[pz1fan]

The used camera site starting with k has a Contax T for 525. For 500+ you could get a new Bessa R3A(normal) or R4A(for wide angle) or even an Ikon(twice the price). You get a longer warrantee, fresh shutter, latest technology, bright viewfinder(good luck finding a 1970s camera with a bright viewfinder) and better ability to repair/service the camera. Plus it keeps the format alive. Would like to see more digital rangefinders myself. (The X100 is not a rangefinder.)

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Last edited by pz1fan; 04-10-2011 at 10:43 AM.

[stevebrot]

but IMO they're not nearly as bad as those tiny levers on the XA.

Me and the tiny lever came into conflict this last Friday when I was doing a little street work. I finally set the camera to the orange index for focus and set the aperture at f/8 and shot away.


Steve

[ChrisPlatt]

The used camera site starting with k has a Contax T for 525. For 500+ you could get a new Bessa R3A(normal) or R4A(for wide angle) or even an Ikon(twice the price). You get a longer warrantee, fresh shutter, latest technology, bright viewfinder(good luck finding a 1970s camera with a bright viewfinder) and better ability to repair/service the camera. Plus it keeps the format alive. Would like to see more digital rangefinders myself. (The X100 is not a rangefinder.)

The prices you quote are for a camera body only.
Have you priced Leica M mount lenses lately?

The Contax T camera comes with an exceptionally fine lens.
It also has an excellent viewfinder, among the best in a pocket camera.

A patient shopper will find one for considerably less than the one you found.
I paid less for a clean black Contax T camera and flash plus a full overhaul.

And oh yeah, will that new Bessa fit in a pocket?

Chris

[séamuis]

Those prices you quote are for a body only.
Have you priced Leica M mount lenses lately?

The Contax T camera comes with an exceptionally fine lens.
It also has an excellent viewfinder, among the best in a pocket camera.

And oh yeah, will that new Bessa fit in a pocket?

Chris

no, but if its a 3 model, it has a viewfinder better than pretty much everything else. leica included. although prices are going up, the voigtländer lenses are still pretty cheap. especially compared to typical modern SLR lenses that people shell out huge sums of money for. nearly all voigtländer lenses go for sub 1000 dollars, except one lens. (looking at cameraquest.com) so if you became more serious about using rangefinders and wanted choices the bessa’s are far better than anything else, and give truly affordable offerings for the world of leica M mount. a lot of Leica M8 and M9 users are certainly using them. compare that with setting up a good Pentax film SLR kit and you’d likely spend far more on used Pentax bodies and glass than you would on brand new voigtländer bodies and glass. and with the huge selection of M mount and LTM lenses available from Leica and others your choices aren’t as limited as cost would lead you to believe they are. but to each his own, I love using my Bessa. one heck of a camera. for ‘testing the waters’ there are certainly much more affordable options. but for a proper ‘kit’. right now cosina/voigtländer is the ticket.

[pbo]

Have you priced Leica M mount lenses lately?

It's funny how a lot of people complained about pentax-fa 50/1.4 going up in price, while the cheapest 50/1.4's in rangefinder mount would go for $300+, and may be decades old

And oh yeah, will that new Bessa fit in a pocket?

That's a bit of a dilemma for the bessa (I have an r2a) - it's too big for a pocket, but it's too small for a shoulder strap! I'm using a wrist strap, which works fine - but you need to stow the camera away when you're not using it - fast when using a messenger bag, slow with a backpack.

[séamuis]

That's a bit of a dilemma for the bessa (I have an r2a) - it's too big for a pocket, but it's too small for a shoulder strap! I'm using a wrist strap, which works fine - but you need to stow the camera away when you're not using it...

have you tried getting one of the voigtländer ‘hand grips’ and attaching a neck strap in the vertical hanging position? I use a wrist strap myself, and love it. but I used a neck strap on a tiny little MX so, the small Bessa’s aren’t too bad for me.

[pbo]

have you tried getting one of the voigtländer ‘hand grips’ and attaching a neck strap in the vertical hanging position? I use a wrist strap myself, and love it. but I used a neck strap on a tiny little MX so, the small Bessa’s aren’t too bad for me.

Been using the grip the whole time, tried attaching shoulder strap to one side, but it just doesn't work in practice... The lugs aren't aligned vertically, more like diagonally plus lugs are very close to each other.
I think the trigger winder has two lugs aligned vertically and far from each other - but that's more heft and height to a pretty light and small camera.

I took off the grip yesterday to try and see how grip-less bessa works with wrist strap - I think that actually may work better than with a grip.

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Last edited by pbo; 04-10-2011 at 12:30 PM.

[séamuis]

Been using the grip the whole time, tried attaching shoulder strap to one side, but it just doesn't work in practice... The lugs aren't aligned vertically, more like diagonally plus lugs are very close to each other.
I think the trigger winder has two lugs aligned vertically and far from each other - but that's more heft and height to a pretty light and small camera.

I took off the grip yesterday to try and see how grip-less bessa works with wrist strap - I think that actually may work better than with a grip.

I don’t use the grip myself. too cumbersome for any gains in practical use.

[ChrisPlatt]

I paid $450 for my CV outfit, a Bessa R with 35/2.5 Color Skopar lens.
I tried a Bessa R2 but it left me cold. Frankly I prefer the cheaper R.

I admire Mr. Kobayashi and his role as "last man standing" in film cameras.
But for the price of the current Voigtlander bodies I'd sooner buy a used M2.

Chris

[séamuis]

I paid $450 for my CV outfit, a Bessa R with 35/2.5 Color Skopar lens.
I tried a Bessa R2 but it left me cold. Frankly I prefer the cheaper R.

I admire Mr. Kobayashi and his role as "last man standing" in film cameras.
But for the price of the current Voigtlander bodies I'd sooner buy a used M2.

Chris

as an M3 owner, I have to say, you cant beat the modern internal light meter and with my 3a, having AE is actually more pleasurable to use than my Leica. also no worries of the M3/M2 finder separation issue. its not as pretty as my M3, but in day to day use, the bessa outs the M3 in every way. I got really lucky on the price I paid for my M3, but I would think that you could probably buy two Bessa’s for the price of a quality M2 in working condition or with a CLA. or a Bessa and a lens to start a kit for the same price as just the M2 body. Bessa still seems like a no brainer to me.

[ChrisPlatt]

It's moot anyway as I'd never buy any camera that costs that much.
Silly perhaps, but I'd be afraid to use it, or even take it outside.

Chris

[séamuis]

It's moot anyway as I'd never buy any camera that costs that much.
Silly perhaps, but I'd be afraid to use it, or even take it outside.

Chris

considering the prices most of us pay for modern digital SLR’s and lenses, things like my M3 aren’t really that expensive. but its still an M3 and I have a hard time taking it outside as well!

[ChrisPlatt]

It's a good thing I'm not interested in DSLRs then!

Chris

[GerryL]

The meters on both my Lynx (1000 and 5000) are a little flaky. Instead I carry a very compact Vivitar CdS meter that slide onto the accessory shoe if needed. The cool thing is that the Viv meter takes modern batteries! Here is a link to my guest post on Hin's blog regarding the Viv meter:

Hin's Tech Corner: Newest, Most Favorite Gadget: Compact Exposure Meters

It truly is a great little meter and at less than $20, was a lot easier on my pocketbook than a new VCII!


Steve

I second Eric about this one Steve..awesome find!
Now, I think you just made me buy one!
Look what you made me do and bought this first instead of getting the Rangefinder first!
I hope that I got the right one and it is working since seller listed it as don't know if it is working (..since I think eh doesn't have batteries..I hope..I hope).
What comparable silver cells did Hin talk about that he used on this gadget (Vivtar 24)?
I hope it works..I hope it works..I hope it works... (chanting and praying).

[PGillin]

The bessas look to be *THE* buy in new film cameras. It's cheaper than a Zeiss, has a larger, brighter finder than a decades old leica, beats the V3800's and FM10's (same camera, different mount) in quality, and has all the warranty and technology of new dSLRs in a smaller, classicly styled, package.

I'm lusting after either a bessa or a Canon 7/P to complement my Spottie and KX (Film). Maybe if I get a really good summer job.... (I'm a full-time student, money's tight. My 200$ KX nearly bankrupted me, so the 600$ bessa is for no, at least right now)