Bessa r4m manual Tom Abrahamsson on Bessa R4's. Tom and Mr. K are R4's conceptual designers I have R4M and have had the pleasure of using it for the past two weeks (with the new 21'4P - 21'4 in M-editing). There are some cameras that are moments of truth in the lives of photographers. The first time I spent m2 with 35 on it, my first Nikon F and Leica MP with a 0.58 finder. R4 falls into this category! If you're a wide-angle shooter, it's an epiphany camera. It just fits in your hand and vision. For the trip to Japan I took the M2 with VC 40/1.4 MC, R3M with 75/2 Summicron and as I knew I would get the R4M and the new 21'4P, once I got there, it was an unusually easy travel package for me. I turned on 12/5.6 for a specific shot (a destroyed dome in Hiroshima Peace Park). Of the 45 rolls I shot, about 25 were shot with R4M. It's an impressive finder! With 21 I see the frame in glasses. There is a weak reflection of the frames towards the seeker, but not alarmingly so. Shutter noise and feel just like on any R3/R4 body. Slightly clumsy release, which is a shutter function. The advance is very smooth and rewind better than on my seiss Ikon? All this pales when looking through the finder - it's crisp, clear and so wide! So far I've only been using it with 21'4P (Mt Kobayashi said when he gave me Oh, I hope you don't mind that this is a pre-production lens! The full production run won't start until next week!. It's the same formula as the screw-mounted version and as it's one of the best 21 that you can buy - why change. ring aperture has ears 35/2.5 II on it and it makes it easy to install and change the aperture. 25/4P will be at the end of April and I promised one of them as soon as it comes out. Combined with R3 you are covered from 21 to 90 mm. I suspect that my new travel package will be R4 , M2 (still a large camera) and R3. 21, 28/3,5VC, 40/1,4 and 75/2 Summicron (best finder for this lens R3MThe R4 finder is a very complex piece of work! It's not just a lower zoom finder with some wide frame lines stuck in it. The shooter who primarily uses 35/40/50/ and more lenses is not for you. The R4 is a dream come through - no more top-mounted seekers to lose or snag in straps and faster frame/focus than with these seekers. I found that my hit speed (keepers) with 21/25 lenses increased significantly with Going from one finder to focus on another to framing breaks concentration while shooting and with R4 I don't have this problem. The frame lines are straight and clearly defined, although the 21 lines are directly on the edge of view with glasses, but no more than 40 lines on the R3 or 28 lines of 0.72 Leica M2. I view the R4 as a mile- stone camera, right up there with the first M3/M2 bayonet lens-mounted and Nikon F. I've had mine since mid-March, and so far I've never ventured outside without it! I usually match up with the M2 or R3 (and 40/1.4). For those of you who are waiting for your R4 - it's worth it, and for those of you who hesitate - if you like to use 21/25/28 and even 35 - just go for it! Voigtlander Bessa R3a Bess Family of Chambers is produced in Japan by Cosina as a revival of the Brand Voigtl'nder. All Cosina Voigtl'nder Bessa models have a dual-shutter focal aircraft with two sets of curtains to prevent sun damage. Shutter speeds range from 1 to 1/2000 s and lamps (B), with flash synchronization at 1/125 with on a hot shoe or PC terminal. They all have TTL exposure measurements, and manual exposure; the latest R2A and R3A also have a priority automatic aperture system. Bessa-L and Bessa-T (unsumable) Bessa-L The first model was Bessa-L, introduced in 1999. It was an unreasonable body with a Leica screw. It was presented with a number of Voigtl'nder 39 mm screw lenses that were quite inexpensive and said to be of excellent quality. It can of course mount an entire wide range of 39mm screw lenses manufacturers as diverse as Leica, Canon, Nikon and even cheaper but often excellent Soviet lenses. Bessa-L was mainly intended for use with ultra wide-angle lenses, with which lack of focus is not a problem. In particular, Wugtlerer introduced a 15 mm and 12mm lens, the last of which is the widest rectangular full-frame lens ever sold until then. Bessa-L has TTL accounting with LED reading on the back edge of the top plate with the ASA range of 25-1600 and THE EV FROM 1 to 19 on the ASA 100. The reading consists of two red arrows pointing to the green light between them, allowing you to use the camera as, effectively, a shutter priority, a priority aperture, or a fully hand-held camera. In some markets, Voigtl'nder Bessa-L was sold as Cosina 107-SW. Bessa-L was supplemented in 2001 by Bessa-T, which used the Leica M-mount, can get a trigger in advance design, and an integrated rangefinder with high magn up but not a viewfinder. It was sold in silver or black; since 2002, also in gray or olive (at a higher price and perhaps only in Japan). It has now been discontinued, but some shares are still available. In 2001, Bessa-T was sold in a special kit called Heliar 101st Anniversary (in short T101), with 50 f:3.5 f:3.5 Heliar lens, to the anniversary of the design of the Voigtl'nder Heliar lens. It existed in black, gray, olive and blue: five hundred numbered examples were produced for each color. Bessa-R and Bessa R2 (hand-ranger) Bessa R2 The Bessa-R, introduced in 2000, was a rangefinder with a projected frame seeker and a Leica screw. Although significantly cheaper than the Leica M camera, its viewfinder was comparable in function and feel. It featured hand-selected frames for 35 mm/90 mm, 50 mm and 75 mm lenses. The body, made of polycarbonate plastics, was not comparable to leica, but was sturdy enough. Overall it was an inexpensive, all-hand rangefinder with TTL accounting at a significantly lower price than the comparatively equipped Leica M camera. It was available in black or silver; since 2002, also in dark blue or olive (at a higher price and perhaps only in Japan). Bessa R2 replaced Bessa-R in 2002. It was an updated version, with the Leica M-mounted to replace the Leica screw fastening, and the ability to take the same trigger advance accessory as Bessa-T. Its manufacturing quality and overall finish was much better than the R, with the magnesium alloy replacing the plastic plates of the former model and the more substantial cast (as opposed to pressing) the metal film rewind lever. The changes have resulted in a firmer and slightly larger camera available in either olive (with chrome detail) or spray-textured black paint trim. The Bessa-R self was removed from the R2, possibly due to packaging restrictions imposed on the design by adopting thicker metal panels. Rollei 35 RF Home article: Rollei 35 RF Names Kosin, Voigtlerder and Bessa appear nowhere on Rollei 35 RF (2002), on the market not Kozin, but instead of Rollei Fototechnic. But this camera is obviously based on bess R2. The most obvious differences are the price (much higher) and the somewhat bright appearance; More importantly, frame lines for 40, 50 and 80 mm. Perhaps it remains The Best Bess Camera for people who wear glasses and primarily use a 40mm lens. Bessa-R2S and Bessa-R2C (Nikon and Contax Mountain) Bessa-R2C Bessa-R2S and Bessa-R2C are special versions of bess R2, introduced in 2002, Bessa-R2S with Nikonfinder fastening and Bessa-R2C Contax rangefinder. They are both discontinued today, but the shares are still available where? Around the time in 2005, when the discontinuation of these two models was announced, the Bessa-R2S was also available in the Nikon Historical Society (NHS) version with a special paint and hard version of the Heliar f/3.50 mm lens previously sold with Bessa-T. The kit has been (and as of May 2006 until now) available to the general public through regular retail channels in the U.S.: Membership in the community is required. Bessa R2A and R3A (auto-expertise) Bessa R2A Bessa R2A and Bessa R3A, both presented in 2004, are the current models in the Bess line. They are both updated versions of the Bessa R2, with Leica M-mounting and aperture priority automatic exposure, switching to manual. The R2A has a finder with an increase of 0.7x and 35/50/75/90 frame lines. The R3A has a finder with a 1x increase, and 40/50/75/90 frame lines. Both can pull the trigger in advance of the accessory. They are being sold in textured black or flat grey paint finishes.