Bessa III with 80mm f3.5 heliar lens

[PaulC]

We don't seem to have had anything about the Bessa III which is due to come on the market next month for 2,000 euros. Apparently it is being eagerly awaited by Japanese enthusiasts and Fuji plans to make 5,000 of the cameras.

Specs here: http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_fdih7jzkae.html

It seems to be a bit of a hybrid, semi-electronic ... but I don't understand from the specs whether the rangefinder is coupled or not. It ought to be, but I don't think it is. It seems odd to have electronic metering but I suppose most people wouldn't know what to do with a camera that lacked a meter.

I wonder if it will make all the old folders terribly trendy by the end of the year.
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[GrahamNR17]

Don't that look a beauty

Yep, this all means Fleabay sellers will find a way to get five hundred quid for grandads old folder that's been rotting in the shed for forty years
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MF:
35mm: Zeiss Contaflex Alpha :: Praktica Super TL, Super TL1000 :: Fed 4

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industar: 50-2 3.5/50mm

Mir: Mir-1 2.8/37mm
Zeiss: Pantar 4/75mm :: Pantar 2.8/45
Meyer-Optik: Lydith 3.5/30mm
Tamron: 03A 3.8-4/80-210mm
Prakticar: 4-5.6/70-210mm :: 2.8/28mm (Orestegon) :: 1.8/50mm

(Oreston)
Minolta: E.Rokkor 4.5/50mm (on bellows)
Kodak: Meniscus from 127 Hawkeye (on bellows)
Misc.: Autocrat 3.5/75mm (on bellows) :: Hoya Zoom Close-up ::

Hanimar 4.5/200mm

[Attila]

2000 EUR a bit awful lot in my opinion.
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Panasonic G-1
Konica 4/21,2.8/24,2/35,1.8/40,1.7/50,1.8/85,2.8/100,3.2/135,3,5/200,4.5/300,4,5/400
Konica FC-1,FT-1,FP,FM,Pearl,Pear III,Koni-Omega
Please visit my Ebay shop
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[GrahamNR17]

Not sure of this expression translates, but at 2000 Euro I think they are taking the piss
_________________

MF:
35mm: Zeiss Contaflex Alpha :: Praktica Super TL, Super TL1000 :: Fed 4

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industar: 50-2 3.5/50mm

Mir: Mir-1 2.8/37mm
Zeiss: Pantar 4/75mm :: Pantar 2.8/45
Meyer-Optik: Lydith 3.5/30mm
Tamron: 03A 3.8-4/80-210mm
Prakticar: 4-5.6/70-210mm :: 2.8/28mm (Orestegon) :: 1.8/50mm

(Oreston)
Minolta: E.Rokkor 4.5/50mm (on bellows)
Kodak: Meniscus from 127 Hawkeye (on bellows)
Misc.: Autocrat 3.5/75mm (on bellows) :: Hoya Zoom Close-up ::

Hanimar 4.5/200mm

[PaulC]

And to think I spent 2,000 euros on a 5D MkII when I could have saved the money for this ...

Maybe the low volume and the fact that they will need completely new tools (unless they still have the ones used to make grandad's old folder) accounts for the rather high price ... though, actually, it is almost exactly the same in real terms as the cost of a high-end folder back in the 50s, when they were 45 to 55 quid.
_________________
View or buy my photos at:
http://shutterstock.com/g/paulcowan

[Attila]

[F16SUNSHINE]

It does look beautiful.
The price for admission


As far as RF coupling.
It must be. Mr K would not go thrugh the trouble to introduce this little beast without it.
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[PaulC]

Someone said that the price from Fuji in Japan was a significantly less than the price quoted by Voigtlander but I don't know what the difference is or if Fuji is marketing it there under a different name.

It's strange that the Japs are apparently queuing up to get this when they could get a much cheaper rangefinder from Certo, if that's what they want.
_________________
View or buy my photos at:
http://shutterstock.com/g/paulcowan