Cosina Bessa: production of auto-exposure models discontinued

[AgX]

http://www.cosina.co.jp/seihin/voigt/english/range-f.html

Look at those three A-models.

 

[gzinsel]

so I guess, its all mechanical bodies, from now on + M- mount lenses? they have for a while discontinued all the LTMs. But what i would like to know is " was there that many people buying A- preferred bodies?" I guess not, or they would have discontinued the M line.

 

[Dr Croubie]

I don't mind the manual-only of my L, especially with the 21mm because they were all Velvia 50 Landscapes where I had the time to frame and take time taking light-readings.
But then I wanted an R3x, specifically for the 40mm framelines and better accuracy with 90mm (I still haven't found a cheap-enough 40 or 90 though). As its purpose was for street and snapshots, I specifically bought an R3A to meter off the subject as they moved if necessary (ie out of light and shadow or whatever). So far it hasn't let me down.
Seeing as you can also put the RxA into manual mode where it behaves like an RxM, I don't see any advantage of buying an M over an A (except the $50 new-price difference), so I would have thought that they'd discontinue the Ms before the As. Maybe they've got something else planned? Or maybe not many people think like me?

 

[gone]

That's too bad. The Bessa R2A/R3A has better features than a Leica M7. No, it doesn't have the same build quality, the RF patch has its issues, the viewfinder isn't as good, and one has to learn to live w/ a louder shutter. But for banging out the shots quickly using Leica glass it is superb, and you can't beat the price. Great meter too.

I suspect it's not just the A series that has seen sales fall. I'm willing to bet that film camera sales are getting dangerously slow for all makers, Leica included. Photographers like me are part of the problem (along w/ that digital deal). I've purchased one new camera in 50 years. All the rest of them were bought used, and every camera I own is older than I am (62), except for my "modern" Nikkormat. I'll probably sell that one soon though. It just feels too new, and shooting a metered camera without AE is beginning to annoy me. Using a hand held meter is faster than - + metering, at least for me.

 

[wblynch]

Well the same company makes the Zeiss Ikon which is auto exposure. So it's probably healthy for both.