I don't have money to afford a Hasselblad or Leica. Like the Nikon FM3a is a jump to the 70s with modern technology and quality.īessa R2 is my first RF camera and so far I've been very happy with it. For me it is a very acceptable quality as a camera and I reccomended it to any shooter of clasic cameras. I also tested the camera with a Jupiter 3 open at f1.5 and no issues either.Īs said here already it is a fantastic camera to shoot outdoors and take with you at all times or as a back up for another 35mm camera. Against what I expected, focusing at f1.5 does not seem to be an issue. However in practical terms is not big deal. I have no complaint about that lens except that it takes part of the viewfinder view, specially with the hood. Even better very unexpensive like the Bessa R2 body. On my part, I have no compaints as far as the rangefinder and the viewfinder are concerned. Just for that this is a better camera than the Bessa R. The rangefinder and the viewfinder are very bright and clear. I don't manage to press the shutter release bottom without moving the camera a little bit, but I can do that with the Bronica RF645.Įven if the baselengh of the rangefidner is short focusing is accurate. After puting the mini softrelease in the shutter relase bottom, the problem has improved but not dispeared at all. The main issue is not really vibration from the Bessa R2 (which has some coming from the focal plane shutter) but that shutter release bottom of the Bessa R2 that is not sensitive enought compared to the shutter of my FM3a, my X-Pan II and extreamly far from the sensitivity of my Bronica RF645 (a camera that is vibration free). I am dispointed on this point because the Bessa is less effective on this than the FM3a in those circumstances, even if the FM3a is a reflex camera. The thrid quirk is that I was exepecting to use this camera with available light in indoors and low speeds (bellow 1/30) when the Nikon FM3a vibrates too much. The problem in the Bessa R2 and Bessa R is not the meter but the way it takes the reading from the reflected light of the shutter. The VC meter is the same meter than that of the Bessa R2 and Bessa R and it is very accurate in all circumtances. I have a Vöigtlander VC meter (make 1) that I use with a Leica IIIc. This is exactly the same problem suffered by the predecessor the Bessa R adn I am curious to know if it has been corrected with the two Bessa R3 models avaliable now.
#BRONICA RF645 ORIENTATION ISO#
My X-Pan II measures exposures of 30 seconds at f4 and ISO 100. My Nikon FM3a measures exposures of a few minutes. I am surprised that such a modern camera has such a small range of EV measures in the meter. The second is that the lightmeter is not accurate below 1/30 speed and f2.8 at ISO 100. (This is a known quirk that convinced me that my suposed to be used camera had not being used). It is a very easy adjustemnt and I wonder why Cosina does not do it in the factory. The first is that the rangefinder needs adjustment when it leaves the factory, because it does not focus to infinite. It has three quirks, one of them easily repairable. As a mechanical rangefinder is the best value for money. Nevertheless, the Bessa R2 is still a wonderfull camera. However, the FM3a is a better quality made and has a more accurate meter. It is slightly smaller than my Nikon FM3a (but just a little bit smaller). But as a carry everywhere handheld shooter is fantastic. If I want to shoot with tripod I always use another camera. To me it is a camera that demands shotting handheld and not really a tripod. In general I love using this camera and I am having a loty of fun with it. That said I love military cameras and its imitations. The first thing that attracted me about this camera is the estetics. It was in as new state and basically I think it had received no use and that Ffordes was selling it as second-hand because the camera is now discontinued. Price above is in Sterling Pounds for a second hand olive camera that I bought a few months ago.