Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Alan Soon on CVUG has filled in some of the details on the R2A, R3A. I went to the bookstore today to check out the new camera mags. I have the following comments: * Both the R2A/R3A are absolute dead ringers for the Bessa R2. The only difference is the shutter speed dial which now has markings for Auto-Exposure, very much like the R-D1. * They are not long-baselength rangefinders (I don't know where Bob Shell got his info that the new long baselength Zeiss is based on the R3A, it might be but obviously not the rangefinder). The optical BL of the new R2A/R3a is the same as in the R2. * The MSRP price for both is Y75,000 (about US$700), not Y50,000 -- this is the price of the new 40mm f/1.4 * The only difference between the R2A and R3A are that the R2A is low-magnification (0.72x) and the R3A is high magnification (1.0x). The R2A has 35/50/75/90 framelines, the R3A has 40, 50, 75, 90 * Otherwise, they are absolutely identical. Cosina wants you to think: R2A= Leica M2; R3A = Leica M3 in terms of finder magnification * The new lightmeter looks very nice. It is smaller and now has parallel lines drawn between the shutter-speed dial and aperture-dial so you can read off 5 different speed/aperture combinations depending on your taste (taking advantage of reciprocity). * I only had Y600 in my pocket so I didn't buy the mags so this is from memory. Sorry! Since the major camera mags in Japan have broken the information embargo, I can't see why Stephen Gandy can't. :-) Cheers! Karen >I've just had a chance to look at some of the latest Japanese >photography magazines which feature the new offerings from >Cosina/Voigtlander. There are four new items. Unfortunately, I don't >have a flatbed scanner, so you'll just have to take my word for it. >:-) Also, understand that my Japanese isn't very good, so I >apologize for any errors in advance. > >1) Bessa R3A > >- Auto exposure (aperture-priority) >- 1.0x magnification >- Includes a 40mm frameline >- Available from October, 50,000 yen >- Resembles the Epson RD-1 > >2) Bessa R2A > >- Auto exposure (aperture-priority) >- 0.7x magnification >- Available from December, 50,000 yen >- Resembles the Epson RD-1 > >3) Voigtlander 40/1.4 in M-mount > >- As compact as the CV 35/2.5 Pancake II >- Uses a new lens hood > >4) Voigtlander Light Meter II > >- Clip-on light meter, similar to previous model, but more compact and >flatter >_______________________________________________ >CVUG mailing list >CVUG@cameraquest.org >http://cameraquest.org/mailman/listinfo/cvug -- Karen Nakamura http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/