What new Voigtlander RF or SLR product would you like to see?

A new M mount 50 1.4 Nokton with 43 mm filter threads with a small round lens shade. I wish they could make a battery powered motor drive for the Bessas. The lens $579 and motor drive $400.
 
(Ah, to dream!...)

top of the list:
A Bessa body with spot and c/w metering, aperture priority w/needle display like the Nikon FE2 and with AE-L. A viewfinder frame range a-la ZM: 28 thru to 85. Shutter dial a-la Nikon F5: thumbwheel at back of body rather than top. Fat handle bump on the front right, or a slightly fatter body: my hands are too big for the current one.

second:
make the Nikon mount Voigtlander lenses available again: I *want* the 125 apo-lanthar!!!

third and last:
a truly kickass-wide 50 lens in M-mount. 1.2 or better, multi-coated, corrected for low light photography like the noct-nikkor.
 
i think it's time to introduce a new 50mm f1 (close focus .7m) in M mount, I don't mind if it's even bigger, heavier than 35mm f1.2 and cost twice as much the current 50mm f1.5
 
- Miniature RF the size of a Rollei 35. 2.0 or 2.8/35 or 2.8/40mm. Simple built in meter. Nothing fancy.

- Modern incarnation of the AUFSU waist level finder with markings for 35/50 (28 would be the full finder)

- Something like the Nikon Varifocal finder. The VIOOH are getting old and Nikon & TEWE finders are expensive.
 
Jamie Pillers said:
Solve the strap lug problem. Find a way to move the lugs so that the camera doesn't hang at that wierd angle when the wonderful, light-weight Voigtlander lenses are mounted. Its not right that we have to solve the problem by adding a side grip or trigger winder.:bang:

H.B.: Thanks for putting this thread up for consideration.:)
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The solution is simple: use a rotating stainless steel fishing lure attachments (cheap) available even at Walmart. Select the heaviest "pound-test" you think you will need (the camera is only a couple of pounds at most). I had been using this method for 30 years. :D

Regarding what I like to see in CV products:

A small 70 or 75mm lens to pair up with the 35/1.4 or 40/1.4, f2 or even f2.8 is fine...makes a perfect travelling couple.
 
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I also like to see bayonet mount lens shades styled like the older screw in type...a simple tube-ring and shallow enough to just do the job. The extra few millimeter in diameter would also allow a filter to be permanently mounted.

I hate the current vented and tilted type...makes the lens bulky and protrudes into the viewfinder.

And, my wish for a small 75mm lens...Leica has one.
 
As already suggested, plus a few others:
  • 21, 24/25 & 40mm metal finders
  • Reposition the strap lugs on R series
  • Tessar 5cm f2.8/4.5
  • 50mm f2 LTM (rigid) with modern glass but "classic" looks
  • Konica S3 -tyle fixed lens rangefinder; 38/40mm lens, etc; manual & AE; good flash facilities .....
  • 645 or 66 folder, crf, semi-wide f3.5 lens, no electronics
  • "Real chrome" (or Mag-Al) R variant, with black sharkskin trim, long rf baselength, 28/35+40/50/75/90 auto frames, 0.6 mag v/f, AE, better re-wind knob (Nikon FM-style, etc)
 
ernesto said:
A Zeiss Ikon adapter to use Old Contax Lens on the new ZM bodies.

Ernesto
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Ooh. I am susceptible to adapters, and this is a GREAT idea. This would be a great product. I have a non-Orion hacked version of this (Kiev mount?) and it will not allow wides to be used on a Leica. My 50/3.5 Nikon S-mount Heliar? No problem. But if Mr. K. could bring his engineering prowess to bear on this problem, he could do for older Contax glass what he did for older LSM glass -- make the palette of prior glass available to the digital/AE age.

I have to say, Mr. K has been great at identifying holes in the Leica line-up and filling them with reasonably priced products. Now that there are affordable ultra-wides (12/5.6, 15/4.5), fast wides (28/2, 35/1.2) and a fast normal lens (50/1.5) in the C/V lineup, what else is there?

A 58/1.4 like the Topcor design currently available in Nikon's SLR mount (which I own and love)?
A variable focal length wide like the Konica (what is it,a 21-35/4.5)?
A small-run superwide for the Pentax 67 analgous to the 15/4.5 in 35mm?
A fast portrait length lens (85/2 or the like)?

I feel pretty lucky to be alive and interested in this stuff when there is so much good glass to be had for such reasonable prices. I understand the wish for a 50/1, but I find myself wondering whether the cost of producing such a lens is inconsistent with Mr. K's design/sales philosophy -- which seems to aim for a different price/quality point. Just my two cents, of course.

Interesting thread.

Ben Marks
 
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I'd also like to point out that when I was in college 20-something years ago and well-nigh penniless, affordable new RF products were few and far between. In that sense, EVERYTHING that Cosina has put out since the Bessa-L has been a boon for those interested in RF photography. My guess is that Mr. K will get wind of the best of the ideas voiced in this forum.

Ben Marks
 
Frankie said:
A small 70 or 75mm lens to pair up with the 35/1.4 or 40/1.4, f2 or even f2.8 is fine...makes a perfect travelling couple.
Click to expand...

An additional thought:

A lens focal length extender would also be useful:
  1. A 1.4X Extender turns a 35mm into a 50mm; or a 50mm into a 70mm...or
  2. A 2X turns a 35mm into a 70mm; or a 28mm into a 56mm; or a 40mm into a 80mm.
Many CV cameras use manual frame-line selector anyway and would not need to worry about automatic coupling.

I am not trying to save money, just bulk.

Such a small device slips into a pocket, just like my Nikon TC-14A...one camera/lens around my neck, one hockey puck size lens Extender in my pant pocket.

OR

A bi- or tri-focal length lens:

35-70mm

28-40-60mm...
 
I probably have not played with my Bessa nearly as long as some people here but I would like something quieter. I was told RFs were supposed to be quiet and the Bessa is the loudest camera I have which is quite something given the SLRs it is going up against. A longer baseline couldn't hurt either.

EDIT: I've been playing with a friend's 90 summicron recently and I was quite deliberately trying to shoot it wide open - definitely would like a longer baselength. Right now the only option in the Bessa stable is the Bessa-T and I'd rather not to have to use a separate rangefinder and viewfinder so the options are the 0.85 Ms or the ZI. I also rather like AE so that narrows the options even further.
 
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not sure if anyone else mentioned this but i'd love to see those dual hot shoe adapters come back. not sure if they'll ever be made and they're still on the cameraquest site but they're unavailable.

- chris
 
Perhaps this has already been suggested - but how about a really good multi-finder - maybe like the Nikon vari-focal. I realize this might be a fairly expensive item, but it would be worth it in convenience. Range - well "wideish" would be good, say two models - 20-50mm and one for teles 50-135. First one for R3 second for R4.... Brightline of course. Did I mention we want easy parallax correction?

Chris L.
 
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Jesus! Theres a million fifty milimeters out there and half of you ask for yet another one???

Whats needed is a fast wide.
 
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