Bessa 66

Voigtländer Bessa 66 (standard model) image by AWCam (Image rights)

Images by Mario Groleau. (Image rights)

The Bessa 66 — also sometimes called "Baby Bessa", was a folding 120 rollfilm camera made in Germany by Voigtländer, introduced in 1938. It was one in a long series of Bessa cameras. There were two versions, the standard and a deluxe model with added sport-finder. A yellow 'Moment' filter was fitted to the front of the lens, which hinged out of the way when not required. The shutter was released by a lever mechanism fitted through the door, which folded out to below the winding knob when open. From more uncommon features it has autostop frame counter.

Specifications

• Country of origin: Germany
• Manufacturer: Voigtländer
• In production: 1938-1940, 1948-50
• Film: twelve 6×6cm exposures on 120 film
• Lens: Pre-War Voigtar 75mm f/3.5, Skopar/ Color-Skopar 75mm f/3.5, or Color Heliar 75mm f/3.5
• Viewfinder: Sports finder and optical-viewfinder in "Deluxe" models
• Shutters observed:
  • Compur, speeds B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 300
  • Compur Rapid, speeds B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500
  • Prontor II, speeds T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 175
• Dimensions: 128 × 89 × 97mm (41mm folded); weight 510g

Links

• Bessa 66 at The Classic Camera
• Bessa 66 at M. Groleau's site (in French)
• Voigtlander Bessa 66 on Interno in bakelite (italian)
• In-depth list of shutter-, lens-, and body variants at Heinz Schöbels' Voigtländer-Archiv, in German
• German PDF-manual on M. Butkus' site.