What about the new Voigtländer Bessa L, R, R2 & T?
The L and R are LTM based camera bodies built by Cosina in Japan. The cheaper Bessa L lacks any kind of built-in rangefinder, while the newer Bessa R does have a rangefinder. At a street price of only $US 250, the 'L' is particularly desireable, even if it does lack the built quality and sheer durability of the venerable Leica IIIs.
Because they have a standard LTM lens mount, the Bessa's work with either older LTM leica lenses or the new range of LTM lenses Cosina have released. Of special interest are the aspherics: the Heliar 15mm Asph, Ultron 35mm ƒ1.7 Asph and Nokton 50mm ƒ1.5 Asph.
Cosina have also released a range of accessory viewfinders and a M-Bayonet lens-mount adapter to help you mount the new Cosina lenses on your Leica M rangefinder. They also have a modern clip-on silicon-diode based lightmeter called the VC Meter which could give the Leica MR-4 lightmeters a run for their money!
The following www sites (in Japanese) are good starting points for finding out more:
cosina.co.jp/bessa-r/7.html
cosina.co.jp/l-lenses/
cosina.co.jp/vc-meter/
cosina.co.jp/angle/index.html
Whereas Stephen Gandy has set up the following online store to sell Voigtländer Bessa L & R bodies, lenses and accessories at cameraquest.com/inventor.htm.
In Feb 2002, Cosina announced the upgrade to the LTM Bessa R - the all metal, Leica M-mount Bessa R2. See the detailed remarks elsehwere in this FAQ.
The Bessa R2 supercedes the Bessa T released March 2001, which also had an M Leica bayonet lens mount and built-in rangefinder, but no viewfinder. See the remarks I have about this elsewhere…
A note about possible broken links
This FAQ has over 900 external links. Over time it is inevitable some of them will break. If you are bothered by this, see this detailed topic elsewhere in the FAQ.