Voigtlander Bessa R4A

[Nick De Marco]

I'm getting to love this camera for ultra wide angles lenses.
I don't know of any other RF with 21mm frame lines, and 21 can be a good walkabout lens so it is so good to be able to use it without an accessory rangefinder. I also like it for its 25mm frame lines, as I can use it with my Zeiss 25/2.8, one of the nicest wide lenses, again without an accessory finder.

I used it with the Leica 21mm Elmarit-M the other day for my Rangefinder Chronciles, more info here:

http://rangefinderchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/12/tuesday-16-november-2010.html

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Agreed. Even though I bought an M6 not so long ago I'm keeping my R4A simply because of the framelines for 21 and 25. The Leica stops at 28 which is sort of OK but I use the wider lenses a lot. Have the 15 too, but don't use that so much.
And I can't quite bear to let the R3A go because the viewfinder for 40 through 90 is better than the M6.
But I thought I should own a Leica before I died, so I indulged myself! It certainly is a nice piece of work.

 

[sper]

Yeah mine really changed my rangefinder life. Only problem is it makes me want an R3a too!

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Yeah mine really changed my rangefinder life. Only problem is it makes me want an R3a too!

Having just seen the "stereo" R2A thread, what occurred to me is a new model with either two separate or switchable viewfinders so you can select the R3A 40-90 frames in one or the R4A frames from 21-50 in the other.
Now that would be a really neat trick!

 

[Nick De Marco]

I agree Leigh
I recently picked an M6 TTL .58, for wide angle use, and a Leica M7 .85, for 50mm and above.
Both are great and cameras built to last.
However, the Leica only goes to 28 so if you want to use the 21 and 25 the R4A wins
And what you say about the R3 is true too. I have an R3m and never properly appreciated it, mainly because I find a camera with 40mm lines and no 35 lines annoying. But for 50 and up, the finder is wonderful. Like the M3 but brighter, A good holiday kit might be my R4A and R3M, instead of the M6 and M7, also as they are lighter and if they get stolen it won't be the worst thing ever to happen

 

[Leigh Youdale]

A good holiday kit might be my R4A and R3M, instead of the M6 and M7, also as they are lighter and if they get stolen it won't be the worst thing ever to happen

That's exactly what I do - sometimes with different films in each - and I have three VC accessory viewfinders that allow me to use the 75 and 90 on the R4A and the 25 on the R3A if I ever need to.
I also have the 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses in two versions so I can take the "light" kit with max apertures of 2.5 or 3.5 rather than the 2.0 and 1.4 versions which are bigger and heavier.
The M6 is quite a bit heavier in the body and whilst I love the feel of it there's no point knocking it around on holidays.

 

[jsrockit]

The R4a/m is the only film camera I still desire. Very unique.

 

[Nick De Marco]

Good plan Leigh
I also love my Zeiss Ikon ZM. Its got Auto and although the finder isn't as magnified as the R3M, its big and bright. I don't think it weighs more either. Plus it has 35mm framelines. So on balance I think I shall take the R4A and the ZI

 

[noimmunity]

So on balance I think I shall take the R4A and the ZI

Great combo! (The only thing better would be if the layout of the two bodies were exactly the same).

So it wouldn't really buy me anything in the end. 🙄

"Can't buy me love, oh!"

Holy Gaseous Cloud, Batman, forgive me for pointing out that it would allow you to see outside the frames (one of the great attractions of the whole RF experience), while still watching exposure information, in the case of your beloved 25. (For the 18, you can use the whole VF). So, while it might not buy any "thing" in the end, it just might enhance, heighten and reaffirm your true love! 😉

 

[noimmunity]

Enabler! 😀

I can only look at your M9 and dream...🙂