first real Bessa III issue

bonk · Dec 26, 2009

A week ago I got myself the new Voigtländer Bessa III. And I just discovered a small issue that concerns me a bit.

The little focus rectangle in the middle of the viewfinder is a bit askew, in that it seems to be slightly rotated 2-3° counter clockwise. It is still a perfect rectangle but just rotated a little. At first sight it just seems to be just a cosmetic issue but at a price of 1800 Euro this shouldn't happen. I also do not know if this could also cause incorrect focusing. I haven't yet developed any negs. I think it is also a little bit disturbing when trying to get the picture perfectly horizontal.

Have you seen anything like this on the Bessa III or any other viewfinder camera? Can you explain how this happens? Maybe this is just normal and I have to live with it? Should I sent the camera in for repair? Should I bother?

David A. Goldfarb · Dec 26, 2009

I'd contact Fuji about it. Normally a rangefinder has adjustments for horizontal and vertical alignment, and usually if something is out of alignment the moving and stationary rangefinder images may be misaligned, but the horizontal lines should be parallel and the vertical lines of the two boxes should be parallel. Askew like this is not what one would expect.

sanking · Dec 26, 2009

bonk said:
A week ago I got myself the new Voigtländer Bessa III. And I just discovered a small issue that concerns me a bit.

The little focus rectangle in the middle of the viewfinder is a bit askew, in that it seems to be slightly rotated 2-3° counter clockwise. It is still a perfect rectangle but just rotated a little. At first sight it just seems to be just a cosmetic issue but at a price of 1800 Euro this shouldn't happen. I also do not know if this could also cause incorrect focusing. I haven't yet developed any negs. I think it is also a little bit disturbing when trying to get the picture perfectly horizontal.

Have you seen anything like this on the Bessa III or any other viewfinder camera? Can you explain how this happens? Maybe this is just normal and I have to live with it? Should I sent the camera in for repair? Should I bother?

I just had a look through the viewfinder of my Bessa III and indeed the focusing rectangle seems to be rotated just a tad counter-clockwise. This may be normal, or perhaps it is an optical illusion. I personally had not even noticed it until I saw your message.

Sandy King

bonk · Dec 26, 2009

The question now is how would I contact Voigtländer or Fuiji about this directly? I wouldn't want to go the detour through my reseller (my lab that usually doesn't sell equipment) to contact them.

BertH · Dec 29, 2009

Just bought one, and the focus rectangle is slightly askew as well. Same angle. For horizontal orientation I use the frame and it focuses perfectly, so I don't think I'll bother taking it up with the reseller.
Bert

sanking · Dec 29, 2009

BertH said:
Just bought one, and the focus rectangle is slightly askew as well. Same angle. For horizontal orientation I use the frame and it focuses perfectly, so I don't think I'll bother taking it up with the reseller.
Bert

I just checked my vewfinder with some vertical bars and even though the small focusing rectangle appears to be somewhat askew (rotated clockwise) its vertical edge lines up on the same vertical as the edge of the large viewing frame.

So I believe in the case of my camera at least the small rectangle is not actually askew, it only appears to be so.

Sandy King

Loris Medici · Dec 29, 2009

Even if the window is askew, if both vertical and horizontal features line-up perfectly inside when focusing (which means the rangefinder is in completely in-line both vertically and horizontally) then it's only a cosmetic issue...

Regards,
Loris.

BertH · Dec 31, 2009

Hi,
I hadn't checked before, but Sandy's post prompted me to do so: checked with vertical lines (top and bottom of a door). The bright patch is actually slightly rotated counterclockwise. However, I agree with Loris that it's only a cosmetic issue.
Early wishes for a Happy Newyear, Bert

fatboy22 · Jan 14, 2010

My Bessa III 's Rangefinder rectangle is also like the drawing above. This must be a normal condition of the camera. I have noticed no photo focus problems in the images I have shot.

Jamie

elekm · Jan 14, 2010

It could be influenced by the position of the secondary window or its mask.

As long as it focuses correctly and it's in alignment horizontally and vertically, it's not anything that should be cause for concern.

Donima · Jan 15, 2010

It might not cause any problems with focusing but i think it would drive me bonkers having the rectangle patch a little askew. Like you said i'm not sure anything could be done about it but i would talk about it with the importer of the camera and try to find out why this condition is affecting so many cameras. I know i wouldn't be happy if my M3 did this. Good luck with your'e new Bessa and i hope you can live with this issue or get get this problem ironed out.Don

bonk · Feb 6, 2010

I am not sure it is because of the Bessa is my first ragefinder but I indeed seem to have a little bit of a hard time of keeping the image horizontal, especially in portrait mode.

Whom would I need to contact and how? I ordered my Voigtgänder Bessa III in Germany. I think the reseller I got it from might be unable to cope with this. They usually do not sell cameras.

bonk · Feb 22, 2010

The issue was approved by my reseller and the camera was sent to Japan. I would strongly suggest that all of you who have the same problem send the camera in for adjustment.

BertH · Mar 27, 2010

Bonk, any developments since?

bonk · Aug 5, 2010

The camera returned after two months from Japan. Nothing changed. It still has the same issue.

whlogan · Aug 5, 2010

I have an early one from Steve Gandy and it does not seem to have this rotation at all. it is fine. I will watch it carefully for this shift and advise. Mine has had some hard use and no problems. Thanks for the warning.
Logan

BertH · Aug 6, 2010

General problem...

whlogan said:
I have an early one from Steve Gandy and it does not seem to have this rotation at all. it is fine. I will watch it carefully for this shift and advise. Mine has had some hard use and no problems. Thanks for the warning.
Logan

Now this could just be a coincidence, but once I payed attention to it it turned out the rectangle in my Bessa R3 is also a bit askew, rotated the same direction (anticlockwise). It's minimal, but it made me wonder if it's a more general problem linked to the design of the Voigtlander rangefinders. Then again, I don't know if the III and the 35mm rangefinders use the same design....

lewis-richards · Aug 12, 2010

Hi I know this is off the topic slightly from the issues regarding the viewfinder but as many of you have these cameras in this thread rather than starting a new one I thought I'd ask here. How srong are the bellows on the bessaIII? What I have read from reviews they might break easily and also you have to really pull it sometimes to get the lens out fully. Is this true?

sanking · Aug 12, 2010

I guess we must assume that the slight rotation is a normal feature for this camera and you simply must learn to accept it as such. In any event the slight rotation, which my camera also has, does not impact performance in the least, from my experience.

Sandy King

sanking · Aug 12, 2010

lewis-richards said:
Hi I know this is off the topic slightly from the issues regarding the viewfinder but as many of you have these cameras in this thread rather than starting a new one I thought I'd ask here. How srong are the bellows on the bessaIII? What I have read from reviews they might break easily and also you have to really pull it sometimes to get the lens out fully. Is this true?

I am curious how a reviewer of the Bessa III reached the conclusion that it might break easily? How would one determine such a thing without deliberately stressing the system. I must admit, however, that I treat the camera with the bellows extended with more care than I would treat a non-bellows camera like the Mamiya 7.

No, I never have to pull the bellows to get the lens out. You press a lever and the lens assembly extends, then you sometimes have to press down on the lever to full extend the camea. But I have never had to touch the bellows to extend the lens.

Sandy

lewis-richards · Aug 12, 2010

Hi thanks Sandy, I was just curious because from what I can gather the Fuji rangefinders are quite strong and built like tanks. He must have been forcefully using the camera to say that it will break. Not a way iI'd treat it if I was to have one. Thanks for the answer anyway.

BertH · Aug 12, 2010

Hi,
Concerning the bellows: I see no indication of weakness. But if you open it quickly you may disturb the folds by creating a vacuum in the camera. Done that just once, turned out to be easy to even out though.

first real Bessa III issue

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