Go to the site below and click on the link at the bottom to look at this new lens.

New V'lander 50mm f/3.5 collapsible

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), December 07, 2001

Answers

Yeah, saw this a while ago. Lost interest rapidly though when I noticed that the only way to buy the lens is to also buy the limited edition, collectors-item Heliar 101 Bessar T camera body. Bzzzt. Fail.

-- Andrew Nemeth (azn@nemeng.com), December 07, 2001.

Approximately $900 will get you a LE painted Bessa-T body, the lens, an LTM to M adapter, a 50mm viewfinder. If you add up the respective prices for each part then it isn't so bad. Wait three months and see them go at inflated prices on ebay.

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), December 07, 2001.

I'm not so sure about that (becoming big bucks collectables). I think the "T" is a major marketing flop-at least here in the US anyway. (oops-we forgot to put a darn finder on the camera) I have seen a bunch on ebay over the past few months listed for $330 or less "no reserve" with nary a single bid on any of them.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), December 07, 2001.

Wait, there is an M-Body camera out there for $300 with a 1.5x viewfinder? A brightline finder for $100 and you're off to the races using any M telephoto lens. This is good news.

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), December 07, 2001.

I'm not so enthusiastic about the limited edition. But, I held a Bessa T and I am impressed. I now own a Bessa L and the meter is great! The Bessa T fixes a couple of my pet gripes about the L - 1) the battery cover is poorly made and I wonder how long it might last. 2) The L doesn't have a ratcheted wind so that at the end of the roll the lever sticks out till one rewinds. The Bessa T nicely fixes these problems and retains the light weight and nice meter of the L.

If I hadn't bought the L and more recently, an M6, I'd be right in line for a Bessa T to use both my LTM and M lenses. (limited funds!)

I'm glad Cosina is taking the approach it is - I've got nice LTM lenses for my old Leicas and to add to my M6 and the potential to get a Bessa T in the future to add some lightweight functionality to my Leica system.

I'm taking better pictures than ever, moving away from the SLR world except for macros and long teles. The Leica and Cosina lenses make a difference for me!

-- Thomas Herbert (therbert@miami.edu), December 08, 2001.