Without Comparing them to Leica, What is Your Experience with the Bessa Rangefinders?

I think that one of the coolest parts of the bessa lineup is that they do come in funky colors. The olive green or blue would be something fun to have.
 
I had both the T and the L.

Like the T, though I would shoot more close in shots with fast moderate telephotos. It worked with everything I mounted very well, just didn't happen as often as I expected.

The L with a 25/4 Snap-Shot was my carry everywhere camera for a couple of years. Used it with a 15mm from time to time and all I can say is WOW. While it has a meter there is no viewfinder/rangefinder bump making it taller. I've sold my Ms, miss my S2/50 kit, but of all the RFs I've ever owned, the L/25 SnapShot combo was the most fun of them all.

B2 (;->
 
nukecoke said:
I have an R, bought second hand.

RF patch came misaligned, adjusted at home and it's spot on. Never ran out of whack even though the camera was bumped and vibrated a lot. I have traveled with it a lot and appreciate the light weight of it.

Once I bumped the camera into a marble platform and it left a dent on the bottom plate instead of cracking. After two years of moderately rough using I dont mind its plastic shell anymore But I did wish it could have a metal door like Olympus XA's plastic shell+metal door combination. I now use a half case for it.

Viewfinder is very bright. RF patch is contrasty so it is fast to focus with R. Light meter is handy and accurate.

Strap lug location is as strange as Canon V, VI, 7 series of cameras. It makes the camera face the sky and top plate jab your chest when mounted with most of the lenses.

Film.counter window has fallen inside the camera once. Reglued it at home.

I think the excellent viewfinder alone makes R the best bang for the buck among interchangeable-lens rangefinders.
Click to expand...



I bought mine used as well and I've had a similar experience! Except I have never needed to adjust the rangefinder. I've shot 50mm f/1.4 with no problems. Mine has been bumped, dropped, and had booze spilled on it. Everything is still ticking! I've been shooting with my Bessa-R since 2009.
 
I have a Bessa-L and a R4M.
I bought the L first (used) and it is primarily for the CV15/4.5 and 25/4.
Feel is lightweight, plasticy and the grip is sticky. Film advance will jam at film end. Rewind is very high tension when you approach the beginning of the roll. However, it works just fine for the above lenses.

The R4M I bought new in Jan 2018 from B&H when they were at end of supply and lowered to $799. I use it with the Ultron 35/1.7 (m-mount) and 25/4.
It has terrible ergonomics without the Bessa grip. I added gaffer tape on back door left side enhance holding ability because the Bessa body cover is slightly slippery.

The R4M arrived with rangefinder misaligned and I adjusted it myself rather than send back for repair.
Then, in Feb, after 3 (!) rolls the exposure counter stopped working - just before a 5 week trip to Asia.
I took it traveling anyways and it worked fine otherwise.
After return from travel, BH support referred me to Photo Village for warranty repair. Photo Village (eric) doesn't respond to email and their customer service doesn't respond to web forms request for RMA.
I haven't called them yet. That's so 20th century.

Michael.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
maigo said:
I have a Bessa-L and a R4M.
I bought the L first (used) and it is primarily for the CV15/4.5 and 25/4.
Feel is lightweight, plasticy and the grip is sticky. Film advance will jam at film end. Rewind is very high tension when you approach the beginning of the roll. However, it works just fine for the above lenses.

The R4M I bought new in Jan 2018 from B&H when they were at end of supply and lowered to $799. I use it with the Ultron 35/1.7 (m-mount) and 25/4.
It has terrible ergonomics without the Bessa grip. I added gaffer tape on back door left side enhance holding ability because the Bessa body cover is slightly slippery.

The R4M arrived with rangefinder misaligned and I adjusted it myself rather than send back for repair.
Then, in Feb, after 3 (!) rolls the exposure counter stopped working - just before a 5 week trip to Asia.
I took it traveling anyways and it worked fine otherwise.
After return from travel, BH support referred me to Photo Village for warranty repair. Photo Village (eric) doesn't respond to email and their customer service doesn't respond to web forms request for RMA.
I haven't called them yet. That's so 20th century.

Michael.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I'm surprised BH broke thier own rules and smuggled it to Canada.
They have USA only for new Bessa cameras.
 
Ko.Fe. said:
I'm surprised BH broke thier own rules and smuggled it to Canada.

They have USA only for new Bessa cameras.
Click to expand...

I had BH ship to a mailbox in Blaine WA and picked and imported it myself. It’s only a 30 min highway drive and I can get a tank of gas at 40pc discount.
All above board as far as taxes and duty are concerned.
The marketing/sales restrictions that these niche manufactures place on their product distributors are ridiculous and only impede sales.

I tried to buy some other small $ new Voigtlander items from CameraQuest but Mr Gandy is prohibited by CV from shipping to a US address when the billing address is in Canada.
So, I bought the same item useds from KEH, saved a little and CameraQuest loses out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Its becoming quite a pain crossing that border now. When I was young, I accidently ran across the border (both ways) many, many, many times. Never arrested or treated like a criminal. Things have changed.

Only during the last several years have I had to dig out my passport to visit family I could almost see across the strait. We've lived in the border region for well over 100 years and wow have things changed. I feel like martial law has arrived somedays. Canada has responded with a similar approach. jeez.

Haven't been to Vancouver area for some years now -- too scary.

maigo said:
I had BH ship to a mailbox in Blaine WA and picked and imported it myself. It’s only a 30 min highway drive and I can get a tank of gas at 40pc discount.
All above board as far as taxes and duty are concerned.
The marketing/sales restrictions that these niche manufactures place on their product distributors are ridiculous and only impede sales.

I tried to buy some other small $ new Voigtlander items from CameraQuest but Mr Gandy is prohibited by CV from shipping to a US address when the billing address is in Canada.
So, I bought the same item useds from KEH, saved a little and CameraQuest loses out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
maigo said:
I had BH ship to a mailbox in Blaine WA and picked and imported it myself. It’s only a 30 min highway drive and I can get a tank of gas at 40pc discount.
All above board as far as taxes and duty are concerned.
The marketing/sales restrictions that these niche manufactures place on their product distributors are ridiculous and only impede sales.

I tried to buy some other small $ new Voigtlander items from CameraQuest but Mr Gandy is prohibited by CV from shipping to a US address when the billing address is in Canada.
So, I bought the same item useds from KEH, saved a little and CameraQuest loses out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Aha! :) I'm thinking to have mailbox at USA side as well. Well know service here.
It is amazing how it takes CanadaPost to hold into the parcel for one, two weeks, while the delivery distance is twenty minutes drive.

rfaspen said:
Its becoming quite a pain crossing that border now. When I was young, I accidently ran across the border (both ways) many, many, many times. Never arrested or treated like a criminal. Things have changed.

Only during the last several years have I had to dig out my passport to visit family I could almost see across the strait. We've lived in the border region for well over 100 years and wow have things changed. I feel like martial law has arrived somedays. Canada has responded with a similar approach. jeez.

Haven't been to Vancouver area for some years now -- too scary.
Click to expand...

I was in Vancouver numerous times and in the drug addicts area. Went to take pictures where.
Nothing is scary after walking two hundreds meters from hotel at night in LA downtown in nineties.
It is nowhere near Gary, Indiana...

Canada border is ran over regularly and in large quantities per day.
Toronto shelters and students housing are now full due to politics.
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2018/06/27/toronto-faces-refugee-shelter-crisis
 
Ko.Fe. said:
Aha! :) I'm thinking to have mailbox at USA side as well. Well know service here.
It is amazing how it takes CanadaPost to hold into the parcel for one, two weeks, while the delivery distance is twenty minutes drive.

I was in Vancouver numerous times and in the drug addicts area. Went to take pictures where.
Nothing is scary after walking two hundreds meters from hotel at night in LA downtown in nineties.
It is nowhere near Gary, Indiana...

Canada border is ran over regularly and in large quantities per day since Trump was elected.
Toronto shelters and students housing are now full due to T&T politics.
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2018/06/27/toronto-faces-refugee-shelter-crisis
Click to expand...

That's what I do. I live on Mexicali, next to the border with Calexico, CA USA. Got a p.o. box on Calexico and get my stuff delivered there.

Faster and more secure service.

Marcelo
 
I've experienced the sights and "culture" of Vancouver and LA myself. Day and night. There are many more positive and interesting things in both those cities than scary and dangerous. I still have more fear of the border crossing into the US, either from Canada or Mexico (both of which were frequent travels for me).

Kostya, if you ever find yourself in western Oregon, look us up. You can pick up gear from a US address and even take home a little more RC paper. Corvallis is a nice small town, but we do have a growing homeless an drug problem :(

Ko.Fe. said:
Aha! :) I'm thinking to have mailbox at USA side as well. Well know service here.
It is amazing how it takes CanadaPost to hold into the parcel for one, two weeks, while the delivery distance is twenty minutes drive.

I was in Vancouver numerous times and in the drug addicts area. Went to take pictures where.
Nothing is scary after walking two hundreds meters from hotel at night in LA downtown in nineties.
It is nowhere near Gary, Indiana...

Canada border is ran over regularly and in large quantities per day.
Toronto shelters and students housing are now full due to politics.
http://www.thesudburystar.com/2018/06/27/toronto-faces-refugee-shelter-crisis
Click to expand...
 
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