Zeiss glass on Bessa

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Meatboy

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Hi,

Anyone using Zeiss glass on a Bessa body? What do you think of the handling. I am considering a Zeiss 35mm (either the f2 or f2.8) and a Zeiss 21mm f4.5 as a pair to use on a Bessa body. What do you think would be the best choice of body here. The R4A or the R2A if I was to add a 75mm later?

As a 35/21 only pair the R4A is hard to go past.

Tim
 
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I use the 35mm F2 on an R2M and dig it. If you're going wide for your second lens and don't want to mess with an add-on finder though, probably should do the R4_. Throw a 75mm in the mix and it's a tossup...although last I checked the R2's were a hundred bucks or so cheaper than the R4's.
 
The combination 21/4.5 ZM and the R4M/A is a perfect match. The 35 can be used on it too, but the frames are a bit small (probably not a problem with the Zeiss 35/2,8 as the depth of field will compensate for the short RF base and small finder). The R2M/A would work well as a second body for the 35/2 and the 75f2.5.
My R4M has had the 21/4,5 ZM on it since I got it. I did a trial roll with 28/35/50 just because it had those frames and then put the 21/4,5 back on it! Probably 200-250 rolls through that combo in a year and a bit!
 
They are all made by the same folks in the same factory in Japan (except thre ZM 15 and 85). So there shouldn't be any compatibility/focusing issues at all.

If it's a 21/35 combo with a 75 in mind, I will go for the R2A and add a 21 mm viewfinder. Reason being that 75mm may be a bit difficult to focus on the R4A. 21mm is much easier and even if you don't look through the viewfinder, scale focusing is not too bad given the depth of field. Besides, you get to save a few bucks too.

Cheers,
 
Cheers for the input. I'd like to stay with one body but its hard for me to say if the 75mm or the 21mm might get used more. I best check the frame size of the 35mm on the R4A to be safe. Its a tough call as to which body if only going with one. I'm looking for a real compact carry outfit. I might stick my Contax T3 in there are well.

Tim
 
The R4A is by far more versatile - I use it for the 21,25 and 28mm lenses. and in particular the R4A+C Biogon 21 is a great combination. I'd forget the 75mm lens for rf altogether, better to get an old Nikon Fxx series and one of the good 85 mm lenses to go with it.
 
I would go for the r4a as well even though I have an r2a, I use a 50 planar on it and it works just fine, but have a temptation for a 28 or 25mm lens as im not getting along with 35 much these days
 
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