Voigtlander Bessa

Where the trim is lifting, use a cocktail stick to get some contact adhesive under it, very thin layer, let it "dry" then press the parts together.
You can get self adhesive trim, but it won't look exactly the same.

Brown shoe polish will get the case looking good again.

Check the lens for fungus, usually the inside of the rear element, which often means removing the shutter assembly and aperture blades to get to it to clean.

My daughter collects similar cameras, but I end up fixing them :)
 
Very nice I have one of these somewhere. It was my dads he loved it and took it all over with him. Before he moved to 35mm with a Vito B the camera I learnt on. He wouldn't part with them and nither will I for sentimental reasons.
Hope you enjoy yours.
 
Brilliant camera and both lens versions were excellent. Voigtlander are the oldest lens manufacturer in the world, I think they started in 1756 making microscope and telescope lenses. The Vaskar lens only opens to f4.5 , the color skopar to f3.5 otherwise there's no real optical differences.
Give it a try you'll be impressed. I had the later Bessa 1 which had the color skopar lens and it is stunning.
https://flic.kr/p/2m2VQNY
View: https://flic.kr/p/2m2VQNY
 
Andysnap passed on his Bessa I to me via Items for Sale on this website. I've saved my first use of it for this week when I am on holiday in Conwy. I'm looking forward to using it, along with my Zeiss Ikonta, Fuji 690, Rolleicord, etc. I've decided to have a week using just medium format cameras so I brought on for each day, it's a sort of project.
 
Right guys.... Some help and some very silly questions please if you don't mind...... :)

I've decided to pick up some cheap Fomapan B&W 400 for this. I want to shoot in 4.5x6 which I can because I have the mask. Obviously film is loaded on the left side feeding in an anticlockwise direction? Does the right side go in as a 35mm & then collect in a clockwise direction? I've seen people on vlogs load 120 film & align an arrow with a pointer mark? And how do I know how far to wind it per frame shot? Is that what the red windows are for? Are there markings on the film?

Thank you so very much. Looking forward to at least trying this camera out!
 

Attachments

  • 20241213-X1002750 - Copy.jpg
    20241213-X1002750 - Copy.jpg
    121.6 KB · Views: 5
  • 20241213-X1002751 - Copy.jpg
    20241213-X1002751 - Copy.jpg
    104 KB · Views: 5
Looks to me as if the red windows are in the correct position for 8 shots per roll.

If the windows are around 46.5 mm apart, then you would wid the film until the number 1 appeared in the left window, take a shot and wind it until it apears in the right window, take the shot and then wind so the next number appears in the left window and so on.

You will see which was to load the film onto the right side, as the spool will only turn one way.

Expect to get marks on the film using that film.
 
Sangoma said:
Looks to me as if the red windows are in the correct position for 8 shots per roll.

If the windows are around 46.5 mm apart, then you would wid the film until the number 1 appeared in the left window, take a shot and wind it until it apears in the right window, take the shot and then wind so the next number appears in the left window and so on.

You will see which was to load the film onto the right side, as the spool will only turn one way.

Expect to get marks on the film using that film.
Click to expand...

Thank you :)

The spool does indeed only turn one way :)

The windows are 46.5mm - So for the advance - 1,1,2,2,3,3... etc etc

I did read about possible marks in reviews. I can get a pack of 3 delivered tomorrow though for what I think is a really cheap price!!

I was looking at this more as testing than capturing anything worthwhile but I guess a single dearer film plus dev/scan would still be cheaper overall than 3 cheap, possibly marked films that dev/scan at £25 each locally.

EDIT - I've found an XP2 to use as a test film :)
 
Last edited:
With the XP2 be careful and wind on slowly as the indicators and numbers on the backing paper seem much fainter than old fashioned film like Fomapan.
 
PeterSpencer said:
With the XP2 be careful and wind on slowly as the indicators and numbers on the backing paper seem much fainter than old fashioned film like Fomapan.
Click to expand...

Peter B said:
Very much agree with this point, and I'm attaching a photo showing Ilford backing paper on top compared to Fomapan below.

View attachment 442125
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. Arrived today, will load tomorrow ready for Thursday and Friday.
 
I expect the Bessa will be a challenge in this respect but, in my experience, older box cameras are worse. I've run a whole role of film through a couple of cameras, for example an Ilford Sporti, beacuse of this. You start of winding miss the mark, wind again and then the only choice you have is wind the film through and respool it. Note that this is also a potential problem with Fuji colour negative films.
 
PeterSpencer said:
With the XP2 be careful and wind on slowly as the indicators and numbers on the backing paper seem much fainter than old fashioned film like Fomapan.
Click to expand...

Peter B said:
Very much agree with this point, and I'm attaching a photo showing Ilford backing paper on top compared to Fomapan below.

View attachment 442125
Click to expand...

PeterSpencer said:
I expect the Bessa will be a challenge in this respect but, in my experience, older box cameras are worse. I've run a whole role of film through a couple of cameras, for example an Ilford Sporti, beacuse of this. You start of winding miss the mark, wind again and then the only choice you have is wind the film through and respool it. Note that this is also a potential problem with Fuji colour negative films.
Click to expand...

Well, those concerns you guys gave weren't an issue - it was pretty clear to see the numbers through the red windows which was nice :)

I done a little muddy countryside walk on Thursday & went to the local Burnham/Weston coast on Friday. Shot all 16 frames & dropped the film off on Friday afternoon about 2pm. Had an email this afternoon with the link to download the scans.... :oops: :$

Ummmm..... :ROFLMAO: I got 15 out of 16 scans. 2 have some horrible reflections which I think were from the hood/yellow filter as I'm 99.9% sure I wound on every exposure & didn't double expose. Quite a few aren't too sharp but there aren't any light leaks or similar issues. Framing is out, but okay on a few.

I'm not sure I'll use it again, focus & framing felt like guesswork. But I'm certainly glad I tried it so I don't regret that :) Even if it cost me £36 :)
 
LeeRatters said:
Well, those concerns you guys gave weren't an issue - it was pretty clear to see the numbers through the red windows which was nice :)

I done a little muddy countryside walk on Thursday & went to the local Burnham/Weston coast on Friday. Shot all 16 frames & dropped the film off on Friday afternoon about 2pm. Had an email this afternoon with the link to download the scans.... :oops: :$

Ummmm..... :ROFLMAO: I got 15 out of 16 scans. 2 have some horrible reflections which I think were from the hood/yellow filter as I'm 99.9% sure I wound on every exposure & didn't double expose. Quite a few aren't too sharp but there aren't any light leaks or similar issues. Framing is out, but okay on a few.

I'm not sure I'll use it again, focus & framing felt like guesswork. But I'm certainly glad I tried it so I don't regret that :) Even if it cost me £36 :)
Click to expand...
Hi Lee, I liked that you had a bit of fun, learned a little and did get 15 out of 16 frames which has to be a result, and I am pleased that you are glad that you tried the camera.

It would be interesting to see a couple of the pictures.
 
zx9 said:
Hi Lee, I liked that you had a bit of fun, learned a little and did get 15 out of 16 frames which has to be a result, and I am pleased that you are glad that you tried the camera.

It would be interesting to see a couple of the pictures.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll add them to here when I get them resized/uploaded etc
 
  • Like
Reactions: zx9
I last used my Bessa I on holiday in Conwy in November. I took two films but to my surprise, when I opened the camera up yesterday to load a new film, the second of the rolls was still in the camera, although there was no indication of that in the little red window. I must have rewound the film when I finished it but then failed to unload it! I'm looking forward to seeing the results as the other film was fine.

Sorry you didn't enjoy the experience of using the camera in respect of focus and framing, which I admit is a challenge.
 
PeterSpencer said:
I last used my Bessa I on holiday in Conwy in November. I took two films but to my surprise, when I opened the camera up yesterday to load a new film, the second of the rolls was still in the camera, although there was no indication of that in the little red window. I must have rewound the film when I finished it but then failed to unload it! I'm looking forward to seeing the results as the other film was fine.

Sorry you didn't enjoy the experience of using the camera in respect of focus and framing, which I admit is a challenge.
Click to expand...

I think this is where the concept of a workflow was invented: wind the film on, select a shutter speed and aperture, cock the shutter, press the button/lever, when to next wind the film on to avoid double exposures and all that expensive developing disaster zone.
I think you've got to decide what works for you in this respect. I settled on leaving the film with a winding arrow visible so that when I come to take another shot in 3 months' time I know that I need to wind on to the next frame before doing anything.
 
I do have a workflow which I stick to when using cameras without double exposure prevention. The main thing is I always wind on after every shot, hence the rewound film in the Bessa. The failure to unload was perhaps more to do with the fact that I stopped off at The Albion for a couple of pints on the way back from the town centre.
 
With my 35mm I don't wind on until I want to shoot - I can't double expose on that anyway - and it's too easy to accidentally fire the shutter. So it was weird to shoot with the Bessa and wind on straight away, but I did remember.
 
PeterSpencer said:
I last used my Bessa I on holiday in Conwy in November. I took two films but to my surprise, when I opened the camera up yesterday to load a new film, the second of the rolls was still in the camera, although there was no indication of that in the little red window. I must have rewound the film when I finished it but then failed to unload it! I'm looking forward to seeing the results as the other film was fine.

Sorry you didn't enjoy the experience of using the camera in respect of focus and framing, which I admit is a challenge.
Click to expand...

I definitely have 1, if not 2 that aren't framed correctly. I have a few which look out of focus or have camera shake.

I might use it again.....
 
Plain Nev said:
It looks like they came out pretty well.
Click to expand...

Kevin Allan said:
I'd say you got pretty good results.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys. Yes, there are a few with what I presume are some slight camera shake so look a bit softer than others. I'm pretty sure I set the focus every shot, and most shots are around the 'infinity' setting anyway rather than close. And the two ruined ones 8 and 13 were using the yellow filter and hood so that must give crazy reflections or something!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top