Voigtländer Bessa R3
Some say the Voigtländer Bessa R3,…both A and M, are a poor man’s Leica. Well, not exactly. A Leica is a Leica, and in a class of its own. And since Cosina now owns the name Voigtländer, there is really nothing German about them. But are Leicas really worth almost three-four times as much?
Voigtländer Bessa R3 – M Mount Dream?
The lenses are pretty good. But to be honest, they’re no Leicas, or even Zeiss. But most people would be extremely happy. Some say they don’t mind buying a “cheaper” M mount camera, as long as they’re using Leica glass. However, even the Canon rangefinders used by such luminaries as William Eggleston, will give the Leicas a run for their money. Some being almost exact copies. But back to the Voigtländers. Don’t be fooled. The Voigtländer glass is very good. They even come in both Single Coated and Multi-Coated varieties. And if you don’t normally shoot wide open all the time, I doubt you could tell the difference. See the pic of David Bailey and his Voigtländer. I’m sure he’s not trying to save a few pence. There are actually people who prefer other cameras.
1/125 Sync
The Voigtländer Bessas have a double focal plane shutter with two sets of curtains. Shutter speeds range from 1 to 1/2000s and bulb (B), which is pretty good. It flash syncs at 1/125 on either the hot-shoe or PC terminal. No TTL metering, but I’ve never had an issue with any auto flashes, (thyristor) Both have manual exposure. The recent R3A, (or even R2A), also have an aperture priority mode.
The Bessa R3A came out in 2004. Surprisingly, they sell to a very specialized crowd, and have limited sales every year. That Cosina would still manufacture them is a puzzle. Big companies are usually only interested in big money. There are both updated versions of the Bessa R2, with the Leica M-mount and an aperture-priority automatic exposure, switchable to manual. The R2A had a finder with a 0.7x magnification, and 35/50/75/90 frame lines, ,…more like a Leica. The R3A has a finder with a 1x magnification, and 40/50/75/90 frame lines. But the R3A does require batteries to operate.
Comparison Chart
| Street Price | $4395 (+$180 for .58/.85 finder) Leica M7 | $559 R3M/R3A |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 5.4 × 3.1 × 1.5″ (138.0 × 79.5 × 38mm) | 5.4 × 3.2 × 1.4″ (136 × 81 × 35mm) |
| Weight | 1.23 lbs (610 g) | 1 lb (430 g) |
| Made In | Germany | Japan |
| Warranty | 3yr “passport” (everything but fire/theft) + 2yr | 1yr |
| Color Options | Silver, Black chrome, Black paint (+ $100 via a la carte) | Gray paint, Black paint ) |
| Finder Options | .72x (standard) .58x & .85x (via a la carte) | R3A/M 1x (1:1 life size) |
| Framelines | .72: 28/35/50/75/90/135 .58: 28/35/50/75/90 .85: 35/50/75/90/135 | R3A/M: 40/50/75/90 |
| Frameline Selection | Automatic | Manual |
| All Framelines w/Glasses | .72: No (28mm lines) .58/.85 – Yes | R3A/M: No (40mm lines) |
| Finder Display | Bottom – AE: shutter speed, Manual: triangle/dot/triangle exposure guide | Bottom – AE: shutter speed, Manual: set (solid) and suggested (A blinking) shutter speeds |
| Focusing Accuracy (Effective Baseline) | .58: 40.16 mm .72: 49.86 mm .85: 59.1 mm | R3A/M: 37 mm |
| Battery | DL 1/3 N Lithium | R3A Alkaline LR44 |
| Operate w/o batteries | Yes. Two mechanical speeds of 1/60 & 1/125 | R3A: No R3M: Yes |
| Shutter Speeds | AE: 32 sec – 1/1000, Manual: 4 sec – 1/1000 + Bulb | AE: 8 sec – 1/2000, Manual 1 sec – 1/2000 + Bulb |
| Max Flash Sync | 1/50 | 1/125 |
| Shutter Type | Rubberized cloth, electronic (with 2 mechanical speeds 1/60 & 1/125), horizontal traveling | Metal, electronic, vertical traveling |
| PC Plug | Back of top plate | Left side of top plate |
| TTL Flash | Yes | No |
| Metering pattern/method | Centerweighted, measured off of 12mm white spot on cloth shutter | Centerweighted, measured off of 18% grey shutter blade |
| AE lock | Half-press shutter button | Dedicated button in center of rear top plate |
| Over/under Exposure | 2 stops, dial on back | 2 stops, integrated on shutter speed dial |
| Film Loading | Bottom loading | Swing-back |
| DX ISO Reading | Yes | No |
| ISO Range | DX: 25-5000, Manual: 6-6400 | 25-3200 |
| Trigger Winder Capability | Yes | Yes |
| Rewind Method | Fold out lever on top plate knob | Fold out lever on top plate knob |
| Off Switch | Yes, under shutter button, Red is OFF | Yes, under shutter button, Red is ON |
Battery, No Battery
The Voigtländer Bessa R3M was released AFTER the A, in 2006. They are the manual-exposure, mechanical-shutter equivalent of the R3A. And don’t need a battery to operate, making them more “Leica like”.
As you can see, this is not a real review. It’s not meant to be. Just a cursory look and comparison of Voigtländer Bessa R3 for those wanting a Leica, but held back by cost. Yes, these are solidly built alternatives. And the image is in the lens, anyway. Couple of quirks, but tolerable.
The Good,…and the Bad
The Voigtländer Bessa R3 has a 1:1 finder, it’s relatively cheap, it has an ‘M’ mount taking Voigtlander, Leica and Zeiss glass and on the ‘A’, batteries last forever. Also, film loads with flip out door. (just my preference) The bad? No TTL, (like many Leica models), the ‘A’ model needs batteries, and while it has a very German name,…it’s Japanese. Oh, and no “Red Dot”. All in all, great cameras. Is the Leica worth 3x? (10x with Leica glass) Your call. Find Voigtländer Bessa R3 or Leica M7
Addendum: For those who asked me about the digital camera David Bailey is pictured with, it’s a Panasonic GF1 with 20mm lens and Olympus VF-1 optical viewfinder.
Addendum: In the end, they are both light tight boxes with different idiosyncracies. The Voigtländer, like the Leica, can accommodate Leitz, Zeiss and Voigtländer lenses. (or most any M mount lens)
In my experience, Voigtlander’s track record for customer service is pretty bad. Their warranty coverage is subject to the whims of the US dealer more than it is to the terms on their website. Maybe others have had better experiences, but I wouldn’t risk any more money on them.
Hi Mike,
Unfortunately, you’re right. But to put that in context, I’ve had problems with Canon, Fuji and others. Being a NPS member, (Nikon), I use to get unbelievably prompt and expert service. Now,…even that’s changed. Why? I don’t know. A change in a digital age culture? Tighter margins? Increased competition? The petering out of chasing a digital unicorn, forcing corporations to re-evaluate their new bottom lines? I don’t own a Leica, but I understand from friends that Tamarkin Camera and other authorized Leica dealers are the exception to that rule. But at a price. Myself? I have both film and digital Nikon cameras. The film cameras appear indestructible, but I have had warranty issues with their digitals. And, of course,….while I’ve had no issues with my Rollei or Contax,….if I do, I’m pretty much up s*** creek. C’est la vie. 😐
Federico