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CameraQuest's Cosina Voigtlander
Bessa R2A / R2M / R3A / R3M / R4A / R4M Chart
Current In Production Cameras
1 Die cast Body x 2 Shutters x 3 Viewfinders = 6 Cameras!
M = Mechanical Shutter A = Aperture Priority Electronic Shutter
NEW Voigtlander Lens Chart! Bessa L, R, T, R2 Chart
Complete Price List ORDER HERE
| R4M | R4A | R2M | R2A | R3M | R3A | |
| Lens Mount | Leica M | Leica M | Leica M | Leica M | Leica M | Leica M |
| Shutter | Mechanical | Electronic | Mechanical | Electronic | Mechanical | Electronic |
| Shutter | Metal Vertically Traveling Mechanical or Electronic Modified Copal shutter, Selectable speeds 1/2000th to 1, plus B, X Sync at 1/125 and slower. There are two sets of shutter blades. The outer blades form a light tight shield for the inner set of shutter blades. The mechanical version works WITHOUT batteries in camera. | |||||
| Exposure Modes | Manually set Match LED | Aperture Priority with AE lock (you set aperture, camera sets shutter speed) OR Match LED | Manually set Match LED | Aperture Priority with AE lock (you set aperture, camera sets shutter speed) OR Match LED | Manually set Match LED
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Aperture Priority with AE lock (you set aperture, camera sets shutter speed) OR Match LED |
| Shutter Speed Range | 1 to 1/2000 + B | 1 to 1/2000 + B | 1 to 1/2000 + B | |||
| Model Variations | Black Classic Paint | Black Matte Paint | 250th Aniv, Black Classic Paint or Silver Paint | Black Paint | 250th Aniv, Black Classic Paint or Silver Paint | Black Paint |
| Finder Magnification | .52 | .52 | .7 | .7 | 1.0x life size viewing offers focusing with BOTH eyes open and FULL peripheral vision | |
| Framelines | 21/25/28/35/50, the newest Bessas with the only 21 and 25 built in framelines ever in 35mm photography! | 35/50/75/90 | 35/50/75/90 | 40/50/75/90 | 40/50/75/90 | |
| RF EBL * | 19.24mm | 19.24mm | 25.6mm | 25.6mm | 37mm | 37mm |
| Body Casting | Same Basic Interior Aluminum Body Casting for this Bessa generation | |||||
| Size | 135.5x81x33.5 mm | 135.5x81x33.5 mm | 135.5x81x33.5 mm | 135.5x81x33.5 mm | 135.5x81x33.5 mm | 135.5x81x33.5 mm |
| Weight | 440g / 15.45oz | 440g / 15.45oz | 430g / 15.1oz | 430g / 15.1oz | 430g / 15.1oz | 430g / 15.1oz |
| Super Bright Combined RF/VF | This generation of Bessas have among the very best and brightest combined RangeFinder/Viewfinders ever installed into a 35mm rangefinder camera. Some owners believe their Bessas having brighter RF/VF than their Leica M's. At the very least, the Bessas are comparably bright and clear. This is no small achievement, since for decades no other camera manufacturer had a RF/VF comparable to the vaunted Leica M series. The Bessa framelines are manually selected from the top of the camera. Said framelines are parallax corrected, which means they move with the focus distance to show the field of view. As is common and accepted RF practice, the framelines actually indicate the field of view of a 35mm slide at 10 feet. In other words, the full 35mm frame will show a bit more than the framelines indicate, especially at when focused at infinity. | |||||
| Rangefinder Patch | Exceptionally Bright Rectangular Patch offering both Split Image and Coincident Focusing. The RF patch is stationary as the framelines move to indicate field of view at the focused distance. | |||||
| RF Close Focus | The RF close focus distance is .7 meter, providing your lens can RF focus that close. | |||||
| Diopter Adjustment | Optional Diopter Attachments + 3 to -3 in 1/2 Diopter Adjustments | |||||
| Accessory Viewfinders | Cosina currently makes the widest range of Accessory viewfinders EVER made at one time by ANY rangefinder manufacturer: 12mm, 15mm, 21mm, 25mm, 28mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 90mm, AND the unique low angle finder with viewing attachments for the 12, 15, 21, and 25. The double accessory shoe for use of a viewfinder with the bubble level finder are also unique accessories. Accessory viewfinders from a wide variety of other manufacturers can also be used. | |||||
| Meter | Silicon metering cell with center weighted meter pattern | |||||
| Meter ON | Advance shutter, push down slightly on shutter release | |||||
| Meter OFF | Meter goes off after exposure, or about 10 seconds after shutter button is released. | |||||
| Meter Display | Red LEDs in bottom of VF indicate exposure in .5 EV values, -2 to + 2 EV | Red LEDs in bottom of VF indicate shutter speeds | Red LEDs in bottom of VF indicate exposure in .5 EV values, -2 to + 2 EV | Red LEDs in bottom of VF indicate shutter speeds | Red LEDs in bottom of VF indicate exposure in .5 EV values, -2 to + 2 EV | Red LEDs in bottom of VF indicate shutter speeds |
| Meter Range Limits | EV 1 - 19 (ISO 100, f 1.4 at 1 second to f/16 at 1/2000th | |||||
| Meter Film Speeds | ISO 25-3200 by 1/3 steps | |||||
| Set Film Speed | Raise Shutter Speed dial, rotate until correct film speed appears in ISO window | |||||
| Meter Batteries | Two easy to find 1.5 volt Alkaline LR44 or Silver SR44, Silver Batteries have longer life. | |||||
| Battery Compartment | Bottom of Camera. Chrome Battery Cap interchangeable on these cameras. A 25 cent piece works well to open or close the compartment. The cap must be tightened completely to complete battery circuit. | |||||
| Battery Check | Replace Batteries if LEDs do not light. | |||||
| Shutter Lock | None | Rotating Collar around shutter release. Red Dot means lock OFF. | None | Rotating Collar around shutter release. Red Dot means lock OFF. | None | Rotating Collar around shutter release. Red Dot means lock OFF. |
| Shutter Advance Indicator | Meter will NOT Turn ON UNLESS Shutter is Advanced | |||||
| MiniSoftRelease | All Bessas use the same MiniSoftRelease shutter button for easier and smoother shots. | |||||
| Cable Release | Standard Mechanical Cable Release Screws into Shutter Button | |||||
| Shutter Noise | The 3 mechanical cameras have the same shutter (which is improved over earlier CV Bessas), and the 3 electronic cameras have the same shutter. The mechanical cameras are slightly quieter than the electronic. | |||||
| Self Timer | No Self Timer | |||||
| Rewind Film | Push in Rewind Button on bottom of camera, rotate rewind lever | |||||
| Open Film Back | Push catch at base of rewind towards PC connection, raise rewind lever | |||||
| Multiple Exposure | No Provision for Multiple Exposures | |||||
| Flash Sync | 1/125 or slower | |||||
| Flash Connection | Hot Shoe or PC connection at rewind end of camera | |||||
| Flash Circuit | Flash Works in mechanical R2M/R3M/R4M WITHOUT Batteries in the Camera | |||||
| Flash Units | Flash Not TTL, use Auto Flash Units. Voigtlander makes no Bessa electronic flashes. You are free to choose practically any flash, because the Bessas have no dedicated flash features or TTL flash . If you already have a dedicated flash for another camera, that flash may work if it offers auto operation with an on the flash sensor. Alternatively, if the Bessa is your 1st camera but you plan to add a certain SLR system in the future, choosing a flash from that future system may prove a wise choice. Personally I prefer flashes which offer bounce flash, a wide selection of f/stops, and optional manual operation, powered by easy to find AA batteries, such as the Nikon SB 25/25/26/28. | |||||
| Exterior Body Covers | Magnesium casting outer covers and back door | |||||
| Advance Lever | 120 Degree Throw with 45 Degree stand off, single or multiple ratcheting advance | |||||
| Trigger Winder | All Accept Optional Leicavit style Bessa Trigger Winder, up to 3 FPS possible with practice | |||||
| Accessory Grips | Will Accept Optional Bessa Side Grip | |||||
| Strap Lugs | Strap Lugs on all 6 cameras are identically placed on the bodies. If you wish your camera to hang differently with a particular lens, you can use the strap lug on the Side Grip or the Trigger Winder | |||||
| Strap Vertical | To hang your camera vertically instead of horizontally, use the Vertical Strap Lugs on the accessory Side Grip on any of the Bessas, or the Trigger Winder for the T or R2. | |||||
| Built in Back Door Palm Grip | Comfortable Palm Grip molded into the back door | |||||
| Baseplate | All 4 Bessas have small "Feet" to elevate the baseplate off the surface it is sitting on, to help prevent baseplate scratches. Sadly, the much more expensive Leica M's do not have this feature. | |||||
| Tripod Socket | Standard 1/4" Tripod Socket on Baseplate | |||||
| Camera Cases | Cosina makes 3 different Black Bessa cases. The bottom of the case for each is identical, and interchangeable on all CV Bessa cameras. The L case will also fit the other cameras. No case is made for any Bessa WITH the trigger winder attached. | |||||
| Cosina Voigtlander Lenses | Rangefinder Newbies may have difficulty appreciating that since 1999 Cosina's Voigtlander lens lineup has grown from zero to become the largest new 35mm rangefinder lens lineup NOW in production. The 12/5.6 is noteworthy as the widest rectilinear wide angle EVER made by any 35mm camera maker in the history of photography. The 28/1.9 is the fastest 28 ever made for any 35mm rangefinder camera. The 35/1.2 is the fastest production 35mm lens ever made for any 35mm camera. The Voigtlander lens lineup is even more versatile because the Leica Screw Mount lenses can fit on any standard Leica Screw Mount Camera (hundreds to choose from), as well as any Leica M mount camera with the addition of a standard screw mount to bayonet mount adapter. | |||||
| R4M | R4A | R2M | R2A | R3M | R3A | |
EBL stands for Effective Baselength, which is a measure of rangefinder focusing accuracy.
Prices Voigtlander System Bessa R2A/R3A Bessa R2 Bessa R Bessa T Heliar 101 101 PICS Bessa T intro Bessa T T or IIIf? Bessa L Bessa L/A Lenses 21/25 Shade 35/1.2 Accessories VC Meter II MiniSoftrelease Bessa R2S & R2C SC Lens Intro SC Lenses SL Lenses SL 12&15 Lenses Prominent 50mm Lens Adapter
Revised: October 26, 2007 . Copyright © 2007 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.