult to use when wearing glasses; I also wear glasses (am very short-sighted) and find it difficult to use small (or small magnification) fiewfinders; I would have thought a 1x finder would be ideal?

If you're using the camera with the 50 mm framelines, wearing glasses won't be a problem--you'll be able to see those framelines. I also wear glasses (I'm also very near sighted) and I like the 1:1 magnification *a lot*. It makes focusing and composing easier for me.

If, however, you intend to use the 40 mm framelines, then you'll have difficulty seeing them. Frankly, that doesn't bother me too much, because I don't try to frame precisely with my R3A and 40 Nokton.

 

[ghost]

i consider the lack of a .58x/.6x viewfinder to be the biggest gap in the voigtlander lineup. i think they'll make one sooner or later.

 

[Avotius]

I know your feeling all too well. I need to get another rangefinder and as cheap as those bessa's are (btw you should have tried a r2a not the r3a if you wear glasses) the call of leica can be too strong

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

The 40mm framelines are so close to the edge that even if you can't see them you can just use the whole viewfinder.

 

[PikesPeak]

Of course a Leica is not as noisy than a Bessa, because it has a cloth
curtain that can easily develop pinholes. Than what? Bessas have a
sturdy metal one.....'nough said.