Bessa L - which lens to get

I'm considering buying a Bessa-L - how do I decide which lens to get

(assuming that the cost is not the deciding factor)

 

Do rangefinders come with the lens, or are they always a separate item.

>>>I'm considering buying a Bessa-L - how do I decide which lens to get (assuming that the cost is not the deciding factor)<<<

 

 

Which lens do you have now? What lens do you want? What focal length do you use best?

 

>>>Do rangefinders come with the lens, or are they always a separate item.<<<

 

Usually seperate if it is a interchangable lens RF. Just make sure you get the VF for your lens as the L has none. Does the L have RF coupling? If not, get something wide (25, 21,15,12) so you can scale focus.

The Bessa L does not have a "true" rangefinder system -- it has a scale focus system. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you need to make sure you understand DOF, especially when shooting wide open with subjects in that intermediate 5-8 feet distance.

 

Only some of the lenses (typically the wider ones) come with a viewfinder when you buy the lens. Wth longer lenses, you'd have to buy the VF separately.

 

Based on your questions, I would recommend that you first determine whether 35mm RF's are for you -- they're not for everyone. Get one of the 70's RF cameras, like a Canonet (for about $40, everything included).

 

You might want to check out this site:

 

http://www.cameraquest.com/

 

KL

Bessa L bodies do not have rangefinders. Viewfinders attach to the shoe on top of the body.

 

It's a specialty camera. I use mine with a 15mm lens, for an extreme wide angle. Others use it with the CV "snapshot" 24mm. With these two lenses, rangefinders are not necessary. the depth of field is sufficient. (There is a 12mm lens, but that is very, very expensive.)

 

The viewfinder is usually sold with the lens.

 

If you want to introduce yourself to the rangefinder experience, there are many RFs with 50mm fixed lenses on the used market. Frankly, I thought I would use the 15mm lens more, but forgot that I prefer short telephoto shooting.

Bessa L bodies do not have rangefinders. Viewfinders attach to the shoe on top of the body.

 

It's a specialty camera. I use mine with a 15mm lens, for an extreme wide angle. Others use it with the CV "snapshot" 24mm. With these two lenses, rangefinders are not necessary. the depth of field is sufficient. (There is a 12mm lens, but that is very, very expensive.)

 

The viewfinder is usually sold with the lens.

 

If you want to introduce yourself to the rangefinder experience, there are many RFs with 50mm fixed lenses on the used market. Frankly, I thought I would use the 15mm lens more, but forgot that I prefer short telephoto shooting.

I've used my Ls with a variety of lenses. The body was made for the 15mm, as has been spoken, the 12mm is really expensive. I use the 25mm a lot. It has click focusing as does the 15 but I don't think the 21mm has that feature. Click focusing is worth a bundle, especially for the street photographer.

 

Another combination I fell in love with was a 28mm Canon FL lens with the CV 28mm viewfinder. You can see the aperature ring and the focussing scale on the lens. You have to use a Canon converter B to fit the FD/FL lenses on the L.

IMHO, the Bessa-L is really a specialized camera designed to be used with the extremely wide Cosina Voigtlander lenses ranging from 12mm to 25mm, which require separate optical finders and don't need the precise focus of a rangefinder due to their tremendous depth of field. I believe that you are asking the question backwards. If you wish to use one of the lenses in this ultra-wide range, especially the 12mm or 15mm lenses, then the Bessa-L is the most economical choice to be used as a dedicated back with TTL meter for these lenses, without wasting money on features that these wide lenses can't use, like a normal lens viewfinder or rangefinder focusing.

 

In fact, even for most folks who use SLRs for the rest of their 35mm film work, IMHO, a Bessa-L with one of these ultra-wide lenses is generally a better and more economical super-wide choice than a retrofocus ultra-wide for their SLRs.

 

If you plan on getting either the 12mm or 15mm CV lenses, or, to a lesser extent the 21mm and 25mm lenses, then getting the L body makes sense. Otherwise, it doesn't. Your question actually puts the cart before the horse.

In fact that's probably what I was asking (without knowing it) I was not that aware that other lens might fit it, and was really tryng to decide between the 15, 21, 25 and 28 Voigtlander lens.

Personally, I wouldn't use the Bessa-L for the 28mm lens, if I had a body with a rangefinder. IMHO, that's getting to the point where many other bodies, such as my Minolta CLE, can provide framelines as well as coupled RF focusing. I use my Bessa L pretty much with my 15mm lens, and ocassionally with my 25mm lens (although I actually prefer to use the 25mm on my CLE with the CLE's entire finder providing a slightly cropped viewfinder that's nearly as good as the external finder).

Ok, thanks for the info.

 

Another quesion. If I want to use it indoors with a Metz 45 CL-4 - will that work?

Dear friend, on my Bessa L i mount permanently a VC Heliar Aspherical 15 mm f/ 4,5. The image quality is excellent.

Ciao.

 

Vincenzo Maielli Bari Italy