Longevity of Bessa bodies

I'm wondering about other peoples' experiences with how well and how long their

Bessa bodies hold up to use.

 

My Bessa L was purchased used about two years ago along with a 15mm Heliar. I

carry it around with me every day on a shoulder strap, no case, and I've shot

hundreds of rolls of film with it. A couple of months ago I noticed that one of

the two little screws on the back was missing but it still functioned. Last

night I noticed that the window over the exposure counter was missing also. It

still has the original battery. I can't see the sense in putting any repair

money into the thing, and as long as it works I'll use it. Then I'll put the

lens in an M adapter and use it on a Leica.

I haven't owned my Bessa L for that long but I have seen a very used L.

That also had its exposure window (plastic) de-glued and fallen inside.

 

This may create problem with the film advance. Open the top up, find that plastic window and epoxy it back (or chuck it).

Thanks. I can't get the window to rattle around inside. I think it's just gone. I might epoxy a little piece of clear plastic on the outside to keep the rain out...LOL

I think Steve Gandy should send you a free replacement. For all your enthusiastic posts here on the Bessa L.

How much would one have cost had you been able to buy it in 1962?

Monkey said to tell Steve Gandy that he wants his very own Bessa L with a 15mm Heliar lens. The two of us were out taking pictures with mine earlier, between rain showers, at an old abandoned "tourist court" dating back to the 1940's, before motels (short for Motor hOTEL)came on the scene. It consists of a few rows of little tiny wood cabins in total disrepair. The place will soon be leveled and replaced with another multi-story office building.

Say, Al, you may have seen that photograph of Garry Winogrand's leica, its black finish worn away by use; in fact, it may have been on Gandy's site. Anyhow, following up on Vivek's suggestion, you might offer your "vintage" one-of-a-kind l body to Gandy, for display on his site, in exchange for a new one. Hey, it wouldn't hurt to try. My l, used less often than yours, is still in excellent condition. I have a m adapter ring in the camera bag for the day the l gives out.

Al, I have a brand new silver Bessa L that I bought from Gandy when they were at their lowest price. It's sitting in a box. When's your birthday?

On the 700th anniversary of the battle of Novgorod. Do you really think that a black Heliar will look OK on a chrome body? I guess I can learn to live with it ;-) Thanks!

The Bessa L has been my cycling Leica with no finder to go out of whack. It is a surpisingly

tough little critter.

 

Zeiss has just come out with a finderless Ikon with auto exposure. A nice piece of work that

is considerably more expensive that the old Bessa L.

I had to have my R2 rebuilt after 2 yrs.

My L was bought used from Gandy about two years ago, and it's held up pretty well

so far. I haven't used mine nearly as much as you have yours (actually, I expect you

to be one of the guys who can tell Mr. K. something about the durability of his first

Bessa), but the biggest problem I've encountered so far is that I can't get a flash or

radio slave hooked up the PC to trigger. This annoys me, since one of the useful

things about the Bessas is the 1/125th flash sync speed; I wish I could take

advantage of this sometimes. I don't think I'd put any money into repairing such a

cheap camera- it's probably just cheaper to replace- but it's irritating enough to

make me use my Leicas more, even with the slower sync. At least they fire!

When James' L gets here I'm hoping that the two Bessas will hit it off together. Maybe I can start a breeding program.

Careful, Capt. Al!!! Breeding two Bessa Ls could be incestual. You

might create a monster. Instead, get a Cosina SW-107 (the C/V tagged version of the Bessa L) from SG and see if they hit it off. He'll probably donate one for the cause.

 

Don't y'all just love this forum? Sure beats taking anti-D meds or

drinking plonk or gettin' religion. ;)

Hey, if he's willing to donate one I'm willing to see if one of the Bessa's can breed with her (him?). It's gotta be cheaper than importing the dang things. Now if we can just talk Cameraleather into making exotic snake and lizard skin coverings for Bessa bodies. Mauve would look cool.

My R2A was fine until it took a fall from about 8 foot up (ouch) - still functioning perfectly but the rangefinder is a little out of alignment. My M6 was in the same padded camera bag and was unscathed.

Well Al as you know on your suggestion I bought my L exclusively to glue my VC 15mm to it. Now it seems I'll have to glue the L together. Anyway thanks for the post because you highlight the need for owners of these babies to do a "walk-around" and screw in and re-glue bits coming apart. I enjoy mine nontheless.

 

And re breeding them: they are hard to sex, I still can't determine if mine is a he or she - its cooperativeness to date indicates mine is a he!

 

I was thinking about getting a T for a VC 21, but maybe I'll hunt out a well worn M something - I really don't need metering anyway.

My L is still working. It looks like crap and has a couple of holes where the screwand the window used to be. I'm not retiring it yet! The film transport still functions along with the shutter and the light meter. I still think that at $59.95 it's a great bargain considering that an M adapter alone is $55.00, and it comes with a really nice neck strap that'll probably get used on another camera.

Al,

 

I'm planning on getting a Bessa L this week for the 21 CV. Where do they cost $69? Think its a good idea to glue down the screws and window when its new? Would like to find a black one if anyone has one for sale?

I've been using an olive Bessa R-2 for almost two years. I never use a case, but then again, I don't abuse my gear either. About a year into reasonably heavy use, the rubberized palm grip on the back cover half fell off. Probably from humidity and constant pressure. I just glued it back on and it has been very fine since.

 

On a less positive note, I have another black R-2 I also use pretty heavily. After a few months use I was rewinding it and must have pushed the rewind crank the wrong way and the whole (*&^(*&^$ rewind lever fell off. You know how the Bessa R and R2 don't have proper rewind levers but instaid have this kind of folding latch-type crank handle. Anyway, I had to do surgery with a pair of long-nosed pliers, and the machine is still servicable. Take a look at an R or R2 rewind latch and see if you can figure out how it is put together sometime. It is a fun exercise (not) :-) I use that Bessa, or my M2, when I go into the most inclement conditions, and there's no question in my mind which one I'm going to end up junking first.

Gandy was selling the L bodies for that really low price for awhile, but only when you bought a lens with it. I see now he has them at $99.

I love the "L". I tried Huw Finney's trick of performing minor surgery to take out the shutter lock and it's great.

You might put some tape over the two screw heads. I don't know how you'd glue the window since I don't have one to play with.

"I don't know how you'd glue the window since I don't have one to play with."

 

As I said above, it should have fallen inside. You need to find it by opening the top and re-glue it (from the inside).

I'm going to just leave well enough alone. The camera functions the way it is.