Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]- ---Original Message--- Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 17:35:10 +0100 From: "Hans Pahlen" <hans.pahlen@mark.komvux.se> Subject: [Leica] Bessa R & lenses A tip to European LUGers: I just got the latest issue of the German FotoMagazin in my mailbox (February issue). They have a 2 page article with pictures of the Bessa R, and tests of the 25-35-50-75 mm lenses. The lenses got splendid results: [Results deleted] A Bessa R is reported to cost less than 2000 DM (complete with either the 35 or 50 mm lens). A black 75/2.5 will cost 849 DM, according to www.ringfoto.de (They have not updated with Bessa R info yet). I am not so keen on the Konica Hexar, as I like manual wind lever better than a noisy winder on this type of camera. But the Bessa R & lenses is really nice, I think! /Hans - ---------------- Hans, I agree about the results you quoted. The numbers are really impressive. However, flare was rather strong in their tests which FotoMagazin attributed to straylight in the body, a Bessa L. As the Bessa L and the R share the same body with a rangefinder added I'd put my money neither on the L nor on the R. But this is just one possible explanation for the flare observed. As FotoMagazin did not repeat the tests with a different body it may well be the case that the lenses themself are the source for the sraylight visible in the test pictures. Personally I doubt this, because it seems unlikely to see a similar effect with all these different designs from 25 to 75mm, but testing isn't guessing. And FotoMagazin *is* just guessing here. This test doesn't tell us if in real life photography these lenses or the Bessa L/R themself may be flare-prone or not. My conclusion from this test is simple: Keep your fingers of that System untill there are more reliable sources than FotoMagazin! Truth may or may not be in their numbers when it comes to slides or enlargements. Stefan Kahlert