Cosina Voigtlander camera production halted

I just saw the news that Cosina has ceased production of all their R2, R3, R4 cameras. Sad news for rangefinder photographers.

<p>I think it's just the M models, not the A models.</p>

<p>http://leicarumors.com/2015/09/29/three-voigtlander-bessa-film-rangefinder-cameras-one-vm-lens-and-many-accessories-discontinued.aspx/</p>

<p>Those were stopped earlier, Karim. http://leicarumors.com/2013/07/03/voigtlander-bessa-a-film-rangefinder-cameras-are-now-discontinued.aspx/ - So black Zeiss Ikons are the only ones still in production?</p>

All Zeiss Ikons have been out of production for some time.

<p>Used RF cameras should remain available far into the future.</p>

<p>It is a shame. Only the Leica M7 I think is still available routinely as an "old fashioned" film rangefinder.</p>

Karim, it is all models. The A series was cancelled a year ago. Very sad to see these cameras go. I love my R2a.

<p>Wow. This is very sad. But it must be said that a new Bessa can cost as much as a used Leica. So...</p>

<p>Sad to see the market further devolve away from film bodies, but nobody seems surprised. Collectors will have their units for decades longer. Perhaps mine will be scattered with my heirs; who knows? ;-)</p>

 

<p>I always thought Cosina was in the best position to slap a sensor on the back of their cameras and make them digital RF bodies. They could have done this from the start of the digital age. The Fuji XT1 has kind of taken over from where Cosina left off. Too bad. Definite lack of vision bu Cosina. </p>

<p>Michael, you are damned right. Remember Huw Finney? He single-handedly built a digital Leica M2 (with a monochrome sensor). If Cosina did that, they'd be able to afford to keep making the 35mm bodies. :-)</p>

<p>Kharim, I remember Mr Finney trying to do that, but he disappeared and I never saw that the project reached completion. Do you have a link that shows his results? </p>

<p>I remember being interested and very impressed that he was able to do this. It was in the pre-M8 era.</p>

<p>There was also German company that had a prototype digital back that you could theoretically be put on any body. Since it was so early in the digital camera cycle, it was low res and didn't gain traction. </p>

<p>Dave, I know as much as anyone else, I'm afraid.</p>

<p><strong>So many</strong> "cheap" and GREAT film cameras available from websites like Ebay etc. <br />Coupled to something like ebay's easy 45 day buyer return policy protection (along with the over-supply dynamic),<br>

how can the "used" buyer go wrong & therefore, <strong>why buy a NEW </strong>mediocre camera<strong>?</strong></p>

<blockquote>

<p>I always thought Cosina was in the best position to slap a sensor on the back of their cameras and make them digital RF bodies. They could have done this from the start of the digital age.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>They already did. The Epson R-D1 was built by Cosina and is basically a Bessa. At one point some people thought their collaboration with Zeiss might also produce a digital RF, but sadly not.</p>

<p>Violins anyone?</p>

<p>A camera is a box with certain functional controls that allows light to pass through optics to expose film or a sensor. In this sense V-C made (or makes, as I am not sure they have quit film cameras completely) very functional cameras, like Honda makes an Accord and Mercedes makes one of its smaller sedans. One may be smoother and longer lasting, but the result is not very different. Most photographers do not push a camera to its limits and durability and the V-C is just as good under those conditions as a Leica (I have owned both).</p>

<p>The gentleman who runs Cosina has given us over the past few decades some very useful and innovative 35mm and medium format RF cameras and optics, some (for example, the 12mm 5.6 superwide lens) of the latter of which no other company has supplied. I thus wouldn't go as far as Gus in describing the V-C cameras (or optics) as mediocre, although I recognize that prices of a used M6 (but not an M7) would not be very much higher (2X, 3X? than a new R camera.</p>

<p>Well said, Arthur. I hope they keep on with RF lenses. I think with their 15 & 12 lenses they need to look at graduated ND centre filters to work more happily with digital M's, and that Leica should code lenses like these where they don't actually make those focal lengths themselves.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>...although I recognize that prices of a used M6 (but not an M7) would not be very much higher (2X, 3X? than a new R camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Here in the UK, there wasn't really even much of a price advantage. A new Bessa were about £700, with a decent M6 available for about £800. Of course the Bessa looks like a huge bargain compared to Leica's new film body pricing, and a secondhand Bessa (when you can find one) is usually very reasonable.</p>

 

<p>latest is they will announce a new digital camera shortly......<br>

or that's the chatter today.</p>

Charlie, where is that the chatter? I'd like to read about it.

<p>Here;<br>

http://photorumors.com/2015/10/08/voigtlander-is-considering-to-start-a-new-line-of-digital-cameras/</p>

<p>The 23 discontinued items, including a handful of M mount cameras, are of course only a part of their current production. They also previously discontinued the Nikon and Contax RF mount Voigtlander editions. The company does not appear to be dead by a long shot. </p>

<p>Presuming it will contain a full frame sensor.</p>