Analogue Rangefinder recommendation - Voigtlander Bessa R2 ?

ian_s

ian_s

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Any analogue rangefinder users out there ?
While using legacy ownership of some Leica M mount lenses and not wanting to invest too much - i.e. Leica M6 I have identified Voigtlander Bessa R2 as a film body option.

Seems to have areas where its as good as a M6, I really want to avoid another lens system if possible.

Any advice / recommendations ?

Thanks
 
Rangefinders...I love my Olympus 35RC. I have two. Tiny camera, excellent viewfinder, really sharp lens; not interchangeable but 42mm , which is my absolutely favourite focal length. Shutter priority, with manual override.
I also have a Bronica RF645; an excellent camera. Aperture priority. Superb image quality. With it hanging round my neck I often wonder why I need anything else.
Maybe not what you are after Ian as you can't fit Leica M mount lenses to them....
 
I owned a Voigtlander rangefinder with a screw thread mount some years ago and found that the quality of the build did not inspire confidence for long term use. I found it to be a bit 'plasticky' Unless they have upped the build quality by fitting it with a 'R' lens mount does not make it a Leica or anything like one. They certainly don't justify the enormous price asked for what it seems is for all intents and purposes the same as I had but with a new set of clothes. (AKA Lens Mount)
 
@John King my research suggests that the R2,3 and 4 benefited from a 'metal upgrade' compared to the R. The baseplate and some of the dials are now more robust. The price from my research is approx 1/3 of an M6 (£800 vs £2400) for equiv condition. Fools and their money ....

Much as I love the idea of a Leica the cost is a problem ! Older M3's can be had for £1200+ or so but are now decades old and very likely to need a few 100 to be spent on CLA.

A second hand camera dealer suggested that Leica's M6's and the later Voigtlander Bessa R3 or R4 have similar reliability with different weaknesses, although parts for Leica's are easier to find as there are more out there. They offer 12 months warranty on both so I can only assume they are confident enough.

I cant see any of the other M mount alternatives offering a better alternative to the Voigtlander.
 
Whatever the price new, or used, even £800 for a used Voigtlander I feel is not particularly good value. On the other hand you you have to cut the cloth according to your purse. I will stick to my Nikon's
 
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. After extensive research I found a Voigtlander Bessa R2 with 6 months warranty for £500 from Ffordes an organisation that can be trusted so went with that. I did want an internal light meter, but it is mechanical so will work without the batteries if at some point the electrickery heads south.

I have roll of Ilford Delta 400 in which I am half way through.

Given I am not going to try developing myself and don't have a scanner are there any recommendations for postal developing and scanning ?

So far I have found https://www.the-darkroom.co.uk/ which I have heard positive things about before. Not that cheap but I do want to give it the best chance so would like to avoid the first roll being a disappointment.
 
ian_s said:
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. After extensive research I found a Voigtlander Bessa R2 with 6 months warranty for £500 from Ffordes an organisation that can be trusted so went with that. I did want an internal light meter, but it is mechanical so will work without the batteries if at some point the electrickery heads south.

I have roll of Ilford Delta 400 in which I am half way through.

Given I am not going to try developing myself and don't have a scanner are there any recommendations for postal developing and scanning ?

So far I have found https://www.the-darkroom.co.uk/ which I have heard positive things about before. Not that cheap but I do want to give it the best chance so would like to avoid the first roll being a disappointment.
Click to expand...
Can I make a suggestion. Scanning B&W film an be done but there is a risk of dust and scratches appearing in the final scans.

Conventional B&W is easy, but not easy to find a reliable lab to do it at a reasonable price If you were to use Ilford XP+ 35mm that is based upon colour film technology and the scanning software will usually have dust and scratch software which will hide the defects. Apart from that XP+ can be handled at almost any Lab that also processes colour negative and will probably welcome your business.
Grain on XP is as small if not smaller than Delta and around the same price and is very tolerant of under and over exposure. At least 1 stop under and 2 stops over will produce usable negatives. Almost certainly better than Delta 400.

One Lab that does come to mind is AG laboratory situated in the west of Birmingham. (0121 366 0016) I have never used their Lab but have not heard of anything adverse against them. XP400+ will be well known to them.
 
John King said:
Can I make a suggestion. Scanning B&W film an be done but there is a risk of dust and scratches appearing in the final scans.

Conventional B&W is easy, but not easy to find a reliable lab to do it at a reasonable price If you were to use Ilford XP+ 35mm that is based upon colour film technology and the scanning software will usually have dust and scratch software which will hide the defects. Apart from that XP+ can be handled at almost any Lab that also processes colour negative and will probably welcome your business.
Grain on XP is as small if not smaller than Delta and around the same price and is very tolerant of under and over exposure. At least 1 stop under and 2 stops over will produce usable negatives. Almost certainly better than Delta 400.

One Lab that does come to mind is AG laboratory situated in the west of Birmingham. (0121 366 0016) I have never used their Lab but have not heard of anything adverse against them. XP400+ will be well known to them.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion, I will try a roll of this next
 
Good call on the XP2, though it can sometimes feel a little 'cold'. AG come highly recommended, also Analogue Wonderland, a very energetic young company, and Kirklees Photographic.

I suggest that you will quite quickly find that you want to take control of the process. Processing out the negatives is easy, tidy and straightforward using a dark bag and a Patterson type kit, available at AG and AW, and a serviced 35mm scanner such as a Nikon Coolscan 4000 or 5000 can be bought for less that the price you paid for the camera. I find the whole process to be incredibly satisfying.
 
I fully agree with what Toby says. You can't beat taking control and processing your own films. This allows you to try out different developers, at different dilutions, so you can discover the particular look that suits your taste. You can also develop for different times to suit the lighting conditions, i.e. give less development for film exposed in sunny conditions, in order to control contrast.
And, as Toby says, you don't need much equipment to develop film. I have a darkroom, but it has no running water and is not 100% light tight. So I find it easier to load my developing tank in a light tight cupboard under the stairs, and develop the film at the kitchen sink.
 
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