Voigtländer 101st Heliar Anniversary Set - thoughts and opinions please

[macfred]

I just saw a Voigtländer 101st Heliar Anniversary Set (Bessa T, LTM to M adapter, collapsible Heliar 50mm f/3.5 with hood, 50mm viewfinder and Trigger Winder), original boxed in mint condition for a bargain price.
I am tempted to buy this set …

I am used to Rangefinder cameras (Konica III, Konica Auto S2, Olympus XA, FUJI GW670, FUJI GS645S and some more) but the Bessa T seems to be something special. I really like the idea of the 1.5x rangefinder built into the body, combined with a seperate 1:1 (50mm) brightline finder.
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Does anybody here on APUG wants to share experiences with the Bessa T and / or the collapsible Heliar lens ?
Any recommendations for a wide angel lens (LTM) ??

 

[HiHoSilver]

Fred, 'can't say I know about the Bessa T, but the excitement in the way you write makes me think you'd kick yourself if you didn't get it. 'Hope you do & hope it puts silly grins on your face for decades.

 

[02Pilot]

I've been tempted by that lens more than once. It is, apparently, the sharpest lens Popular Photography ever tested; more importantly, the rendering seems quite pleasant and Heliar-like. I do have the finder that came with that set, which is very good (1:1 view, so you can keep both eyes open) but has very short eye relief, so if you wear glasses it won't work well at all.

No experience with the Bessa bodies, but if you don't like it you can always get something else and screw the lens to it.

How wide a lens are looking for to complement the 50? I've got a Snapshot Skopar 25/4 I'm looking to sell....

 

[ruby.monkey]

I have a Bessa T, but not the Heliar

Build and handling is very much like the Bessa L - it's not a luxury camera by any means but it's stiff and light-tight, and easy to hang on to even without the accessory grip. There's a lot of plastic in the body (I think both top and bottom plates, as well as the film door, are polycarbonate) but everything is rigid and the body still has a pleasant heft. The rangefinder window is small but still usable even when wearing spectacles, and the meter indicator LEDs are readily visible with the camera to one's eye. I've found the meter to be accurate enough for my needs but I've only shot negative film in my T. Wind-on isn't the smoothest but it's still not objectionable, and the shutter release is smooth. The shutter itself makes a harsh clack when fired but is reasonably quiet.

For the £90 I paid for mine, it's a pleasant and competent piece of kit - like a product-improved Leica IIIf. Not sure I'd pay the premium for a collectable version, but then again I've never had the pleasure of the 50mm f/3.5 Heliar...

 

[jimjm]

I've got the 101st Anniversary Bessa T in olive green, and it's a great camera. I use it as second body with my M2 and usually have the CV 21/4 or 25/4 mounted with the CV 21/25 brightline finder. It's a bit smaller and a lot lighter than Leica M bodies, but still seems to be of good build quality. Meter is accurate and quick to use, RF window is clear and the 1.5 mag is nice for 50 and longer lenses. I've got no problem using external VF's, and the CV or Leica bright-line finders are better than most cameras' built-in finders.

No experience with the Heliar, but I've read good things about it. If you're looking for a good small 35, you can't go wrong with the CV 35/2.5 Color-Skopar. The body is actually M-mount, so take your pick of any M or LTM (w/adapter) lenses out there.

 

[macfred]

Fred, 'can't say I know about the Bessa T, but the excitement in the way you write makes me think you'd kick yourself if you didn't get it. 'Hope you do & hope it puts silly grins on your face for decades.

HiHoSilver, your carefully worded response will conduce to decisioning ...

 

[Sirius Glass]

Fred, 'can't say I know about the Bessa T, but the excitement in the way you write makes me think you'd kick yourself if you didn't get it. 'Hope you do & hope it puts silly grins on your face for decades.

HiHoSilver, your carefully worded response will conduce to decisioning ...

If you buy it and then decide that do not want it, then you should be able to sell it for about the same amount of money that it cost you. Here at APUG we specialize in enabling G.A.S. and inflaming camera and film addictions.

 

[macfred]

I've been tempted by that lens more than once. It is, apparently, the sharpest lens Popular Photography ever tested; more importantly, the rendering seems quite pleasant and Heliar-like. I do have the finder that came with that set, which is very good (1:1 view, so you can keep both eyes open) but has very short eye relief, so if you wear glasses it won't work well at all.

No experience with the Bessa bodies, but if you don't like it you can always get something else and screw the lens to it.

How wide a lens are looking for to complement the 50? I've got a Snapshot Skopar 25/4 I'm looking to sell....

Yes, it's all about the lens ... It's a favourable occasion to get one !
I don't wear glasses - I think the seperate viewfinder will work for me.

I guess the 25/4 is really nice lens but I would like to go a little more wide. I'll keep an eye on the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 ...

 

[macfred]

@ruby.monkey
@jimjm

Thank you for sharing your experience with the Bessa T !!

 

[macfred]

Here at APUG we specialize in enabling G.A.S. and inflaming camera and film addictions.

I guess I know what you're talking about - I'm an addict ...

 

[ruby.monkey]

Yes, it's all about the lens ... It's a favourable occasion to get one !
I don't wear glasses - I think the seperate viewfinder will work for me.

I guess the 25/4 is really nice lens but I would like to go a little more wide. I'll keep an eye on the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 ...

Small, sharp, and distortion-free. It's a fine little lens.

 

[ruby.monkey]

I guess I know what you're talking about - I'm an addict ...

Does this help?

bessa-t by Jean-Yves, on Flickr

 

[tony lockerbie]

Don't use mine often enough but can say that it is a classy little lens, like all the later CV stuff. Really good build quality and a nice titanium finish, I don't know how much they are asking for it but if you want a compact fifty for a LTM camera, then this is about as good as they get. Of course the slow 3.5 aperture may put many off, but as a substitute for the Elmar on a Cosina body or as I do, on a Leica 111C.
The Bessa T works really well too, quite plastiky of course, but does all it needs to do, and the meter works really well.

 

[macfred]

Does this help?

Just for the moment ...

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

When the CV 101st Anniversary set was still being sold new, I bought one.
The Heliar was fantastic.
I didn't have the time to get used to the -T. I only used it a few times.
I sold it when I needed cash.
Now, I am older and regret having sold it.

 

[macfred]

Don't use mine often enough but can say that it is a classy little lens, like all the later CV stuff. Really good build quality and a nice titanium finish, I don't know how much they are asking for it but if you want a compact fifty for a LTM camera, then this is about as good as they get. Of course the slow 3.5 aperture may put many off, but as a substitute for the Elmar on a Cosina body or as I do, on a Leica 111C.
The Bessa T works really well too, quite plastiky of course, but does all it needs to do, and the meter works really well.

Thank you, Tony !
The whole set described above is about 650 US-Dollar.

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I would like to ask one more question ...
Can anyone describe the view through the Bessa T's rangefinder ? Is it comperable with the view through a longer tele lens ?

 

[macfred]

I sold it when I needed cash.
Now, I am older and regret having sold it.

Yes, I've done this much to often.
One is always wiser in hindsight ...

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

Always wanted that nickel 50mm 3.5 heliar to try. Prices for it stay so high, maybe because you don't see user versions of it often.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Voigtländer 101st Heliar Anniversary Set - thoughts and opinions please

Thank you, Tony !
The whole set described above is about 650 US-

Just FYI there are two boxed sets on eBay with BIN prices under $600...

 

[02Pilot]

I guess the 25/4 is really nice lens but I would like to go a little more wide. I'll keep an eye on the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 ...

I have the 21/4 as well, but I'm keeping it (really only selling the 25 because it's too close to the 21). Both are quite good; I will miss the click-stops on the focusing ring of the 25 (very handy for street photography), but the 21 is RF-coupled and focuses down to 0.5m, which is nice.

 

[macfred]

Just FYI there are two boxed sets on eBay with BIN prices under $600...

Thank you, Richard !
I guess we are talking about the same offers ...
I live in Germany and the 650,- $ include import duties, taxes and charges.

 

[tony lockerbie]

Hi macfred, just an update. Due to my health going downhill rapidly I'm in the process of disposing of all my photo gear, including the 101st Heliar. I also have the 21mm Skopar, 25mm Snapshot Skopar, 75mm Heliar and the 90mm Apo-Lanthar, all in LTM. Oh, almost forgot, I have the 15mm wide and 50mm Nokton, also in LTM. I haven't worked out prices yet, but will price them well below Ebay just because I would like them to go to enthusiasts rather than dealers!
Let me know if you are interested. I will be posting some things on the classifieds when I sort out my membership. I am a subscriber but seem to have reverted to a member after the upgrades.
Tony

 

[macfred]

Hi macfred, just an update. Due to my health going downhill rapidly I'm in the process of disposing of all my photo gear, including the 101st Heliar. I also have the 21mm Skopar, 25mm Snapshot Skopar, 75mm Heliar and the 90mm Apo-Lanthar, all in LTM. Oh, almost forgot, I have the 15mm wide and 50mm Nokton, also in LTM. I haven't worked out prices yet, but will price them well below Ebay just because I would like them to go to enthusiasts rather than dealers!
Let me know if you are interested. I will be posting some things on the classifieds when I sort out my membership. I am a subscriber but seem to have reverted to a member after the upgrades.
Tony

Tony, thank you for your generous offer - I invested somewhere else. The lady of the house scotched my GAS ...

 

[HiHoSilver]

Tony, its scarey - the way you speak of your health. 'Know nothing about it, but hope there's alot of good news that way on your horizon. 'Wish you & yours every best & hope to hear some good news of your hanging around for a long time.

 

[tony lockerbie]

Thanks for your thoughts HiHo, but it's all a bit grim. I have been battling prostate cancer for a few years and it's all catching up to me unfortunately. Yet another round of treatment, see how that goes, but I do need to get my affairs in order. I have a huge, and I mean HUGE collection of gear that I have to dispose of, some of which I will put up here on the classifies, some on Ebay, some I'll just give away. Problem with the cheaper stuff is the high cost of postage to the US. Sorting and cataloging it all now.
Cheers,
Tony