Filmwasters

Which Board? => Main Forum => Topic started by: tkmedia on July 02, 2013, 04:41:36 PM

Title: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: tkmedia on July 02, 2013, 04:41:36 PM
Cosina mentions on their news page at their Japanese web site last month that the A series cameras have been discontinued. Theses are their auto exposure cameras included the R2A (0.7x finder) , R3A (1.0x finder) and R4A (wide angle frame finder) cameras. There is very little new stock in the channel and Cosina is out of stock.

For more on the series...
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Bessa_(35mm) (http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Bessa_(35mm))
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: Nigel on July 02, 2013, 08:44:17 PM
That's a shame I had an R3a and I really liked it. I know some of the Leica crowd can be a little snobby about them but I had great results from mine. The issue I has with the R3a was 1:1 viewfinder, I found it difficult to see the framelines. I'd happily have an R2a with the 0.7 viewfinder.
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: Ezzie on July 02, 2013, 08:57:18 PM
I had the R-D1 with 1:1 viewfinder and rather liked it. But for anything wider than 40mm (28 x 1.5 crop) it was a no go.

I just hope this is not a sign that Cosina will be letting up on new lens releases. They are the sane manĀ“s option for new M-mount lenses.
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: Francois on July 02, 2013, 10:30:09 PM
Somehow, I don't think they'll drop the lenses. Everybody I see on Tokyo Camera Style seems to have a Leica with some Voigtlander lens on it!
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: tkmedia on July 02, 2013, 11:46:00 PM
they cannot drop lenses as that is where they are making money. The camera operations are very small, with only hundred cameras a month.
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: LeonY on July 03, 2013, 05:32:11 AM
I have the R2. I hope they will still be making the Manual machines...I didnt really care much for the A setting anyway. And yeah, their lenses are great! I have 2
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: LT on July 04, 2013, 06:16:44 AM
Aside from the lenses, I wonder how good the cameras really are? Note the people in this threads saying they 'had' one of these cameras. I worked my way through the .L, T, R2, R3A and I sold the lot. They were alright .... But not great. Noisy shutters, a bit of wobble on fixings, quite plasticky. Meh. The main thing I did like on the r3a was the auto function.
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: LeonY on July 04, 2013, 06:23:16 AM
My R2 is awesome! Its my 1st and only Rangefinder. I carry it with me as an every day shooter! Cant complain at all!
Title: Re: Cosina Voigtlander Bessa A series discontinued
Post by: Andrej K on July 04, 2013, 09:04:11 AM
Aside from the lenses, I wonder how good the cameras really are? Note the people in this threads saying they 'had' one of these cameras. I worked my way through the .L, T, R2, R3A and I sold the lot. They were alright .... But not great. Noisy shutters, a bit of wobble on fixings, quite plasticky. Meh. The main thing I did like on the r3a was the auto function.

I have to agree. I've had an R2, nice camera, but just as Leon says- noisy, every moveable part felt sligtly fragile... Far from the rigidity of the M2 I had later.