Bessa R vs. Rollei RF

[nasmformyzombie]

Any real difference in quality control and build or finish quality

bewteen the Bessa R and Rollei RF? The Rollei is now priced much

closer to the Bessa (as opposed to being much higher upon

introduction), so I was wondering.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

The Bessa R2 and the Rollei RF are essentially the same camera except the Rollei has frame lines for 40, 50, & 80 and the Bessa R2 has frame lines for 35, 50, 75, & 90.

[bill_marshall1]

The Rollei 35 RF has a close focus distance of 0.7 meters, an improvement over the 0.9 close focus distance of the R and R2. It has silver finish instead of the black finsish of the R& R2, and enhanced detailing on the shutter speed dial, lens release button, & shutter release are enhanced; the shutter speed dial is more heavily knurled, making it a little easier to turn. The rubber grips are an improvement over the R & R2. The kit is better packaged, including a 24-page booklet, an upgraded camera strap & a 2-year warranty - the latter being an upgrade over the 1-year CV warranty.

[andrew_hall1]

You can't use M mount lenses on the Bessa R -- huge difference there.

[akochanowski]

Does anyone have experience with the Rollei 40mm M-mount lens?

[mostly sports]

Experience with the 40mm lens? Isn't this based on the Sonnar for the Rollei 35, so it's a

venerable classic reborn?

[bill_marshall1]

Andy the Rollei 40/2.8 Sonnar is an LTM lens that comes equipped with an M-mount adaptor when you buy it new. The beauty of this is that if you want to use it with a camera that does not have 40 mm framelines, you just change the adaptor to bring up whatever framelines you want.

 

It is a superb lens & as Phil points out, is an offering in LTM/M-mount of the legendary lens from the Rollei 35. It is very sharp, but with a softness in the rendition of very fine detail so that it is kind to people's faces. At f/2.8 it still has excellent center sharpness but with softening around the edges, which is the signature of the Sonnar lenses & a characteristic that makes it a good shooter for people as subjects as it draws attention to the main subject at this aperture. Color rendition is slightly warm.

 

One of the members here did his own testing last year. When his results were compared to the Modern Photography results for the 40/2 Summicron-C, using the same testing methods, the Sonnar had higher resolution both at f/2.8 and f/8 except for edge sharpness at f/2.8, as I've already explained. I don't make the comparison for the purpose of saying which one is better, but for the purpose of using a standard of comparison. The 40 Summicron is superb lens in its own right & if the Sonnar can compare favorably to it, the Sonnar must be very good indeed. The Summicron has the advantage of being a stop faster of course.

 

I have the Sonnar lens & love the results I get with it.

 

Bill

[akochanowski]

Thanks Bill. I like the 40mm length very much, and these lenses are available at a price roughly what the 20 y/o CL 40's go for. Speed isn't that crucial for me in this length since I have much faster lenses in both the 35 and 50 lengths. Do you like the focusing action on the Rollei? I don't know anyone who actually has one of these, so any more advice is appreciated.

[michael s.]

Just curious, Andy, about where you're seeing the Rollei 40mm's at such competitive prices?

 

From a quick glance, it seems as though new ones from reputable dealers are $550 and up. The Summicron-C's and Rokkor 40mm's that I believe you're referring to, admittedly used, are closer to half that amount.

 

Asking because I like the 40mm length, too.

[bill_marshall1]

Andy, the focusing action on the Sonnar is very smooth & the lens feels surprisingly heavy. I expect that it is built with brass. The build quality is as good as that of my chrome 50 Summicron IMO.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[bill_marshall1]

Michael, I don't know where Andy saw the price, but he may be referring to the price of a used Rollei Sonnar. I recently saw one used at Adorama for $269 - and it can't be more than 2 years old, while a used Leica Summicron-C is going to be about 30 years old.

 

A further note on the 40 Summicron prices. We tend to use e-bay prices as the standard of comparison for used equipment - at least I do. However, not everyone feels comfortable buying from e-bay - or even from sales posted here on P.net. A used 40 Summicron-C from those same reputable dealers you mentioned is hard to find & it will be more expensive than that same lens on ebay. For the heck of it, I just did a quick suvey of half a dozen reputable USA Leica dealers & found only two 40 Summicrons. Both received the lowest or 2nd lowest rating that each of the dealers gives. So, these are well used lenses. The prices were $249 & $325 respectively. So, I would assume that a Mint or Exc++ example would be upwards of $400 at these same dealers.

 

Bill

[m_elek]

This is a tabbed lens with soft detents for the aperture settings. The focusing action is very smooth, as Bill said, and the lens is surprisingly heavy.

 

The lens is stamped "Made in Germany." I've heard various rumours, including one in which the lens elements were made by Cosina and shipped to Rollei for final assembly.

 

Quality of construction is very good with the Rollei Sonnar.

 

The lens includes a removable shade that is very short. And removing it is necessary when attaching filters.

 

I've been very pleased with the optical qualities of this camera.

[m_elek]

I also wanted to add that it accepts 39mm filters, so that's a plus if you have a collection in that size already.

[bill_marshall1]

Mike, I have read & been told the same information regarding the Cosina-made barrels, but assembly of the lenses at the Rollei factory in Germany. The significance of this to me is the quality control that it implies because this is a Zeiss lens design, licensed to Rollei, & Zeiss sets the QC standards for its licensees.

 

Bill

[akochanowski]

Thanks so much Bill for the useful information. To answer Michael, Samys Camera sold one on eBay for $429 last week brand new. I was in Chicago a week or two ago and Classic Camera, an otherwise great dealer that I'd used for a long time, wanted to interest me in a nice but not mint 40 Summicron for $899. That is not a typo: $899. When I suggested that this was more than the lens even when attached to a CL body, the sales guy looked at me blankly. Mostlt on eBay the Summicrons seem to be in more sane ranges. But I've down the road of old lenses before, and it is not necessarily a trouble-free one.

[michael s.]

Thanks, Andy. Good points, Bill and Andy, about lens prices.

 

Certainly no rush on that $899 Summicron-C in Chicago, Andy. Unless it's for some unknown reason "special," it'll be in his cabinet at that price for years. At a camera show several months ago, I saw an excellent condition Minolta CLE with a very clean 40mm Rokkor CLE lens *together* for $650. As I recall, that seller wanted $250 for the lens only.

 

Today I do see a "V" condition Rokkor 40mm f/2 at Adorama for $209. The Rokkor is optically the same lens, but it has the advantage of taking the more readily found 40.5 filter size. The "V" means either "very good," "very rough," or perhaps both ? -:)

 

I've read here and elsewhere that the later Rokkor CLE 40mm lens (there were two Rokkor models) has a couple possible advantages: the more modern multi-coatings, and also a cam set-up identical to that of the lenses Leica actually produced for the M bodies (vs. the CL and CLE bodies).

 

But you're both right. Those lenses are 25 - 30 years old. A new, or nearly new fast-enough high quality 40mm at a good price -- that's a good thing.