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Rangefinder Renaissance
More new rangefinders are waiting to find space on dealer's shelves!
Rumors are rampant in Japan of new rangefinders being readied for market in light of Cosina's outstanding success with the Voigtlander Bessa. Rumors, confirmed and yet to be confirmed, include:
New Confirmed Cameras
Dec 2000 "Japanese Market M6" stamped "Leica" in Leica script on top plate. I'm told there are six versions -- your choice of chrome or black chrome with .58, .72 or .85 finders.
Dec 2000 -- French Fashion House Hermes buys 31% of Leica stock. OK, so it's not a new rangefinder, but it will probably mean more new Leica rangefinder products with the Leica's deeper pockets.
Not cameras but new Nikon Rangefinder Lenses: It's been confirmed that Voigtlander will introduce at least some of their Leica screw mount lenses in the classic Nikon Rangefinder mount. The wides in NRF will also fit the classic Contax rangefinder. Confirmed are the 35/2.5, 25/4, and 21/4 available in 2001. 2003 saw the addition of the 50/1.5 and 85/3.5, followed by the Voigtlander SL Nikon F mount 12/5.6 and 15/4.5 which are usable on classic Nikon and Contax rangefinders with the Voigtlander F-S adapter.
New Limited Edition Konica Hexar RF with 50/1.2: Photokina, September 2000: Not a company to be left out in the cold with all the new limited edition millennium coming out, Konica announced the Konica Hexar RF Limited. 2001 units will be made for the year 2001. It is a Hexar RF with titanium covers and a new 50/1.2 Hexar M lens, sold only in a kit. See http://www.konica.co.jp/photokina2000/hexarrf/index.html
New M6 TTL with .58 Finder: introduced at Photokina, this is a M6 TTL body with a lower magnification .58 finder. It is marketed for those wearing eye glasses, as it allows eye glass wearers to easily see the edges of the 28 and 35 frames, something not so easy with the .72 finder. Framelines are 28, 35, 50, 75 and 90. There is no 135 frameline, or what many hoped for, a 24 or 21 frameline.
New Leica Null Series: At Photokina Leica also introduced a new retro edition of the Leica Null Series, the camera made by the hands of Oskar Barnack, when he invented 35mm photography as we know it. No effort has been spared in making a faithful copy to the highest standards, for the serious collector or the eccentric shooter. Though not a rangefinder, this camera is the daddy of all 35mm rangefinders, and 35mm SLRs too for that matter. See http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte/msystem/0serie/index_e.html
Bronica, yes, Bronica, introduced a new 120 film rangefinder in 645 format at Photokina. Introduced with it are 45/4, 65/4 and 135/4.5 lenses. See http://www.tamron.co.jp/english/whats/new_rf645.htm
Green Leica M6: The Leica Hong Kong dealer has apparently ordered a limited edition of the M6 Millennium with .72 finder in military green paint. See http://www.leicafanclub.org/ Production guess to be less than 300.
M6 Black Paint ICS Much like the M6 Millennium, but ICS limited edition.
M6 Black Paint Oresund Bridge Much like the M6 Millennium, but commemorating new bridge from Denmark to Sweden.
Leica M6 "Year of the Dragon" 2000 camera, made for the Far East market. Black paint, .85 finder, built on the M3 style rewind M6 Millennium body, 500 said to be produced.
Leica's new black paint M6 Millennium was released in January 2000. Based on the .72 TTL M6, it has the traditional Leica engraved script top plate (like the M3/M2/M4), black paint finish, and a M3 style rewind knob. The production run is 2000 cameras. List price in the US is expected to be about $3000 for this instant collectible. For a traditional Leica nut like me who has yearned for the return of the black paint finish and engraved Leica script, this is wonderful news indeed. This camera is obviously aimed at collectors. I dearly hope Leica offers the black paint finish and engraved script top plate as a regular option on the M6 TTL with a standard M6 rewind lever. Pics at Leica Site. A .85 finder version is also said to be available in Japan on special order. See Profile Unfortunately Leica a few problems as far as paint quality control. Many Millenniums show a thin paint coat, and machining marks under the paint. Later M6 paint models show a better paint job.
LHSA Black Paint M6 Special Edition Black Paint M6 made for the Leica Historical Society of America. Since Leica stopped taking orders for this camera June 30th 2000, it is heading for collector's status. A beautiful camera, latest information is that 650 of the .72 finder versions, and 500 of the .85 finder versions, were produced. In my opinion, the best looking of Leica's new M6 black paint cameras.
Konica's Hexar RF with Leica M mount was released in October 1999, a very interesting camera well worth considering. See Profile An odd surprise is that the finder of the new Hexar, the finder of the Contax G2, and the finder of the Hassy/Fujica XPan all come out of the same factory that generally no westerners have ever heard of -- truth can be stranger than fiction. In contrast the finder for the new Cosina / Voigtlander Bessa is produced by Cosina, and is much brighter than any of its Japanese competitors.
The Bessa R, a rangefinder version of the Bessa L, was introduced in January 2000. Also introduced was a new compact 35/2.5 "pancake" lens. LTM mount, TTL metering, framelines for 35,50,75,90 lenses. See Profile
New Nikon Rangefinder: February 23, 2000 Nikon has made it official, announcing a new very retro styled "Nikon S3 2000 MILLENNIUM MODEL" Rangefinder. Aimed at the collector's market, the S3 2000 is a near duplicate of the classic 1958 S3 including the classic Nikon S rangefinder mount and no TTL metering, chrome only. See Profile
Voigtlander Bessa T: Introduced in March 2001, the Voigtlander Bessa T is Cosina's 1st Leica M mount camera. It is a very retro design, and in many ways amounts to an updated Leica IIIf with M mount and TTL metering. It is also the least expensive Leica M mount camera ever made.
Voigtlander Bessa Heliar 101 Sets: Introduced in December 2001, Voigtlander's CEO Kobayashi gave shooters and collectors alike an early Christmas present. This special version of the Bessa T commemorates the 101st anniversary of the Voigtlander Heliar lens design. It comes in four paint finishes: black, olive green, navy blue, and gray. Special matching color winders will also be made. The big news, however, is the limited production 50/3.5 collapsible Heliar lens made only for this limited edition set. Amazingly, Popular Photography proclaimed it was the "best lens we have ever tested, a treasure."
Leica M7: Leica introduced the long awaited Leica M7 with Aperture priority exposure control in late February 2002. Filling a pent up frustration for AE, the M7 will be a Leica best seller at least in the short term, and is likely to push down used M6 prices. The M7 is actually quieter than the M6.
Voigtlander Bessa R2: Cosina introduced their metal bodied R2, with M mount in February 2002. Selling at less than 1/4 of the price of the Leica M7, the R2 is sure to become the standard entry level M mount camera. Available in either black or olive paint, and with trigger winder capability.
Black Nikon S3 2000 JUNE 2002 Nikon Released a Black Paint Version of the S3 2000
Voigtlander Bessa R2S and R2C: At Photokina in September 2002 Cosina announced the new Bessa R2S in classic Nikon Rangefinder mount, and the new Bessa R2C in classic Contax Rangefinder mount. These are the FIRST production cameras ever in these mounts to offer TTL metering, or trigger winder, not to mention the brightest finder and RF patch EVER for these mounts. This is a big deal for Nikon and Contax collectors who have waited forty years to have such a camera to shoot with. Also announced were 28/3.5, 50/2.5, and 85/3.5 lenses, all in Nikon S rangefinder mount.
Rollei 35 RF: Rollei announced its Leica priced re-badged silver Bessa R2 as the Rollei 35RF in January 2003. Three lenses are announced: 40/2.8, 50/1.8, and 80/2.8. The lens barrels are believed to be made by Cosina, the glass by Zeiss, while the assembly is done in Germany by Rollei. Who wants to buy a $1900 Bessa R2 with a 40/2.8 lens? Unfortunately for Rollei, it is the first interchangeable lens 35mm Rollei RF. If they were selling it for half that price, it would be a different story.
Leica MP March 2003: At PMA in Las Vegas, Leica introduced an upgraded mechanical M with improved finder. It is kind of an upgraded mechanical M6 with better fit and finish, an improved finder, improved smoother film advance, and surprisingly a M3 type rewind knob. Leica currently has their best M lineup since the M3/M2 in the mid 1960's. Also introduced was the new Leicavit MP -- a trigger winder. Long term the black paint MP will probably be worth more, but the special edition MP-6 for the Japanese market with real Vulcanite will be worth the most.
Voigtlander 35/1.2: At PMA in Las Vegas Mr. Kobayashi announced the 35/1.2 Nokton, the fastest 35mm lens ever made for any full frame 35mm camera.
Voigtlander Prominent fans were surprised in May 2003 to see the new Voigtlander Prominent 50mm lens adapter. It allows the use of the fabled classic Voigtlander 50mm lenses on either classic Contax rangefinders or Nikon rangefinders -- with full rangefinder coupling!
Nikon RF and Contax RF SUPER WIDES: September 2003 introduced the introduction of the Voigtlander SL 12/5.6 and 15/4.5 in Nikon F mount with mirror lock up. Add the Voigtlander F-S adapter, and these super wides work great on classic Nikon and Contax Rangefinders (not the Contax G series).
Voigtlander SC 28/3.5 and 50/2.5 in Nikon Rangefinder Mount September 2003
Leica MP Finder Upgrade for Leica M6 and MP introduced September 2003, $275 to get rid of occasional rangefinder patch flare
Unconfirmed Rumors
The Once and Future King? There are more than a few people who maintain Leica will re-introduce the non-TTL "classic" M6 to replace the M6 TTL 12/2000. It turned out to be the new version of the Leica MP, introduced in March 2003 at PMA in Vegas.
Leica M6E ?? Rumors that Leica would introduce the M6E at Photokina in September 2000 were popular, but unfounded, though Leica's CEO Mr. Cohn referred to as an "improved M6" in the German press in October 1998, which was originally reported to CameraQuest as the M7, though in fact no designation was mentioned by Mr. Cohn. ALAS, the only M6 introduced at Photokina 2000 was the .58 M6, although Leica officials did confirm an unnamed M project with AE. I doubt we will see it anytime soon. Strangely enough there was indeed an M6E in 1983, but due to the high cost, the camera we know today as the M6 "Classic" was produced instead. Only one working hand made prototype of the M6E with Copal shutter, AE exposure, and a detachable 4 fps motor is believed to have been produced. Long a rumor, Leica introduced the M7 February 2002.
Pentax was recently given US patents on a new rangefinder design. If you are interested, search under "Asahi" in the patent records.
Who knows what new Rangefinder will make it to the marketplace, but these are great times for the Rangefinder Enthusiast!
Revised: November 26, 2003 . Copyright © 1998-2002 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.