C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →rangefinder-35mm
The Voigtländer Bessa-R4A (2006–2009) is the wide-angle-optimized Leica M-mount rangefinder produced by Cosina, the final major variant of the Bessa line. Where the Bessa-R3A targeted 50mm shooters with a 1:1 viewfinder (making the 50mm frameline fill the entire finder), the R4A caters to wide-angle photography with a compressed 0.52× magnification viewfinder displaying framelines for 21, 25, 28, 35, and 50mm focal lengths.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The wide-angle specialist of the Cosina Bessa line. The R4A's 0.52× viewfinder shows framelines for 21, 25, 28, 35, and 50mm lenses — making it the only modern-production M-mount rangefinder optimized for ultra-wide shooting.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Leica M |
| Years | 2006–2009 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/2000s + B, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/125s (X sync) |
| Meter | Center-weighted TTL, aperture-priority AE |
| Viewfinder | 0.52× with 21/25/28/35/50mm framelines |
| ISO range | 25–3200 |
| Weight | ~360 g |
| Battery | 2× LR44 / SR44 |
Cosina introduced the R4A alongside the R4M (manual-only version without AE) in 2006. By that point the Bessa line had been on sale for seven years, and Cosina had positioned each variant to fill a specific niche: the original Bessa-R for LTM/L39 shooters, the R2A for standard M-mount use, the R3A for 50mm precision, and the R4A for wide-angle work.
The R4A was produced for a relatively short window (2006–2009) before Cosina began winding down the Bessa line, shifting focus to the Carl Zeiss–branded Zeiss Ikon and its own Voigtländer-branded Bessa line updates. Production volumes were lower than earlier Bessa models, making clean examples somewhat harder to find today.
The R4A occupies a unique position: it is arguably the only modern-production M-mount film rangefinder purpose-built for ultra-wide lenses. Leica M bodies (including the M7) topped out at 28mm framelines in their finders without accessory shoes; the R4A shows 21mm framelines natively. For photographers committed to 21–28mm focal lengths — street, architecture, environmental portraiture — the R4A offers a system-camera approach rather than relying on accessory optical finders.
At used prices ($300–650), it remains a cost-effective way to use M-mount ultra-wide glass with accurate in-finder framing.
Leica M bayonet mount. Compatible with all Leica M lenses and Cosina-Voigtländer M-mount lenses. Framelines displayed: 21, 25, 28, 35, 50mm. Optimal pairings: Cosina Voigtländer Color-Skopar 21mm f/4 P, Skopar 21mm f/3.5, Nokton 21mm f/1.4, Color-Skopar 28mm f/2.8 Aspherical, Ultron 28mm f/2.0. Leica Elmarit-M 21/2.8 and Super-Elmar 21/3.4 also fit.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
View profile →Voigtländer / Cosina Bessa-R4A
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