Who Prefers Their Bessa to (fill in the blank)?

[Pioneer]

I have been reading all kinds of threads on how wonderful Leica Ms are, how wonderful Leica LTMs are, how wonderful Zeiss Ikons are, etc, etc, etc. I have even contributed from time to time.

There have to be a few people out there who recognize good value for their dollar. People who do not feel they must spend multiple thousands for a big brand camera. Those who believe that a horizontal, cloth, focal plane shutter is less important than a good photograph. Those who are not suddenly afflicted with camera envy at the site of a celebrity with a camera around his/her neck. Those who still enjoy rangefinder photography even if their income doesn't resemble that of a sports star.

How many of you actually prefer working with your Bessa rangefinder, no matter what the lens mount?

 

[Lss]

I have a Bessa R2A and like it very much. But I never directly compared the camera against any pricier competition. I guess the specs looked good and the price was right.

 

[f16sunshine]

Presently I'm using a Bessa R3m for my two m mount lenses
Love the 1:1 finder. Hate the led meter display.
At some point I'll be using an M5 again.
I've had bessas as BU cameras for years. Great cameras but the m5 is still my best fit.

The r2 is probably my favorite. If it was not for the lousy rewind crank I would use one of those instead of tge r3m.
The simple over under lights for the meter and super lightweight body are sweet!

 

[ruby.monkey]

Not really. I appreciate the Bessas as excellent cameras (I've owned an L, an R3A, and currently enjoy my T) but still prefer the look, feel, and handling of my M3 and M2, even if they are mostly wearing Voigtlander glass.

On the other hand I gave away my Leica IIIf but own the T, so there is that...

 

[robert blu]

I still use my Bessa R instead the M7 when I need a less worthy gear with me, like in the recent trip to Sardinia when I wanted to stay on the beach and leave the camera unattended in a bag when bathing!
It's a good tool and works well. Than my M7 requires a RF adjustment at least once a year which does not happen with the Bessa 😱 not sure why!

It doesn't mean I prefer one or the other, both good tools, different of course, different uses...

robert

 

[teleparallel]

I prefer my Bessa to every other camera I had, but don't have another rangefinder, so I don't know if a qualify to answer.
I guess it will be kinda hard to find, someone who will write: "I prefer my bessa over my leica..." It's almost morally wrong, here.

I like to believe that bessas have they're advantages, though. And I see little reason to exchange my R4A for a Leica, at the moment.

 

[Pherdinand]

Though your way of putting the question is rather judgmental, i reply anyway 🙂
yes i prefer bessa r3a against the m2 and much prefer it against any ltm. I think i would prefer it against any M but havent tried them all 🙂
Why?
Film loading/unloading, metering, 1:1 viewfinder, weight and indeed, value for $.

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

I like my Leica's way better then the Bessa's. Except for the wide angle finder of the R4. But Bessa's are great camera's. Just not so great as Leica's.

 

[struene]

Hallo,

i really regret selling my R2 for some lousy €€€. But I felt i had too many cameras...

Bessas have the best ergonomics of all 35mm rangefinders.
- Their Rubbergrip on the back is just perfect.
- You can hold and shoot it easily with one Hand.
- The Timewheel turns easily with one finger.
- The VIewfinder is great
- They are lightweight (+ affordable and sturdy)

And indeed you always have a camera for dangerous/rough situations...

schöne Grüße,

Johann

 

[Pioneer]

If I did come across as being judgmental in my OP it really wasn't intended. It was more likely my personal mood coming across.

I had been wandering about with my Bessa R off an on for the past several weeks and, as I was scanning some of my photos the other day, it occurred to me that the photographs I was scanning from the Bessa R were better exposed and sometimes better composed than photos from some other, more expensive, cameras were.

This fired up my inner Thrifty Man (which I manage to suppress most of the time) and I started to have this inner argument with myself. (This seems to happen around the New Year when I am starting to anticipate the Christmas bills.)

Anyway, in my mind the question was valid. I do value a quality tool but why do I feel the need to pack a Leica, or even Zeiss Ikon, over my lowly Bessa R? I mean, why can't I be happy with the Bessa rangefinder, irregardless of the flavor.

So I thought I would throw the question out and see how many people actually prefer the Bessa cameras to other options.

 

[rhl-oregon]

This is a little monkeywrench tossed in whimsy, Pioneer. Apologies + wink.

How many of us like our camera-manufactured-by-Cosina-but-not-a-Bessa in a similar way? Isn't preferring a ZM Ikon to an M7 another way of expressing Bessaffection? (Although my ZM went back home to jonmanjiro, I did enjoy my time with it a lot. And I still very much enjoy my "Fuji GF670" although I might prefer it in black (and still manufactured) as a Voigtlander Bessa III).

 

[froyd]

At the risk of upsetting some people, I preferred the R2a to the ZM, mainly because of value for money. The difference seems to ahve decreased somewhat these days, so I might feel differently if I were on the market.

If I had not lost my Bessa, I'd still be using it... as it is, its premature departure led me to try several RFs, landing on an M4. For the first months of Leica ownership, more than once I thought of ways I missed the R2a and even considered getting an R2M for a while....but then the M4 worked it's subtle magic and earned it's spot in my bag.

 

[Gary E]

There was a time I was only using my M4-2 as my RF, but after the R3a I now use it more over the M4-2. It is just more convenient with the internal meter though I've been using an external meter for years. My next purchase will be a R4m when I get the savings together; along with the new 21 if I have enough 😉

All in all, there are really no other alternatives especially after Zeiss discontinued the ZM, so RF users are really lucky for the Bessa series if film is their choice of medium. I like my Leica and liked my friend's black paint MP but just not $2.5K more. Bessas get the job done at the end of day but YMMV.

 

[FrankS]

New Bessa R2M - $670

Used Leica M2 - same?

IMO, it is the CV lenses that offer the better value compared to Leica lenses.

 

[Pioneer]

Used Bessa R = $150 - $220

Used Leica IIIg = $600 and higher

Price comparisons can be adjusted in many ways, a bit like statistics. 😀

 

[bluesun267]

The Barnacks are an acquired taste that started to grow on me but never flourished until the IIIg came along. That being said, if they'd make a Bessa with easy multiple exposure capabilities, I'd be on it like flies on you-know-what. Are you listening CV? And if you can't do that much, please let's get away from that M-mount-only thing with your lenses!😎

 

[gb hill]

I have a Bessa R & a Bessa L. At a RFF meet in Atlanta a few years ago I got to compare my Bessa R to some nice Leica M's. For me, I liked the brightness of my R better than the several Leica's I handled. One was a M7. I thought the weight of carrying around a Leica compared to the lightweight of the R a distraction. I was shooting beside someone who had just bought an M9 & my Bessa's shutter was much quieter than the noise the M9 made. Made me smile + any GAS for a Leica M was gone & still is.

 

[Pioneer]

The Barnacks are an acquired taste that started to grow on me but never flourished until the IIIg came along. That being said, if they'd make a Bessa with easy multiple exposure capabilities, I'd be on it like flies on you-know-what. Are you listening CV? And if you can't do that much, please let's get away from that M-mount-only thing with your lenses!😎

I can certainly agree with this. I would love for them to build some more of their lenses in both LTM and M (and Contax and Nikon.)

Right now my personal favorites on the Bessa R are the Color Skopar 35/2.5, the Heliar 50/2 and that wonderful APO Lanthar 90/3.5. When you add in the fact that the Bessa R is pretty light, the entire kit is very easy to pack on the majority of my overnight hiking trips.

 

[ferider]

Of the Bessa's I've tried, I've kept my Bessa T. With a good viewfinder and film, it's impossible to beat the T use experience for landscapes. My favorite CV lenses are M 50/1.5 and 28/2.

Roland.

 

[teleparallel]

Wow

This thread is actually helping me. I was looking at a m4-p. Now, starting to rethink.