Okay, I can't stand it anymore.

[EricM]

<a href=" http://www.cameraquest.com/jpg5/voigtr3Agrey.jpg"> This grey

finish </a> did it for me. Would you order the R2a or the R3a? I'm

inclined towards the 3, but doubt I'd notice anything with either.

Without needing glasses, which would you order? If by some slight

chance own a grey and want to flog it, let me know.

[dan_brown14]

The 1:1 finder is ulta-tempting.

[derek_stanton2]

I played with the R3a (black) at PhotoVillage a while back. The 1:1 finder was 'nice,' but not the end-all-be-all i was hoping for. The 'both eyes open' thing didn't really work for me immediately, although i allow for the possibility that it might become more natural/comfortable with experience. But, I think you need to choose based on your lens range. If you need to use a 35mm lens, forget the 3. I don't remember how far out the frame lines are for the 40mm lens, but if it's anything like the 35mm framelines i have on my .85 M7, even a 40 might be uncomfortable for seeing the entire image area at once. You're going to have to handle one/both to make an solid decision.

[icuneko]

This page link from Cosina's Japanese website shows all the frameline configurations for both the R2A and R3A.

 

 

http://www.cosina.co.jp/seihin/voigt/v-camera/bessa-r2a/index.html

[jim_mcbride]

I'm happiest with the R3A I bought. The 1:1 finder is close enough to my M3 to make me

feel comfortable. I like the M7 emulation. The 40mm frames aren't perfect, but I already

own a 40mm Summicron-C. I wish I had waited for the grey one. I use the R3A now more

than any other M-type camera I own.

[dan_brown14]

FWIW (and that ain't much) I'd definitely shoot a 50mm lens on the R3a. The frame lines

are too sweet!

[EricM]

Thanks everyone.

 

Jim, I'm into the R3a as well. I'll never own a 40, or rather see no need, as I'm stuck in love with the 35 and 50 but feel the 1:1 finder might be worth putting up with the nuisance. 1:1, (Dan) that is tempting. Who knows? And the faster shutter sync and faster top end shutter speeds...

 

Derek, I don't think handling both side by side is possible now in Vancouver, but I'd like to.

 

Sam, thanks. I've been visiting the same graphic on cameraquest too.

[dan_brown14]

Here is some eye-candy:

 

<br>

 

<img src="http://www.cameraquest.com/jpg5/ZM%2050%20R3A.jpg">

[EricM]

Dan, stop it! I don't know what it is about gun metal grey, but i've been a sucker for it since i started glueing models together in elementary school...

 

And lets face it, 1/50th sync and 1000th top shutter speeds belong in last century...

[bart feliciano]

I love the FOV of my 40mm Zuiko...

 

I think I'll be breaking down and getting a Nokton R3A kit soon.

[dan_brown14]

"And lets face it, 1/50th sync and 1000th top shutter speeds belong in last century..."

 

Easy now, there fella, this is the Leica Forum ;^)

[EricM]

oh yeah, thanks.

[ky2]

Dan, that's a fine looking piece of photography. :)

[stevierose]

If you get the R3a and wear glasses be aware that the eye relief is not great. I had an R3a for a short while and it was great with a 50 mm lens mounted. However, I could not see all of the 40 mm framelines with my glasses on, and since I like using 40mm this made it unappealing for me. So, if you wear glasses and like shooting with a 50 mm lens then the R3a is for you. But the R3a with a 40 mm lense and glasses is not a good combo.

[frank granovski]

Eric~, you should have kept your M6 so that you can be able to stand it. Or just jump in and buy the R3a and sell your Nikon.

[frederick_muller]

Get the R2A. It'll give you more flexibility. Unless you are wedded to 50mm and up, the R3A's finder will get pretty confining. The R2A will probably be fine for everything from 28mm to 90mm.

[EricM]

why are you under the impression i don't own an m6?

 

if you can add something worthwhile to the above mentioned conundrum, go ahead.

[frederick_muller]

Voigtlander C never ceases to amaize me ... at their ability to design attractive, functional, marketable products. Leica needs to hire away some of VC's marketing talent. The VC success is about marketing, not engineering, but hey, that's plenty good enough!

[richie chishty]

More info and eyecandy here:

 

http://www.cameraquest.com/ZM%20lenses.htm

[peter_evans4]

<p>Because I wear glasses, I'd only consider the R3a for 50mm and longer (or of course 25mm or wider). Yes, I've looked through it and I know that the 40mm framelines are there if I look around for them, but I don't normally see them. I suspect that even people who don't wear specs would have trouble seeing the framelines (but you should believe what they say, not my mere speculation). <strong>However</strong>, remember that this is a 1.0 finder. Photographing really can be a two-eyed business. One ought therefore to be able to train oneself to imagine the framelines, pretty much. It will be a bit rough, but then fixed angle-of-view framelines are only a rough guide even when they're visible. Indeed, I've sometimes used my Canon P (again 1.0 finder) with a 35mm lens in this way.</p>

[monsoonphoto.net]

I don't wear glasses. I've tried the R3A and sadly, had to go hunting around to see the 40mm framelines. It's not as comfortable as I'd like it to be. That said, the 50mm frameline is beautiful.

[larry h-l]

I have both, prefer the R2a.

 

Framelines are too difficult to see in the R3a, even the 50mm lines are pushed to the edge

(with eye glasses). The R2a's RF patch seems brighter to me.

 

If you use the 40mm lens on the R2a, the 35 frame lines are close enough to work.

[jim_mcbride]

Another followup on the R2A/R3A for those who wear glasses: Nikon diopters fit on these

cameras, at least the ones that also fit on Nikon FM2n, FE2, etc. I found this out quite by

accident while experimenting. I wear glasses and had a little trouble with my R3A so (just

for the hell of it) I tried my Nikon -2 diopter because the eyepiece looked similar to the

R3A's eyepiece, and it worked perfectly. Now, I can use the R3A without my glasses and

see with 20/20 vision. The Nikon diopters are available at Nikon dealers (I think they fit

the FM3a, too). I buy mine at B&H Photo. They sure make life easier. Try one. They make

the R2A/R3A more likeable.

[steve_hoffman]

Not to bring anyone down to earth but that nifty battleship grey finish will start to wear off very quickly.... My friend had a black R2 and his finish was toast within a month..

[al_kaplan1]

My black Bessa L has really pretty white plastic showing along most of the edges. Bessa bodies are a good buy for the buck but they ain't no Leica!