[Leica] M body alternatives (Was: student discount)

[Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net>]

"B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> sez:

>For any student - on a student budget - considering getting into Leica in
>particular, or RF in general, I would suggest considering a Bessa R2 body
>and a used Summicron 50 or pre-asph 35. No, it's not a Leica body. But it
>has a meter, it has a top shutter speed of a 2000th, a flash sync of a
>125th, it's cast metal, and it has a bright viewfinder. AND, it's new and
>has a warranty.

B.D.:  Have you actually used the Bessa R2 yet? Or a Bessa R?  I wonder
if the vibration of the double shutter hurts sharpness at slow shutter
speeds, as it does on an SLR.  The Bessa's second "cap" shutter is just a
modification of the SLR mirror mechanism.

I played with a Bessa R in a store a couple of years ago.  It was
tempting!  Frankly, the viewfinder on the Bessa is better than either the
M6 or the Hexar RF--it's bright, and it doesn't flare.  What stopped me
from buying it was:

1. Screw-mount only, so no using M-mount lenses
2. Short RF base (no using fast 85/90 lenses close-in).
3. The vibration issue
4. Shutter noise
5. It isn't a Leica.  
6. Reliability/longevity unknown, probably low resale value

Today, with the Bessa M, things get more tempting, especially for a
second, metered body.

The Hexar RF is even more tempting if you have $1000 to drop.  Two AE
modes, electronic shutter/winder, plus complete manual control.  What
stopped me from buying it was:

1. Dimmer viewfinder than either the Bessa or the M6. I wonder if it's any
less good than an M viewfinder in available light.  Supposedly it doesn't
flare, and that's important when you can't avoid light sources in or near
the frame.

2. The Leica lens compatibility issue.  To this day, we still don't have a
definitive answer on how much it truly matters, or how easy/expensive it
is for a repairman to adjust if it does!

3. I found the meter readout confusing.  That's probably more a learning
curve thing than a permanent issue.

4. Noise of the compulsory motor drive.  Still not quiet enough for
theater or concert hall

5. It's not a Leica.

6. Reliability/longevity unknown, probably some loss on resale.

Anybody else have any thoughts about this?  I don't mean to be heretical,
I love the "Leica feel" as much as anyone.  But with the price of the new
M7 and the viewfinder flare of the M6 still not completely solved on the
M7, I might seriously consider an alternative.  One of these days I'm
going to want a body with at least a meter, perhaps AE, whose viewfinder
doesn't flare.

- --Peter

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