Bessaflex TM

Bessaflex TM, chrome
image by Lightshaper (Image rights)

The Bessaflex TM is a retro styled SLR camera body for 35mm film by Cosina Voigtländer released in May, 2003. It was priced at 50,000 yen.^[1]

It revived the 42mm screw mount for M42 lenses, providing stop-down TTL metering. This allows enthusiasts to shoot with desirable vintage lenses, on a body that is not itself many decades old (and possibly in need of repair).

The shutter is mechanical with speeds of 1 to 1/2000 sec. plus B with electronic flash sync at 1/125 of a sec. The finder has a split image rangefinder focusing screen that is surrounded by a circular microprism. The meter is silicon photo diode-based and has speeds of 25 to 1600 ISO in 1/3rd stops. The stopped-down metering switch is positioned by the lens mount and is easily accessible by using the left thumb to push upwards. The meter is powered by two silver oxide batteries. The camera is also compatible with grips and trigger winders that Cosina introduced for their Bessa rangefinder cameras.