NEWSFLASH: Details on new CV offerings!

"Could someone 'splain the "rangefinder base length" thing to me? "<p>

er, I'm not an expert, but focusing on rangefinder cameras relies on parallax

error between the view from two 'windows' . Larger baselength gives more

accurate focus. Old Zeiss COntax camera used a very wide baselength. You

can also get more accurate focusing by increasing viewfinder magnification

(as on the Bessa 3A), but this is at the expense of being able to see

framelines for wider-angle lenses in the v/f.<p>

If you look at the Zeiss icon, you'll see there's a bigger distance between the

main finder window, and the second, smaller window, than on the Bessa 3A -

hence a longer baselength. <p>This alone makes me wonder whether

someone else IS producing the Zeiss, rather than the Cosina - can't see why

they'd choose to retain a less accurate r/f system on their own cameras, than

on one they'd built for a third party. <p>

Ah, thanks, Bill and Paul.

I was comparing the wrong two cameras. I misread an earlier post, and thought the

comment that the baselines were similar was regarding the new Zeiss and the R3. I see

now that the comparison was between R3 and R2.

well, I misread too and didn't notice Bill had answered your question

already.<p>

Look to me, from Mike Elek's scans of the Zeiss and Epson over on Classic

Cameras, that the Zeiss will be a fair bit wider than the Bessa. Is the Bessa

just a tiny bit smaller than an M6? So the Zeiss could be slightly bulkier.<p>

I know, pointless speculation when we will geat real information soon. But I

can't help myself. ..<p>

Oh, and no accessory shoe on the Zeiss. Wonder what that signifies...

Christopher, the 1.8 lens rumored from Rollei, was a 50 mm, no a 40. While the official line from Rollei is to look for an announcement at Photokina, don't expect anything. To nobody's surprise, the Rollei flirtation with the 35 mm RF market has been discontinued, so that 50/1.8 Planar will never be made.

Paul, do you have the website address for Classic Cameras? Thanks.

Paul, ignore my question; I figured it out. It's here!

Paul, I too noticed that there looked like no hot shoe on the Zeiss and wondered about it. Then I looked at my Contax G2 and saw that if you look at it at the same angle as the new Zeiss picture, the hot shoe is invisible because it is sunk down and flush with the top plate. So, maybe there is one and we just can't see it. Or maybe not.

RRP for the lens (either multi- or single-coated) is 50,000 yen. The single-coated version is not a "limited edition"; it's just a small edition, and Cosina say they may bring out more later if there's a demand for it. I find that a mildly encouraging sign: I'm not interested in either version of the lens myself (as explained below), but it's refreshing that Cosina seem more interested in satisfying users than in satisfying collector/fondlers. One reason why the lenses are fairly cheap whoops I mean "inexpensive" is that no element is aspherical. A major reason why I'm not interested in buying either is that I don't have a body on which to mount it. I wonder whether Cosina are bothering to feign any interest in screwmount lenses. Meanwhile, the new accessory meter seems a bit better designed than its predecessor, but (i) it still appears to have no shoe lock, and (ii) it costs half as much again as its predecessor -- so I'll give that a miss too.

Does the new VC meter have an exposure lock? The lack of that feature on the original

model drove me nuts and I sold it.

 

Feli

Hip Hip Hooray!!!!!! Hooorah!!!!!!!!!! Go Cosina!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!! Hooorahh!!!!!!

I am so very happy with an affordable offering of an affordable 40'Lux from Cosina.

<p>Just looked at the <a href="http://www.cameraquest.com/voigtr2ar3a.htm"

target="_blank">write up</a> on Cameraquest. The film winding corner now

reminds me of screwmount Leicas, except nicer. Gestalt is very IIIG, don't you think?

Anyhow, I really dig the design. Looks like something the production designers for a

near-future-yet-retro sci-fi flick would come up with.</p>

 

<p>Mr. Gandy's hoping that little lever is a diopter adjustment. I'm not sure what this

means...I can take off my glasses to make use of the 'floating frame' effect, and I'll get

a clear view from the right eye but blurred vision from the left?</p>

A diopter adjustment on an 1:1 finder would make sense. Even with my thin glasses I'm barely able to see the 35mm frames at my (1:1 viewfinder) Canon-P