This Camera is Superb.

[eddale]

I am utterly blown away.

I took delivery of the camera on Friday and used it on the weekend.

I'll do a full write up tonight but the bumper stickers are.

- Quietest Camera Ever!!!!

- It's lighter than my m7 with a 50mm 1.4 ASPH lens on it (and when folded is much easier to get in and out of the camera bag.

-Superb construction

-Rangefinder is the best i've used - and i have used them all. I had my glasses on this weekend and the viewfinder is as nice as the Zeiss Ikon with the added bonus that the red color shutter speed indicators are easily seen!

It was not a good weekend for photos here in Melbourne - very grey. So I tried to abuse the camera - i let it set the exposure, I took a rangefinder where it's never supposed to go - shooting kids in a playground and inside under lights (i know the colors suck but I wanted to see if i could handhold at 1/2!!) - This flicker set is just scanned straight in with no retouching what so ever.

(this was hard as some of my composition in these photos totally sucks!)

This Flickr set is more about testing extremes than taking cracking photos and let me tell you - this camera is worth every expensive cent.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eddale/sets/72157621359684043/

The idea of having a medium format camera in a tiny carry bag to carry anywhere is just extraordinary.

Ed

 

[Krosya]

Very nice pics! Hope you will post more from and about this camera!

 

[AgentX]

Great pics and glad you like it! Thanks for the report.

 

[noimmunity]

I fully agree and have felt sorely tempted since using one last weekend to trade one of my M lenses in order to purchase this folder.

 

[BillBingham2]

Thats for the great examples and quick tests.

I have to disagree with you, all those places are where you should take the camera. I do wish the price was not soo strataspheric (sp?).

Congrats on the great pic.

B2 (;->

 

[KoNickon]

Yes, thanks very much for these -- I am very impressed.

 

[dazedgonebye]

Very nice samples. Your enthusiasm is contagious.

 

[guyjr]

Hi... can you tell us what method you used to scan the negatives? I'm curious if I can expect similar results when scanning with my Canon 8800F. Thanks!

btw, absolutely stellar pictures - I'm already sold on the camera... I've decided that if I'm willing to spend upwards of $2k for a Mamiya 7 II and one lens, I'm willing to spend it on a brand new RF instead. 🙂

 

[dazedgonebye]

btw, absolutely stellar pictures - I'm already sold on the camera... I've decided that if I'm willing to spend upwards of $2k for a Mamiya 7 II and one lens, I'm willing to spend it on a brand new RF instead. 🙂

As much as I lust one of these folders...a Mamiya 7 w/80mm lens can be had for half as much. Price is not the only consideration, of course.

 

[Don Hutton]

The Mamiya 7 at half the price is not new - it would be a used camera - and it's a fair bit bulkier (I own both cameras). Optically, the GF670 which I have is at least the equal of the Mamiya (some folks will be very surprized by that) and I much prefer it's rendering...

 

[dazedgonebye]

The Mamiya 7 at half the price is not new - it would be a used camera - and it's a fair bit bulkier (I own both cameras). Optically, the GF670 which I have is at least the equal of the Mamiya (some folks will be very surprized by that) and I much prefer it's rendering...

You're right of course, the cheaper Maimya is not new...but 100%+ is a pretty steep premium for buying new.

Bulkier...that's a much better argument. The Bessa is unique in what it offers and that, no doubt, is why it can command the price premium.

 

[vincentbenoit]

-Rangefinder is the best i've used - and i have used them all.

How does the Bessa compare to the (new) Mamiya 6?

Cheers

Vincent