The most popular Bessa is....

The most popular Bessa is....

  • R2M

    Votes: 24 8.5%
  • R2A

    Votes: 47 16.6%
  • R3M

    Votes: 28 9.9%
  • R3A

    Votes: 56 19.8%
  • R4M

    Votes: 31 11.0%
  • R4A

    Votes: 36 12.7%
  • None - I prefer a used Leica...

    Votes: 61 21.6%

  • Total voters
    283
I voted, here and in real life, for the R4A (and the T, which is not on the list). I use the R4 with 21, 28 and occasionally 50. It's a joy to have an integrated VF/RF for the wides.
 
I don't have a favourite, but if I had to plunk down for a Bessa it would be the R4.

I like the 40mm frameline and high magnification viewfinder of the R3 too, but my need for a high magnification viewfinder body is redundant in the presence of an M3.
 
The real power in them is using them as a system... What's close to an all mechanical R4M with clean framelines for 28mm with lots of space in an ultrawide finder and meter without extra bulk? What's close to an R3A with its 1:1 finder and AE for fast street shooting in different light scenes? What's close to the ultralight T with external metering information?

Nothing, nothing, nothing, by any brand.

Cheers,

Juan
 
R2M for me, my first rangefinder and first real film camera, previously it was a Holga & Diana. I went for the M because, coming from digital & only putzing around with the toycameras, I felt I need to understand the basics of photography without the help of the digital in-camera processing provided by Nikon.
 
I recently got a T and had a R some time ago.
My vote goes to the T, when used with the Voigtlander brightline finders.


Bessa T von oliverleschke auf Flickr

Focusing is so easy with the superb rangefinder!
 
i am much enjoying my new-to-me r2m with cv 50/2.5 cs and cv 35/2.5 cs. with the proper nikon corrective eyepiece in place, the viewfinder/rangfinder is a whiz-bang peach.
 
Bessa R3a incoming... my M8.2 had to go in for a minor repair, but I've been loving my fast 50mm lenses lately... Therefore, I "needed" something modern (i.e. w/ meter), but cheap to hold me over. Modern M3? (ducks, runs, hides)
 
I'm just wondering... for those of you who chose the original R, is it because it is the only Voigtlander you've tried or is there some other reason I'm not getting?
 
A good price,large assortment of lenses to use,big bright viewfinder,built in meter..........................

Robin
 
I've only got a Bessa R, so I guess my vote would be for the R by default. It's probably my favorite camera to shoot with these days because it just feels right.
 
The best for me is my olive R2 - my only camera at the moment. I had an R2a for awhile but I much prefer the metering display in the R2. I did not like the display on the R2a when in manual mode.

I just wish that Cosina would have chosen to minimize the amount of writing on the camera. Is there really a need to put "Voigtlander Germany Since 1876" on the back? That's a pretty minor gripe.
 
For me, I'll second Roger...... the R2 Olive. Get more comments when using
this camera than any other I carry. A 17yr.old young lady in Cozumel thought
it was "very Sexy". It does everything I need especially when paired with my
Fujinon 3.5cm/F2 LTM lens.
hilltime
 
R2a..

R2a..

My goto RF is my M3.. but when i am travelling or in a crowd I grab my R2A complete with Jupiter-8.. there are days when I want a camera that does some of the work for me.
 
Adding the Leica option ruins the validity of the survey. Leica's are class signifiers and so everyone is going to say they want one, like how people by Rolexes even though they are tacky. Everyone will say they want a Leica because they want to believe they can afford one and be seen with one.

False. I selected that answer because it is true: I recently purchased a used Leica, but I have yet to purchase a Bessa. Ergo, any other answer would have been a lie.

I purchased the used Leica because I tried one and found the finder easy to focus in low light, and because it's a system camera with a full range of accessories (like the NOOKY-HESUM close-focusing adapter for my Summitar that mates perfectly with the rangefinder and viewfinder on my IIIf). Snobbery did not have anything to do with it.
 
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