which bessa? T? R? L?

[colker]

hi.. i am new here and i am new to RF. i am deciding on a first RF w/ used leicas and Bessa thrown in to choose from. MOney is a BIG consideration. btw.. i am a pro photgrapher it's been 25yrs already.
what's w/ the various models of Bessa V?
btw, do they use some form of plastic for the top plate?

why is everybody on R2 and R3 and nobodu on Ts, Ls, Rs?

Thanks

Flavio Colker

 

[iamzip]

Bessa Ls are technically not rangefinders - in fact they are completely finderless. As such they require external shoe mount viewfinders and work best with wide lenses, as these are easier to scale focus. The really wide Cosina Voigtlander lenses come with show mount finders. The CV 15mm Heliar was made for this camera.

 

[pvdhaar]

hi.. i am new here and i am new to RF. i am deciding on a first RF w/ used leicas and Bessa thrown in to choose from. MOney is a BIG consideration. btw.. i am a pro photgrapher it's been 25yrs already.
what's w/ the various models of Bessa V?
btw, do they use some form of plastic for the top plate?

why is everybody on R2 and R3 and nobodu on Ts, Ls, Rs?

Thanks

Flavio Colker

The top material on the T is definately some form of plastic/polycarbonate.

The reason most people are using R2/R3 is that they have combined viewfinder/rangefinders AND have the M-bayonet at the same time..
Having an M-bayonet is an advantage, as you can obviously use M-mount lenses, but also with an adapter, screwmount lenses.

The L, R, and T all miss something of the above..

The L needs external finders as it hasn't got any VF nor RF. Also the L is screwmount. The R has a combined VF/RF, but is still screwmount. The T uses the M-bayonet, and has an RF built-in, but still requires an external finder for framing..

 

[Colman]

I started from a similar position 18 months ago and travelled via L, T and R3A.

The R2/R3/R4 series are real, full featured rangefinders with M-mount, while the L/T/R aren't: I still have a T, which has advantages for long lenses and works as a back-up/partner to a R3A. I had an L, which is a fine camera for scale-focusing but I sold it because I was never going to carry three RFs with me and the T can do the same job anyway. The R is a screw mount, which makes it less versatile in the lenses you can mount on it - an M-mount can mount screw-mount lenses via an adaptor.

If you're a pro looking to get into RFs I would recommend that, despite the attractions of the L and the T, that you figure out what focal lengths you think you'd like to get whether you want fully manual or aperture priority and go directly for the the R2A/R2M/R3A/R3M/R4A/R4M directly with an appropriate lens or two - they seem to offer the best balance between price and features that are available for someone who's experimenting. Unless, of course, you feel that the limitations on the L/R/T will help you creatively.

 

[colker]

I started from a similar position 18 months ago and travelled via L, T and R3A.

The R2/R3/R4 series are real, full featured rangefinders with M-mount, while the L/T/R aren't: I still have a T, which has advantages for long lenses and works as a back-up/partner to a R3A. I had an L, which is a fine camera for scale-focusing but I sold it because I was never going to carry three RFs with me and the T can do the same job anyway. The R is a screw mount, which makes it less versatile in the lenses you can mount on it - an M-mount can mount screw-mount lenses via an adaptor.

If you're a pro looking to get into RFs I would recommend that, despite the attractions of the L and the T, that you figure out what focal lengths you think you'd like to get whether you want fully manual or aperture priority and go directly for the the R2A/R2M/R3A/R3M/R4A/R4M directly with an appropriate lens or two - they seem to offer the best balance between price and features that are available for someone who's experimenting. Unless, of course, you feel that the limitations on the L/R/T will help you creatively.

my main lens will be a 75mm. thats the angle i tune in w/ things. i will have other lenses; 40 and a 21.
i have some difficulty focusing. always have w/ different cameras. That's why the T attracts me.

 

[Colman]

In that case, a T and a collection of finders is a fine set-up. It takes a little bit of getting used to focusing and framing through separate finders, but you do get used to it. Mind you, I find myself using different focal length on an RF than I'd use on an SLR. No idea why.

Unless you already have the finders you need to factor in the cost of them though: the price difference between a T and an R3 (which does have a large, bright 1.0x finder) isn't as large if you have to buy the 40 and 75 finders as well.

 

[colker]

In that case, a T and a collection of finders is a fine set-up. It takes a little bit of getting used to focusing and framing through separate finders, but you do get used to it. Mind you, I find myself using different focal length on an RF than I'd use on an SLR. No idea why.

Unless you already have the finders you need to factor in the cost of them though: the price difference between a T and an R3 (which does have a large, bright 1.0x finder) isn't as large if you have to buy the 40 and 75 finders as well.

seems the R3 could work for me. is the top plate on the camera made of plastic? metal is so much nicer.

 

[pvdhaar]

my main lens will be a 75mm. thats the angle i tune in w/ things. i will have other lenses; 40 and a 21.
i have some difficulty focusing. always have w/ different cameras. That's why the T attracts me.

I can focus the T without a problem even after a full day working with a computer screen when my eyes are tired. Not only has the Bessa-T a gentle on the eye 1.5x RF magnification, but it's also got a diopter correction dial from -2 to +2 built in..