Where did the BessaFlex TM go?

[BradS]

Remember a few years back Cosina brought out a modern M42 Screwmount body called the Bessaflex TM? When they came out, I remember wanting to get one but, not having the money. What happened to them? I cannot find one anywhere.

 

[Lee L]

Discontinued. Black discontinued in 2006, silver discontinued in 2007.

 

[BradS]

bummer. that was a brilliant idea...perhaps, a little out of time (ahead or behind - I don't know).

Luckily, I have a few decent spotmatic bodies at hand.

 

[Andy K]

I still have mine (black). Great camera.

 

[jime11]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Voigtlander-Bes...=ViewItem&pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item2a0720c762

 

[Pumal]

I have the Bessamatic (which is previous) with the Color Scopar X f/2.8/50 and the Scoparex 35mm. Very sharp and contrasty!

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

I have the Bessamatic (which is previous) with the Color Scopar X f/2.8/50 and the Scoparex 35mm. Very sharp and contrasty!

*Nothing* at all in common between the two cameras, apart from the licensed use of the names...

 

[Andy K]

I knew I had a picture somewhere! Here's my Bessaflex kit:

 

[BradS]

nice!

Is that a 35mm f/2 next to the camera?

 

[Vincenzo Maielli]

I have a black version, a nice camera, with a very excellent Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35/2.4 MC.
Ciao.
Vincenzo

 

[AgX]

On the body of the Cosina camera it says "Voigtländer Germany since 1756" which is misleading as Voigtländer closed its their factory in 1971 the manufacture of SLR's stopped even as early as 1965.

 

[Lee L]

On the body of the Cosina camera it says "Voigtländer Germany since 1756" which is misleading as Voigtländer closed its their factory in 1971 the manufacture of SLR's stopped even as early as 1965.

On the baseplate it is also stamped "Made in Japan" and marked "Cosina Co., Ltd. I don't think anyone who would purchase any of the Cosina "Voigtländer" products is being deceived into thinking that Voigtländer is still in production in Germany.

 

[Rol_Lei Nut]

On the body of the Cosina camera it says "Voigtländer Germany since 1756" which is misleading as Voigtländer closed its their factory in 1971 the manufacture of SLR's stopped even as early as 1965.

Not to argue with your basic message, but IIRC, manufacture of the Bessamatic CS & Ultramatic went on until 1968/69....
(And their factories made various "Zeiss", "Rolleiflex" and even "Voigtländer" (=Rolleiflex) branded products after 1971).

The Bessaflex (which was supposed to be the original name of the *real* Voigtländer 1960's prototype camera which then became the Icarex, Voigtländer VSL1 and others) is totally unrelated to to the Cosina "Bessaflex", though the Cosina product may be quite a good (or even better) camera itself.

 

[AgX]

The Voigtländer works closed in 1971 and the last Voigtländer production company dissolved in 1974.

And yes, there is a "Made in Japan" marking. With misleading I did not mean that one is made believe that a camera actually made in Japan is made in Germany. But one is made believe that Voigtländer is still alive and stands behind that camera.

 

[BradS]

The Voigtländer works closed in 1971 and the last Voigtländer production company dissolved in 1974.

And yes, there is a "Made in Japan" marking. With misleading I did not mean that one is made believe that a camera actually made in Japan is made in Germany. But one is made believe that Voigtländer is still alive and stands behind that camera.

Not sure why it would matter...? Certainly, the warranty period has elapsed by now...

 

[Jerry Thirsty]

For the $575 that eBay auction is asking for, you could get a user Pentax LX, get it overhauled, install an M-42 adapter and have yourself a much nicer camera (that could use K-mount lenses to boot).

 

[tony lockerbie]

I'm still hanging on to mine, nice little camera to use with my Pentax lenses. I do love the noise the thing makes when it fires, quite unique.

 

[dynachrome]

Bessaflex TM

I don't understand why this camera costs as much as it does. It doesn't seem any better made than the Cosina-made Vivitar SLRs I have. These can be bought for $25. With an M42 to K adapter I can use M42 lenses in stop down mode. A Spotmatic II can be bought for very little and even overhauled for a lot less than a TM. With the P adapter M42 lenses can be used on a Mamiya Auto XTL with auto diaphragm operation.

 

[BobD]

With the prices that used Bessaflex bodies are going for it might be worth it for
Cosina to bring it back (or another M42 body).

 

[davela]

I don't understand why this camera costs as much as it does. It doesn't seem any better made than the Cosina-made Vivitar SLRs I have. These can be bought for $25. With an M42 to K adapter I can use M42 lenses in stop down mode. A Spotmatic II can be bought for very little and even overhauled for a lot less than a TM. With the P adapter M42 lenses can be used on a Mamiya Auto XTL with auto diaphragm operation.

The Bessaflex is a functional collectible. I doubt most owners purchased them solely as a user camera. It's certainly not the most practical solution to providing an economical M42 SLR. On the other hand, when they were new, the price was a little high (around $300 I think), but one was getting perfectly a new and modern M42 SLR for that with a great bright viewfinder, a very reliable TTL meter, and tight light seals. They are rare now.

I own and use the a chrome model and it's a good reliable shooting camera in addition to being an investment of sorts. I find mine attractive and very pleasant to use.

 

[benjiboy]

What happened to the BessaFlex TM ?, the manufacturers misjudged the potential market for a camera of this type in the twenty first century, and it laid an egg.

 

[elekm]

I know they had the body. Did they offer a line of lenses with it, as well? I don't recall.

 

[benjiboy]

I don't think so, I think their marketing strategy was relying on the quantity of quality M42 second hand lenses available relatively cheaply on the market.

 

[davela]

The offered at least one lens with it - Topcor branded in name as I recall (a retro chic marketing tactic that is common with CV). It was a 50 or 58mm lens - expensive then and certainly now if it could be found.

 

[davela]

Here it is. It was a Topcor 58mm F1.4, new design:

http://www.cameraquest.com/voigtFlexTM.htm

Thanks to this thread I now "need" one of these