My Humble RF family

[Brian]

Since we're sharing RF stuff now. Here's my "collection" of RF bodies. Price ranges for the bodies pictured here are US$30 to US$500.


rf_family.jpg
From left to right: Kiev 4AM (1980), Voigtlander Bessa R2 (2002), Graflex Crown Graphic (1947), Voigtlander Bessa R2A (2004), and Yashica Lynx 14E (196.

All are fully mechanical except the Bessa R2A, which has an electronic shutter. The Bessa R2, Bessa R2A, and Lynx 14E all have TTL metering. With the exception of the Lynx, which has a built-in 50/1.5 lens, all the RFs pictured above have interchangeable lenses...LTM mount for the Kiev, M mount for the Bessas, and whatever fits in the lensboard for the Crown Graphic.

[david.tan]

what is that for the 3rd one ? ......




*run away to avoid poison

[maxby]

Wow! All those Oldies but goodies are coming out of the woodwork.....

[Brian]

what is that for the 3rd one ? ......




*run away to avoid poison

The Crown Graphic? The gold standard for the press (and the standard US army issue camera) for the 40s, 50s, and into the 60s.

4x5" film goodness with a coupled rangefinder.

[paklan]

Urrghhhh....
I hate those Retros....

[Thalis]

Brian... the Lynx 14E really looks minty. Should I show my Lynx 1000? Ha ha...

[kyuen]

whoa!

[Brian]

Brian... the Lynx 14E really looks minty. Should I show my Lynx 1000? Ha ha...

It's okay...needs a good CLA, tho. LOL

[JLwc]

Is this a Range Finder? I got this Pearl River camera long time ago. The camera magazine is still loaded with a roll of film. There is no focus ring??? Can someone throw some light on how best I can use this camera.

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[Brian]

No, that one isn't. However, some 120 bellows cameras in the same "family" were...I used to have a Seagull 201 that was.

[david.tan]

Is this a Range Finder? I got this Pearl River camera long time ago. The camera magazine is still loaded with a roll of film. There is no focus ring??? Can someone throw some light on how best I can use this camera.

thats a nice cam

i suppose the focusing scale is located on the front of the lens, where it nearby with the aperture setting if i not mistaken

usually bellows kind of cam get focus while the bellows in and out. there will be no measurement or spilt screen allow u to see the focusing but u need to guess the distance by yourself or best is do hyperfocal

is the cam shutter still working good? let me know if u keen to let go or maybe another MF outing can bring it out to have fun

PS:i've been eying on a great condition such voigtlander kind of brand

[Lezley]

oooo...lala....

[moon]

Very nice combination you have there. Are those Bessa Voigtlander hook onto the Rapid T-Winder or just the normal handle grip ?

What lense you used with the Bessa ?

4x5 sheet film . Able to obtain in Malaysia ?

[Brian]

Very nice combination you have there. Are those Bessa Voigtlander hook onto the Rapid T-Winder or just the normal handle grip ?

Thanks

Both the Bessa R2 (olive) and the Bessa R2A (grey) are fitted with the t-winders.

What lense you used with the Bessa ?

90% of the time I have the CV 35/1.4 SC on the R2A and it loaded with Tri-X and the CV 28/1.9 Ultron on the R2 and it loaded with PanF 50. I currently have:

CV 15/4.5 Heliar
CV 21/3.5 Skopar
CV 28/1.9 Ultron
CV 35/1.4 Nokton Classic S.C.
Jupiter-8
CV 50/1.5 Nokton
Industrar-61 LD
CV 75/2.5 Heliar
CV 90/3.5 Lanthar

I've owned but sold:
CV 35/2.5 Skopar (first version)
CV 35/1.7 Ultron

I'm looking to sell the 90 since I never use it so if you know anyone who's interested, let me know

4x5 sheet film . Able to obtain in Malaysia ?

I live in Taipei and can get some films in the Poi Ai Rd./Han Kou St. area of the city. Currently I have 3 boxes (25pc) of ERA 100 and 3 boxes (25pc) HP5+ all bought over the Internet.

[red406]

4x5 sheet film . Able to obtain in Malaysia ?

check out SHRIRO'S site, ILFORD films only, evidently...

[noordin]

Now he's showing off his prized collection! Very nice.

[moon]

Alamak ! TAIPEI .....

Your R2A viewfinder. Able to use the perimeter as 28mm framing ?

CV has a New Ultro 28mm F2. Singapore dealer announce it arrival and it's $780 SGD.

[Brian]

Alamak ! TAIPEI .....

Your R2A viewfinder. Able to use the perimeter as 28mm framing ?

CV has a New Ultro 28mm F2. Singapore dealer announce it arrival and it's $780 SGD.

Yeah, Chiif (and the other distributors) got the new 28/2 Ultron a couple weeks ago. I put an article on my cosina-voigtlander website with a brief physical comparison and some useful links to early reviews (news article here). It looks like it's the sharpest 28 out there at the moment.

I use the viewfinder with my "old" 28/1.9 Ultron without framing issues.

[V_kids]

i really hope voigtlander will come out with Digital Bessa D1 (digital range finder)
I would love too buy one.
M8 is too expensive, and the Image quality from Nikon D3 is much better than MB (IMHO)

[Brian]

i really hope voigtlander will come out with Digital Bessa D1 (digital range finder)
I would love too buy one.
M8 is too expensive, and the Image quality from Nikon D3 is much better than MB (IMHO)

It did. It was called the Epson RD-1.

Cosina won't come out with one on it's own because it's manufacturing and R&D isn't geared that way. In fact, the president of Cosina (Mr. K) has clearly stated time & time again that it doesn't want to get itself directly involved in the digital race at least until the technology matures enough that the rate at whch they would be forced to turn out new products and the immense amounts of $$$ they would be forced into shove into r&d to support that kind of product schedule both decrease.

Cosina makes a huge (perhaps more then the big 3) amount of money OEM'ing parts and products for Nikon, Tamron, Sigma, etc... and that's what their primary business is. The Voigtlander thing was do-able because of this and it has become sucessful in a very unique market niche (i.e. new mainstream-priced rangefinders and lenses). They don't want to mess with a good thing.

That's not to say that they won't provide the "chassis & shutter" components to another manufacturer for use in a digital rangefinder like with the Epson RD-1, but don't expect it to be a "Voigtlander" product.

BTW, there was no Epson RD-2 because the market for a digital RF isn't big enough.