Dear Friends,

Today I did it. I bought a Voigtlander R2 (Olive) in Sannomiya. The first thing I did before getting it was to test my 35/2ASPH on it. I wanted to see how secure it was, whether it would jiggle. Solid. I then tried my 15/4.5 with a mount that my Bessa T couldn't hold on to. Solid again. As home I stuck on the Elmarit 28/2.8 that jiggled on the T. Sold! It seems there has been a marked improvement in Cosina Voigtlander's M mount since the T was brought out.

Recommendaton. Use the Trigger Winder with it. The top rewind isn't quite as fast as the T.

The R2 has been called an "entry level" M mount camera. Price wise yes. But in terms of build quality it isn't a cheapo. In the last few hours alone this thing has been a revelation. The viewfinder alone is worth the price of admission. It is really and truly bright.

These are my initial reactions. I'm off to Germany on Saturday and we'll see just what this character can do.

Best,

Alex

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), April 28, 2002

Answers

Sounds fantastic, especially for the price. I guess it'll do as a second body till I win Tatts (or get a decent job), and buy an M7.

Though looking at the Hassy 950SWC makes my mouth water and I was offered one for US$2700, mint...tempting **mouth watering**, but where's the money comming from?

-- Kristian (leicashot@hotmail.com), April 28, 2002.

Sounds like a nice camera. If my Minolta CLE breaks down and can not be fixed, I think I'd be interested in it. Is it about the same size and weight as an M6, or is it slightly smaller/lighter?

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), April 28, 2002.

I'm off to Germany on Saturday and we'll see just what this character can do.

Please post the results, i am in the market for one as second body.

-- Allen Herbert (allen1@btinternet.com), April 28, 2002.

*** The R2 has been called an "entry level" M mount camera. Price wise yes. But in terms of build quality it isn't a cheapo ***

Just remember the innards - winding, shutter, electronics, are all the same as what is found on the $99 (US) Vivitar, or the $129 (US) Bessa L. Metal outer covers must feel nice on it tho!

Charles

-- Charles (cbarcellona@telocity.com), April 28, 2002.

Charles, how do you know they haven't upgraded the innards on this camera and improved them from the ones on their cheapo SLR's?

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), April 28, 2002.

Andrew- The R2 weighs 426 grams. The M6TTL weighs 585 grams. The CLE weighs 382 grams. My M6 is in the shop so I can't compare the dimensions but sizewise the R2 seems to me about the same as an M6TTL.

Steve

-- Steve Rosenblum (stevierose@yahoo.com), April 28, 2002.

Charles, the "innards" of the Bessa R/R2 cost a lot more to make because they feature a coupled rangefinder instead of the mirror assembly of a typical SLR.

-- Andrew (mazurka@rocketmail.com), April 29, 2002.

Charles, It has a double shutter curtain for starters the front one grey for the metering system, I dont think a cheap Vivitar quite has that inside!

-- Joel Matherson (joel_2000@hotmail.com), April 29, 2002.