Monday, July 11, 2011

#25 Voigtländer Bessa

Voigtlander Bessa (2)


This was my first 6 x 9 camera.
I was so impressed by the results of my VPK that I wanted a larger format.
I was also on a buying spree.
When I found this beauty on the *Bay I grabbed it. What impressed me the most was it's "locomotive look"
I also find it great the brand lettering and the red captions aids to the scale focusing.


Voigtlander Bessa (1)


This camera was made in the early 1930's in Braunshweig, Germany, by Voigtländer.
The lens is an Anastigmat Voigtar 105 mm 1:6.3 mounted on a three speed Gauthier (AGC), Embezet shutter, 1/25-50-100 of a second, B and T. This shutter doesn't require cocking.
It has two viewfinders one on the side of the folding type and the other an optic brilliant type, that, as usual in this kind of finders, turns 90º, to take portrait or landscape pictures.
The lens board self erects as the front door opens and the bellows unfolds.
A folding key is used to advance the film controlling it in the ruby window of the back door.
Eight exposures, 6 x 9 cm, on 120 film.


Voigtlander Bessa (5)


I find it incredibly elegant whatever the angle I look at it.


Voigtlander Bessa (3)


The quality of manufacture is amazing, a camera with eighty years and still working flawlessly, as you can see in the following pictures that I took with it:


Bessa I - Douro (2)

Me and Voigtlander Bessa

Stay tuned (o;

8 comments:

  1. uau que grande chapa a primeira

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  2. Maravilha... em 6x9 tenho a minha Moskva 5... que também adoro... a idade não atinge madeira desta... assim fôssemos nós...

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  3. Hi Rudy,
    The correct film size for this camera is 120.
    The spoll you found in your camera must be a 620.

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    1. Thanks a lot Raul. So if the correct film size is 120 (relief), I will not have to respool onto a 620 spool as this article explains [ http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/respool.htm ]. But I still have to find a spool that will fit the winder.

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  4. Any place that processes 120 film will give one to you.

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  5. Raul, how did u digitize the pic from the Bessa? I have just put an Ilford 400 (A 120 film) into my dads' Bessa 1 (although it is a newer model than this one of yours)and I am wondering how to get them onto the web. Is it better to scan the print or the negative. The camera is still in good condition although the shutter sticks open at speeds of 1/50 or slower and the timer spring doesn't work. I figured I can still use it in good light that will not require a slower speed.

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  6. I use a Epson V750, that allows me to scan 4 6 x 9 negatives at a time.
    If you don't have access to a medium format transparencies scanner you'd better scan the prints, any cheap scanner will do a good job from them.

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  7. Hey, I found the exact same camera in one of our old cupboards. Any chance you could give me an indication of its worth? It seems in good condition although I haven't tried using it. (I wouldn't know how to even try to use it). Kind regards.

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