Wides on R3A

[agoglanian]

Ok if this is a repost please forgive me, im still new here.

Im trying to figure out which would be best for me between the r2a and r3a. i like the longer baseline of the r3, but i like the 35 frameline on the r2. right now i only have a 35mm summicron, on my r-d1, but im going to get the 50 nokton, and the r2a/r3a.

how does the r3a handle wides? i know itll take the aux. VF but aside from that does it work well on the 40 frameline with 35s and wider?

im just curious.

 

[aizan]

you have the r-d1, so...don't you already know?

 

[agoglanian]

well the r-d1 has a 35 frame-line, and im an admitted newbie to rangefinders, they are still mysterious to me, thats why im so eager to get into them. sorry 🙂

 

[aizan]

the 35mm framelines equate to 53mm with the crop factor. how well can you see the 28(42) FLs?

 

[agoglanian]

actually i can see them quite well, i have good vision, and i tried the whole both eyes open, which was awkward at first, but actually helped me, because i figured out that being left-eyed is kinda tricky with an RF

 

[Fred]

I tried both the 2A and 3A and wear glasses. The 35 framelines were OK on the 2A but the 40 on the 3A were harder to see so the choice for me was easy. I prefer the 35 to the 40 also.

If you don't want to use an external VF then the 2A would do the trick more accurately than guestimation of the difference in the 40 lines of the 3A. For you I guess the decision is if you mind the .7 magnification of the 2A VF when your used to the lifesize view of your RD-1.

 

[aizan]

ooh, left eyed. i was going to suggest imagining 35mm FL, but your view will be blocked. are you looking for the 35mm's angle of view, or do you want a film body? the easiest way to go wider is just to get a wider lens. if you can see the outside edges of the viewfinder, i bet you could get away with a 25(38) or 21(32). the zeiss 25/2.8 is $1150 on b&h and kbcamera, £595 ($1,050) from robert white, prolly less if you buy from dr. yao in hong kong. i think that makes more sense than buying a film body and a 50mm lens to recreate the angle of view you already have on the r-d1. costs about the same, too.

 

[gabrielelopez]

For these lenses would you absolutely avoid the use of an external finder? I like them, for example..

 

[agoglanian]

oh no no i think we got off track here. i want a film body , i dont want to banish film from my bag, yeah i have the r-d1, but i want to still have a 35mm RF in my bag, and no im not at all opposed to using aux. veiwfinders, i rather like the idea. i dont think id be going any longer than 50mm, but i know id go for a 12mm if i could find one. and i want the versatility of being able to use them on both film and digital like i had been doing with my SLRs.


so judging by the responses ive been getting, including that of Mr. Stephen grandy, I think im going to go with the r2A, then if my funding permits later on, i will get the r3a. now i just need to decide on which lens to get,

i have a 35mm already, im most likely not going longer than a 50mm, and i would love to have the 12 heliar.

so which should i aim for first?
12 heliar
15 heliar
50 nokton


again thank you everyone for your responses, it really has been helpful in my decision process.

 

[aizan]

yeah, since you already have a 1:1 viewfinder and 50mm angle of view, either of the superwides and an r2a would be a good addition. 15mm is probably more useful.

 

[djon]

Maybe you should look at a Canon P. Longer baseline than either Voigtlander 🙂

But don't bother if you wear glasses.