|
Post by Randy on Jan 19, 2006 8:21:56 GMT -5
Does anyone here have one of the recently released Voitlander/Cosina SLRs? I'd like to see a little discussion on these 21rst Century M42 Mount Cameras. Pictures.....anyone?
|
|
|
Post by Rachel on Jan 20, 2006 4:38:05 GMT -5
I have one Randy, a Bessaflex. It's the silver version styled, I think, on a Topcon. It uses the typical Cosina push up switch to activate the metering. The shutter is fully mechanical. It has an M42 lens mount.
|
|
|
Post by Rachel on Feb 1, 2006 10:31:59 GMT -5
Randy just some further thoughts.......
I think that the meter switch, just like on my Ricoh Singlex, is a little awkward to use. I would have preferred it to have been combined with the shutter release with a light pressure activating it.
The meter LEDs, identical I think to their rangefinder bodies, was quite easy to get used to. I have seen some criticism that it didn't have aperture priority metering but I'm happy enough with the mechanical nature of it.
|
|
|
Post by Randy on Feb 1, 2006 19:15:34 GMT -5
I found one on a website for $247.95 it's a Black Body, says Bessaflex TM. Too rich for my blood. Thanks Rachel.
|
|
|
Post by Rachel on Feb 2, 2006 4:36:14 GMT -5
Randy,
hmm ...... lot of money.
I read somewhere that Voigtlander's source of mechanical shutters had dried up. Don't know how true that is or how that affects their camera production. Anyone know about the shutters on their latest rangefinder range(!) ?
|
|
|
Post by herron on Feb 8, 2006 16:27:37 GMT -5
Rachel: I have not checked it out to see if your specific question is answered, but Stephen Gandy's Cameraquest site has a ton of info on the new Voigtlander's. www.cameraquest.com/voigtquests.htm
|
|
|
Post by Rachel on Feb 9, 2006 8:40:24 GMT -5
Thanks Ron. I'll have a look at Stephen's site.
.....................................
Had a look. Seems to have a good lot of information there about the rangefinder and reflex Voigtlanders and accessories.
|
|
|
Post by kamera on Feb 10, 2006 8:31:54 GMT -5
Rachel,
Have not seen any. Would you kindly post a pic of your new Bessaflex?
Thanks, gal!
Ron Head Kalamazoo, MI
|
|
|
Post by Randy on Feb 14, 2006 23:30:29 GMT -5
The Cosina company had allot of ups an downs over the years. Helping others like Argus and Mamiya etc... I hope these two stay together. owner of an Argus/Cosina DTL 1000, one of the best SLRs What about Minolta son?
|
|
|
Post by Rachel on Feb 22, 2006 6:17:18 GMT -5
Rachel, Have not seen any. Would you kindly post a pic of your new Bessaflex? Thanks, gal! Ron Head Kalamazoo, MI Ron, I'll try and get a picture of my Bessaflex at the weekend but you can see one at www.cameraquest.com/voigtFlexTM.htmI don't have the lens shown; too expensive for me
|
|
|
Post by herron on Feb 22, 2006 10:34:43 GMT -5
I think it's interesting how the prism housing is so different between the silver and black versions! Personally, I like the shape of the silver body case (although I generally prefer black). BTW -- Every time I look at one of Stephen Gandy's CameraQuest pages, I'm tempted to buy something I can't afford!
|
|
|
Post by paulatukcamera on Feb 22, 2006 17:52:10 GMT -5
Now come on Ladies & Gentlemen, surely I cannot hear you advocating the purchase of a "pastiche" when the original does it so much better? Design - not just the prism but the whole body is designed as if hewn from stone. Not a hint of a curve anywhere! Heft - probably weighs twice as much - comes in useful for knocking out anybody who tries snatching it from you. Full aperture metering (Yes in 1964) before Alpa, though after Pentax had showed a prototype and then trailed Topcon to the market place. Also as submin once pointed out to me - after the MEC16! Certainly the first 35mm production camera with this type of metering. Interchangeable Viewfinders, provision for motor drive. Extensive range of lenses including a Zoom, chosen by the US Navy for its build and reliability (Over the much vaunted Nikon F!) About $200 for a good example on ebay, though down to about $100 for a slightly "down at heel" Come on Randy - buy the quality original for half the price of a "down specced" modern! Just to convince yourself - feast your eyes on this! I actually bought it from Jessops for £45 as they had labelled it as a lesser model. I then discovered the self timer was defunct and after they failed to fix it gave me a £20 reduction - not a bad example for a £25 ($45) Paul P.S. Cameras I find are extremely difficult to photograph - just been experimenting. What do you think of the standard of the photo? (bit of overexposure under the lens, I admit) Please be brutally honest - I want to get this right. I now use a tripod so I can use f8 to get adequate depth of field (at 1/15) and lighting by an overhead 500watt spot (as used externally on houses) placed on our decorating ladder with a cheap anglepoise spot pointed directly at the camera, which is then placed upon a large slide illuminator. (£20 on ebay) Complicated - you bet! Its just sort of evolved (OK like Topsy, just growed) Have any of you any better ideas?
|
|
PeterW
Lifetime Member
Member has Passed
Posts: 3,804
|
Post by PeterW on Feb 22, 2006 18:27:47 GMT -5
Hi Paul,
I've never owned a Topcon, but have used a friend's quite often, and I've got a very high regard for them. Heavy, yes, but it feels 'right'.
Uncompromising design, a high-spec system camera from the word go (and the system to go with it), beautifully made, versatile and ahead of its time, and very rugged. As well as its own lenses I believe you can use the vast range of lenses made to fit Exaktas, though I'm told that some of them fit 'upside down', and many other lenses with adaptors, and many accessories from the Exakta system.
I would rank it right up with Nikon and Canon except that it never had their barrage of publicity and advertising to make it a household name.
I settled for Canon as my main user cameras, but I'm sure I would have been just as happy with Topcon.
With regard to your picture, Paul, I think maybe if you used a dimmer switch as a resistor in the mains lead to the light box you could adjust the background lighting to whatever you wanted. At the moment it's a bit overexposed, and you don't need a lot of light to kill shadows from the main light. Apart from that, a nice setup for taking pics of cameras. I've always believed in keeping the lighting as simple and even as possible to do the job.
Maybe you could experiment with a floodlight main light instead of a spot (something like a 200 watt lamp in a 'fish fryer' reflector) mounted a little closer. and maybe a shade nearer the front. After all, the camera isn't moving, so it doesn't matter if you stop right down and use an exposure up to 1/2 sec or more on a tripod to get shadow detail
Peter
|
|
|
Post by herron on Feb 22, 2006 22:33:21 GMT -5
Paul: I got away from using any light source from underneath, when photographing my cameras. No matter what I did, the result came out unnatural looking, and often a bit on the garish side. I now use a fairly inexpensive portable light tent, and a couple of 5K photoflood bulbs in reflectors, mounted on stands. My camera is on a tripod, shooting into the open door of the tent (my tent came with both white and black interior pads). The tent is sitting on my old studio drawing board, set parallel to the floor now that I don't use it to draw on any more! I usually set my digital (Canon 300D) for aperture priority, close it down to at least f/16, and use my remote shutter release to keep from jarring the camera on its (usually) long exposure. I think I've had pretty good results with this approach.
|
|
|
Post by Rachel on Feb 23, 2006 5:42:56 GMT -5
Sorry if this offends you Paul but here are the pictures of my Bessaflex in this case fitted with an M42 Chinon 28mm lens.
|
|