First Voigtlander Bessa R3A

daveo228i · Apr 11, 2020

I ordered a Voigtlander Bessa R3A. I have seen them advertised for a years. They have an extensive lens lineup, manufactured in Germany. The one I ordered has a Leica M lens mount so I will be able to use my Leica M glass. Has anybody have/has experience with these cameras? I have one of their light meters shoe mounted on my M4-P and it is spot on.

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webestang64 · Apr 11, 2020

That's a sweet bit of kit. Congrats.

Some info.......... Voigtlander Bessa R2A R3A

Derrel · Apr 11, 2020

Around 2000 I bought a Bessa R, the first model of the R-series with a rangefinder. It used Leica thread Mount lenses, and I bought it with a 50 mm f / 1.5 Nokton aspherical, the 35mm Ultron f/1.7 aspherical, and the 75mm f /2.5 Color Heliar. The lenses were quite good. I remember one 35 millimeter color slide I shot with the 35 in which I aimed

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at a brilliant afternoon sun... the lens did not flare in the least... it might have been the most impressive directly-into-the-light shot I have ever done.

I did not use the camera or the lenses very much, and I sold the whole outfit back in 2017.

Derrel · Apr 11, 2020

Do not expect the Leica feel of reasurring, hand-assembled solidity and "lifetime quality"..the R series feels a lot like a Cosina-made Nikon FM-10, which I have been told was the parent camera. In comparison with your Leica M4-P, the build quality is several levels below, but then so is the price, and you will have an electronically regulated shutter, and aperture-priority automatic shooting.

earthmanbuck · Apr 12, 2020

I don't have experience with the R3A, but I picked up an R last year and it's become one of my favourites. It's a good little camera.

daveo228i · Apr 16, 2020

A follow up. Have had the R3A for two days now and while I have not run any film through it, I’ve pretty throughly checked it out. I’m I’m impressed with it. The 1:1 viewfinder is amazing. Film loading is through the standard fold over back cover standard on SLR’s. Electronic shutter and meter, batteries included! The lens mount is metal and works nicely with my Leica M 50 f 2.5. You select the four viewfinder frames manually, by means of a top mounted switch. This model has 75, 40/50 and 90. The meter readout is digital diodes under the frame line. It has aperture priority and metered manual. I currently own two Leica M’s, M7 and a M4-P. As I said I haven’t run any film through it, which is the ultimate test. At this point I’m impressed.

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