any info on Voigtlander Bessa R2??

[roti]

mm....i got a sudden interest in this kind of camera....anyone has any info on this???

[Red Dawn]

Quote: Originally posted by roti mm....i got a sudden interest in this kind of camera....anyone has any info on this???

here's a page with lots of info on rangefinder cameras.....

For an overview of the Voigtlander system, look here.

Here's a review of the Bessa R2.

[roti]

tks....is there shops bringing in this babes??

[StreetShooter]

The Camera Workshop has them.

[Derrick]

Anthony's Collection and Fotoguide (?) also sells them. Its quite fun to use..... like back to basics. Using a manual camera, i find that setting the exposure slowly becomes second nature. Most of the time you can roughly guess a suitable aperture and shutter speed before double checking the meter and making adjustments if necessary. Oni complaint is I find the shutter too noisy.

[Red Dawn]

Hi roti,

the R2 is widely available in many places - check John 3:16, Camera Workshop, Ron's camera (adelphi basement), Anthony's Collections.

Anthony's seems to be a major importer of some kind of Voigtlander products. He stocks a large amount of Voigtlander stuff and has lots of literature of them. Also he will show u many prints shot using the Bessa system. He's a great believer of the Bessa rangefinder system and participates in a local Voigtlander mailing list as well.

Derrick - oh, u're a rangefinder person as well? I agree that the setting of exposure becomes instinctive after a while. i'm surprised by that myself. And now, i have also come to realise how inconsistent reflective light meters can be, and more often than not, use manual metering all the time even with my Canon bodies. it's just more consistent.

and if u find the shutter too noisy, there's always the L........

[Derrick]

Well, cannot afford the Leicas. I think the Bessa R2 is like a poor man's Leica. Allows the use of M lenses which is nice but prices of the M lenses are not nice. Anybody tried before? Is the performance of the M lenses much worse than when mounted on a M6 or M7?

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Derrick Well, cannot afford the Leicas. I think the Bessa R2 is like a poor man's Leica. Allows the use of M lenses which is nice but prices of the M lenses are not nice. Anybody tried before? Is the performance of the M lenses much worse than when mounted on a M6 or M7?

A lens is a lens is a lens, the performance shouldn't be body dependent. So if you use those Leica lenses on a R2 body, you get the Leica quality pics.

Regards
CK

[Derrick]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang A lens is a lens is a lens, the performance shouldn't be body dependent. So if you use those Leica lenses on a R2 body, you get the Leica quality pics.

There was this review of one of the Voigtlanders abt a month or so ago in one of the photography mags. I remember them mentioning that one of the other Voigtlander bodies accepted Leica M lenses, but due to something or other, the photos produced were sub-par. Some distance between the shutter and film or something like that. Cannot remember.

[aesthetic]

the bessa R2 is an upgrade version of the leica CL or so.

top flash snyc 125th
top speed 2000th
all metal frame compared to bessa R
accepts t-winder from bessa T
M-mount
damn bright VF brighter than leica M-watever and not flare prone.


remember its not a leica camera so you wont get that "leica effect" or its quality. its shutter is noisy not like "ke-tik" of the leica's cloth shutter. due to its double copal shutter its more metallic and the effective RF base is very short. good luck in using any fast lenses at wide open. CV lens cosmetic tends to wear off fast... esp the black version.

p/s did your interest in r2 started when you watched karen davies?

[maddog]

how much are the skopar lenses in singapore?

[aesthetic]

there are many CV lenses but i only know of the 21/4, 35/1.7, 75/2.5 each cost around 600~700++ new, 500++ used. sorry dunno the rest.

[maddog]

Quote: Originally posted by aesthetic there are many CV lenses but i only know of the 21/4, 35/1.7, 75/2.5 each cost around 600~700++ new, 500++ used. sorry dunno the rest.

Thanks for the info. Overseas prices are so much cheaper. Think I'll get it from US.

BTW, AP and fotographix(Lucky Chinatown) have skopar.

[aesthetic]

Quote: Originally posted by maddog Thanks for the info. Overseas prices are so much cheaper. Think I'll get it from US. BTW, AP and fotographix(Lucky Chinatown) have skopar.

er... not to burst your bubble but the one you linked is a CV Pancake 35/2.5. the one i asked was a CV Ultron 35/1.7 ASPH. if you look at the 35 ultron in adorama, it cost almost the same.

oh yah and if your buying from overseas confirm your mount... CV have lenses in classic contax RF mount and in nikon RF mount.

regards

[maddog]

Quote: Originally posted by aesthetic er... not to burst your bubble but the one you linked is a CV Pancake 35/2.5. the one i asked was a CV Ultron 35/1.7 ASPH. if you look at the 35 ultron in adorama, it cost almost the same. oh yah and if your buying from overseas confirm your mount... CV have lenses in classic contax RF mount and in nikon RF mount. regards

thanks for pointing that out.

Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/1.7 Aspherical Wide Angle Manual Focus Lens - Silver
costs USD 441.20(SGD 781.05) including shipping to Singapore.

[szekiat]

i'm another user of the R2. A superb cam although one does tend to miss the AE functions. The 75mm is a must since as a portrait lens, it is unmatchable in its value for money:quality ratio. The 35mm 1.7 is just as good a bargain. I mainly use these two lenses these days leaving my 50mm Nocton in the drybox. Sigh. I got the entire kit from anthony's nearly 6 mths back. He charged 700 dollars for any lens from 15mm to 90mm new if u buy it with a body. It is a worthwhile investment if u're not into fast pace shooting.Me? i'm hoping to switch to a contaxg2 soon for its AE features. PM me if u wanna take over my set...(hint hint...set for sale)I'm willing to let go all my lenses and body(with winder)for 2400 or next best offer...thats quite a steal if u ask me...

[roti]

Quote: Originally posted by szekiat i'm another user of the R2. A superb cam although one does tend to miss the AE functions. The 75mm is a must since as a portrait lens, it is unmatchable in its value for money:quality ratio. The 35mm 1.7 is just as good a bargain. I mainly use these two lenses these days leaving my 50mm Nocton in the drybox. Sigh. I got the entire kit from anthony's nearly 6 mths back. He charged 700 dollars for any lens from 15mm to 90mm new if u buy it with a body. It is a worthwhile investment if u're not into fast pace shooting.Me? i'm hoping to switch to a contaxg2 soon for its AE features. PM me if u wanna take over my set...(hint hint...set for sale)I'm willing to let go all my lenses and body(with winder)for 2400 or next best offer...thats quite a steal if u ask me...

ok sure i will look for u then.....

[roti]

cool man.....at least there is a bit of Voigtlander users around....

[maddog]

need something faster than an r2. considering the g2 as well. what do you guys think? how much is this in singapore?

contax g2

[Derrick]

I have both the G2 and the R2. Bought the R2 after the G2 cos i wanted to play around with a real manual rangefinder camera. Both have its pluses and minuses. I still consider the G2 as my main system. B&W film is usually loaded into the R2 while the G2 has Color film. Guess really depends on what and where i want to shoot decides which camera to use.

I think John 3:16 sells the G2 system (body, 28mm, 45mm, 90mm) for around $2800. Can't remember the exact price but i bought it from there. TCW has the black G2 system which i would have bought if they had it when i was shopping around for it as i prefer black.