Bessa 66

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

The Bessa 66 is a folding 120 rollfilm camera made in Germany by Voigtländer, introduced in 1938 and made after the war between 1948-1950. It was one in a long series of Bessa cameras, this camera and the Bessa 46 are sometimes called "Baby Bessa", as they were designed to be small for their time.

There were two versions, the standard, with an sports finder, and a deluxe model with an optical viewfinder. Several different lenses and shutters were used through the production of the camera, and 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, automatic film lock, and a rotating foot to use on table-top.

Bessa 66 "standard" Images by Mario Groleau. (Image rights)

Specifications

• Country of origin: Germany
• Manufacturer: Voigtländer
• In production: 1938-1940, 1948-50
• Film: twelve 6×6cm exposures on 120 film
• Lens: Vaskar 75mm f/4.5, 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.