Which Bessa is for you?

Which Bessa is for you?

  • L

    Votes: 43 4.2%

  • T

    Votes: 59 5.8%

  • R

    Votes: 142 14.0%

  • R2

    Votes: 73 7.2%

  • R2M (Jahre 250)

    Votes: 16 1.6%

  • R2M

    Votes: 53 5.2%

  • R2A

    Votes: 112 11.0%

  • R3M (Jahre 250)

    Votes: 40 3.9%

  • R3M

    Votes: 91 8.9%

  • R3A

    Votes: 157 15.4%

  • R4M

    Votes: 118 11.6%

  • R4A

    Votes: 113 11.1%
  • Total voters
    1,017
R2 Olive because it's prettiest and not battery dependent. Otherwise the M-mount cameras are all pretty much functionally equivalent, except the T and R4.

Cheers,

R.
 
I have the Bessa L & a Bessa R. The L is home to my 25/4 snapshot skopar. I like the L because it's lightweight. I found I like the lights on the back instead of ttl. Both are great cameras for carrying around all day without becoming a nuisance.
 
Tom A said:
Currently, a L, two T's (1 grey/1 black), Bessa R, Bessa R2. Bessa R2M,Bessa R2A (green), Bessa R3M, Bessa R3A (green), Bessa R4M (two) and awaiting a Bessa III
My Bessa R is now getting on in age - looks beaten up, but never missed a beat. The only Bessa that ever gave me a problem was the Bessa R2 - the meter diodes started acting up a while ago - at the moment I use it as a meterless body (took the batteries out) - one day I will get around to fix it - but everything else works so it is not a big deal.
Obviously I like the Bessa's!
Click to expand...

Wow!
"Sensei", you are very lucky! You have tried almost all the Bessas.
Regarding the Bessa R2A (green) and the Bessa R3A (green), I have never seen these green models, can you share some pics of them, please.

Greetings
 
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Roger Hicks said:
R2 Olive because it's prettiest and not battery dependent. Otherwise the M-mount cameras are all pretty much functionally equivalent, except the T and R4.

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...

HI Roger,
I have an Olive Bessa T with the Heliar 50 3.5. It is very pretty indeed. No clue how it compares in beauty with your Olive R2.
 
I picked the T, b/c it's probably the one Bessa I'd keep for the long haul. It's versitile, makes a great back-up camera, and a camera to take along on hikes when compactness and light weight are important. The metering system is excellent.

I've also got an R3A, which I bought for the 40mm framelines and AE. I like it a lot too, although the rangefinder is slightly out of vertical alignment. I may consider selling and replacing w/ an M3 at some point, though.

I had a Bessa R. Really liked it, but sold it to help finance my M2 acquisition. I miss that little camera. It was just right in many respects. Great vf, nice metering system, compact, didn't mind that it was LTM (most of the rf lenses I use are LTM anyway). Only downside was the loud shutter.
 
I have an R, R3M and a T. I like the R3M the best because the build quality is better than the other Bessas I own. I also like the 1:1 viewfinder. But I love my Bessa T because it is somewhat unique, I love focussing with the 1.5x viewfinder and it is kinda sexy with the 40mm Nokton and external VF.
 
Talking about sexy sets, the Olive T with the super sharp 50mm 3.5 collapsible Heliar make one sexy set. Better keep your [female] camera sets from my [male] camera set!
 
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40mm lens on Bessas

40mm lens on Bessas

I always want to get a Bessa. Please allow me to ask questions here:

Does anyone use Bessa's 35mm frameline for a 40mm lens? e.g. R2A and R4A. Do they fit, like M6?

I wear glasses and found the 40mm frame a bit tight.

Thank you
KKC
 
I often use the 40 Nokton on a R4M - just using the inside of the 35 frame as a guideline. Easy to see with glasses.
 
If I could have voted for 2 it would have been the L and the R (the only ones I've owned), the R got it just as the meter stays on for a few seconds after the shutter release is touched, just would have been handy to change the shutter speed without having to switch it back on.

I've been pondering selling the Bessas and a few LTM lenses having packed them up and taken photos of them to sell online but somehow I cannot bring myself to selling. Great honest cameras. The cash would have been used to fund a Bessa R2a so I could use my M lenses. For me even though the R2a is better built it just doesn't quite have the character of the R although that could change should I give in to temptation.
 
For me it's the T (black), although I do sometimes miss a combined RF/VF when I need to ride the focus.

At the time I bought it, it was the only completely mechanical M-mount camera I could afford.. it took some while to get used to, but I feel very comfortable with it now. Oh, and it's a great conversation starter with a chrome collapsible 50/3,5 and a sleek 50mm finder.
 
I never met a Bessa I did not like (camera slut that I am). If it had to be one and only it would be a Bessa LSC (never made) Bessa L body with a Nikon S mount on her. As this is a hard core Bessa question I have to say the L. I love the T and the R but the L was my favorite Bessa I have ever owned. Priced right, small and worked well both as a backup camera and a prime camera for a 15 or 25mm lens.

B2 (;->
 
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