If you follow The Online Photographer you might have read a post about the Leica M9 being the most compact full-frame digital camera today. It’s a dwarf compared to the Nikon D700 or the Canon 5DII. Lenses make the comparison even more extreme. Just look at how the tiny Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.4 compares to the huge Canon EF 35mm f/1.4. It’s absurd, even if you take into account the Canon’s built-in autofocus motor.
I’ve been considering getting a Voigtländer Bessa for a while, and last week I finally did. A Bessa R2A and the above mentioned 35mm f/1.4 lens was purchased at the camera market in Maliandao.
I am yet to develop any photos taken with it, so it’s a bit early for a review. Besides, my photos don’t leave much opportunity to judge sharpness or distortion so there wouldn’t be much of that if I did one. But there is one aspect that I can comment on right away, and that is size.
I have the Bessa instruction manual in front of me as I type this. It’s in five languages and fits in my back pocket. A five-language book about all the features of my Nikon D300 would require a backpack to carry.
That’s not fair, I know. The D300 is a complex camera. It controls flashguns remotely, has several modes of autofocus including one that tracks subjects so you don’t have to, it sets sensor sensitivity automatically and fine-tunes focus on a lens-by-lens basis. All of which are great features that few people use.
How did the market come to be dominated by featuritis-suffering beasts instead of simple cameras that leave the photographer to take photos? As a public relations consultant I know why. Simplicity is harder to market than megapixels and smile-detection, and people tend to find comfort in the fact that they buy into a system with endless opportunities to add accessories when in fact they should fear for their credit rating. And a bigger camera must be better, right?
Digital photography has allowed millions of people to enjoy taking – and sharing – pictures as well as professionals to deliver their work immediately. Sites like Flickr would not have been much fun if people had to scan their negatives before uploading. Photographers with a wish to share and discuss photos would have been stuck in a world of offline photo clubs run by men with chinstrap beards.
I don’t wish for a return to pre-digital days. In fact, I have pretty much never experienced them. But some simplicity wouldn’t hurt. The Bessa has that simplicity going for it. Perhaps it can take pictures too.
Great post. I too have been pining the simplicity of film recently and have also been actively looking into purchasing a bessa (leaning toward the 4a) with the same lens you have bought. I recenly lost an auction for one on ebay and am still searching.
In the mean time please let me know how you find the camera and do share you’re scans!
Good luck
Jeremy
Thank you Jeremy!
The R4A should be good with the 35mm, allowing you to see a lot more than the frame in the viewfinder. The drawback is less accurate focusing, but depending on how you shoot that may or may not be an issue. Outside, daytime, small aperture and a wide-angle should give enough sharpness. 1.4 indoors might be tricky (it is on the R2A too).
One thing with the 35mm f/1.4 is that it has a focus lever rather than a ring. I found this a bit awkward but I think it’s a matter of getting used to it. First I considered saving some money and going for the 35mm f/2.5 pancake. I am glad I didn’t as that one would probably have been too small to handle easily. If you have a chance to handle the lens before deciding that’s a good idea.
Good luck and let me know how you go!
hiya… i know this is rather off topic but would you happen to know any good camera repair shops in wukesong camera market? the shutter button has stopped working properly on my yashica t-4 and i really wanna get it fixed. any advice would be great! thanks!
Hi Craig! I wish I could give you a recommendation but I haven’t used any repair services out there, or in any other places in Beijing. Sorry. If you do go there, it would be great if you could report back on your experience. Thanks!