Difference between revisions of "Bergheil"

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(More basic features; focusing, front rise, spirit levels. More text about the de Luxe vs just Green-leather types; deleted second array of pictures of virtually-identical green camera)
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| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826108981/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4826108981_f57e34d863_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826108861/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4826108861_ed2df10caa_m.jpg]
 
| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826108981/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4826108981_f57e34d863_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826108861/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4826108861_ed2df10caa_m.jpg]
 
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==Bergheil De Luxe==
 
==Bergheil De Luxe==
 
===Brown leather===
 
===Brown leather===
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The true '''Bergheil Luxus''' (or '''De Luxe''') from 1923-27 is finished with light brown leather covering and bellows, and has gold-finish standard and fittings, after the style of a tropical camera. It was only made in the 4.5x6cm size.
| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080049869/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6080049869_5939bc659b_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080049677/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6080049677_b57949e570_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080586236/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6080586236_9ce20cb29d_m.jpg]
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|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080049677/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6080049677_b57949e570_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080586236/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6080586236_9ce20cb29d_m.jpg]
 
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| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080049293/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6080049293_4bab4091f8_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080585876/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6080585876_15a1ccba61_m.jpg]
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|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080049293/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6080049293_4bab4091f8_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/6080585876/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6080585876_15a1ccba61_m.jpg]
 
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| Voigtländer Bergheil Luxus, 4×6.5cm, 7.5cm f/6.8 Doppel-Anastigmat Radiar lens, dial-set Compur shutter.<br /><small>Pictures by {{image author|eBayer Yalluflex}}.</small> {{with permission}}
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| colspan=2 | Voigtländer Bergheil Luxus, 4×6.5cm, 7.5cm f/6.8 Doppel-Anastigmat Radiar lens, dial-set Compur shutter.<br /><small>Pictures by {{image author|eBayer Yalluflex}}.</small> {{with permission}}
 
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The true '''Bergheil Luxus''' (or '''De Luxe''') from 1923-27 is finished with light brown leather covering and bellows, and has gold-finish standard and fittings, after the style of a tropical camera. It was only made in the 4.5x6cm size.
 
  
  
 
===Green leather===
 
===Green leather===
 
{| class="floatright plainlinks" style="text-align: center; margin:0px 0px 15px 15px;"
 
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| rowspan=2 |[http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826723914/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4826723914_e03d986832.jpg]
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| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826115345/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4826115345_ea363f4f83_m.jpg]  
 
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| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826115345/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4826115345_ea363f4f83_m.jpg] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826115221/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4826115221_f5eca8936c_m.jpg]
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| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/4826115221/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4826115221_f5eca8936c_m.jpg]
 
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| Bergheil 6.5×9cm, with green leather, interchangeable 10.5cm f/3.5 Heliar<br/>and 25.5cm f/6.3 Tele-Dynar lenses and rim-set Compur shutter.<br/>An identical camera has also been seen with a ''20'' cm Tele-Dynar.<br/><small>Pictures by {{image author|eBayer Yalluflex}}.</small> {{with permission}}
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| colspan=2 |Bergheil 6.5×9cm, with green leather, interchangeable 10.5cm f/3.5 Heliar and 25.5cm f/6.3 Tele-Dynar lenses<br/>and rim-set Compur shutter. An identical camera has also been seen with a ''20'' cm Tele-Dynar.<br/><small>Pictures by {{image author|eBayer Yalluflex}}.</small> {{with permission}}
 
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There are also cameras with textured ''green'' leather covering and bellows, but with the black-painted fittings as the standard Bergheil. McKeown dates these cameras to 1932-6 (some years after Voigtländer stopped making the brown-leather camera), and rather dismisses them as ''a step up from the black models, but <nowiki>[..]</nowiki> not truly 'Luxus' models''; ''all'' 6.5x9cm and 9x12cm cameras after 1932 had this green leather. McKeown states that the green leather of the bellows tends to darken with age, so that the 'green' cameras are often ''not'' particularly green.<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p950-1.</ref>
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There are also cameras with textured ''green'' leather covering and bellows, but with the same black-painted fittings as the standard Bergheil. These are often described as 'de luxe' cameras. McKeown dates them to 1932-6 (some years after Voigtländer stopped making the brown-leather camera), and rather dismisses them as ''a step up from the black models, but <nowiki>[..]</nowiki> not truly 'Luxus' models''; ''all'' 6.5x9cm and 9x12cm cameras after 1932 had this green leather. McKeown states that the green leather of the bellows tends to darken with age, so that the 'green' cameras are often ''not'' particularly green.<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p950-1.</ref>
  
 
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<!-- This is misleading: it's just an unusual example (looks like an early one, perhaps). There are perfectly 'normal' Bergheils in this size too.
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<!-- This text is misleading: I think this is just an unusual example (looks like an early one, perhaps). There are perfectly 'normal' Bergheils in this size too.
 
The '''4.5×6cm model''' (or "Baby Bergheil") is quite different from the larger models, notably differing in the shape of the folding struts and the position of the brilliant finder. -->
 
The '''4.5×6cm model''' (or "Baby Bergheil") is quite different from the larger models, notably differing in the shape of the folding struts and the position of the brilliant finder. -->
 
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| Voigtländer Heliar 10.5cm f/4.5 lens and Compur shutter,<br/>with a bayonet mount for the Bergheil.<br/><small>Picture by {{image author|Uwe Kulick}}.</small> {{with permission}}
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| Voigtländer Heliar 10.5cm f/4.5 lens and Compur shutter,<br/>with a bayonet mount for the Bergheil. {{with permission}}
 
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Revision as of 02:03, 22 January 2012

The Bergheil is a folding plate camera made by Voigtländer in Braunschweig (Brunswick) from 1911 until the Second World War.[1] It was available for different plate sizes: 4.5x6 cm, 6.5x9 cm, 9x12 cm and 10x15 cm.

Most examples seen have a Compur shutter; early ones may be seen with a Compund, or even an Ibsor or Pronto. The cameras are equipped with a wide range of Voigtländer's own lenses; Heliar in particular are very common on later cameras. On later cameras, the lens and shutter may be interchangeable (attached with a bayonet).

The cameras have rack-and-pinion bellows focusing, with a focusing knob on each side of the front of the bed. There is usually a focus scale on the left of the bed, and of course a ground-glass screen can be attached. They have front rise, adjusted with the knurled knob at the top of the right hand post of the front standard, and sometimes also geared shift. On many later cameras, there are spirit levels inlaid in the focus and front-rise knobs.

Almost all the cameras have a brilliant finder mounted on the lens standard; depending on the age and model, this may be mounted centrally above the lens (common especially on the smallest size), or offset to the left. Most cameras (except for the smallest) also have either a wire-frame finder or a folding Newton finder on the side of the body.


Bergheil De Luxe

Brown leather

The true Bergheil Luxus (or De Luxe) from 1923-27 is finished with light brown leather covering and bellows, and has gold-finish standard and fittings, after the style of a tropical camera. It was only made in the 4.5x6cm size.


Green leather

There are also cameras with textured green leather covering and bellows, but with the same black-painted fittings as the standard Bergheil. These are often described as 'de luxe' cameras. McKeown dates them to 1932-6 (some years after Voigtländer stopped making the brown-leather camera), and rather dismisses them as a step up from the black models, but [..] not truly 'Luxus' models; all 6.5x9cm and 9x12cm cameras after 1932 had this green leather. McKeown states that the green leather of the bellows tends to darken with age, so that the 'green' cameras are often not particularly green.[2]



Interchangeable lenses

Later Bergheil cameras have an exchangeable lens/shutter unit, attached via a bayonet. Many of the standard lenses are Heliars. The usual long-focus lens is the Tele-Dynar.


Notes

  1. Dates: notes on the Bergheil at Early Photography.
  2. McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). p950-1.

Links