Bessa 66
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| Voigtländer Bessa 66 (deluxe 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" or "Klein-Bessa", due to their compact design and because most of the Bessas until then were of 6x9 format. [1]
There were two versions, the first was later called deluxe model with an optical viewfinder (inverted telescope), and the standard with an sports finder, and a different top-plate.
The optical viewfinder version called Small-Bessa version came first (1938), with the same top-plate as the more expensive 6x9 Bessa with film counter and double-exposure prevention. A special version called Bessa 466 that could be switched between 6x4.5 and 6x6 was produced in very small quantities (less than 500).
By 1939 a cheaper and simpler version came out without the frame counter or double-exposure prevention and a simple sports viewfinder, and these were called Baby-Bessa.
Postwar examples had the sports finder only and different lens design.
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 in pre-war models. [2]
The shutter release is a lever fitted through the door, which retracts when closed. Film advance is with a wheel on the top plate; in the Deluxe models, the film counter and double-exposure prevention make the process more involved [3] There is a rotating foot at the bottom which has a double purpose, it locks the film door or is used to stabilize the camera on table-top.
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| 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: Voigtar 75mm f/3.5, Vaskar 75mm f/4.5 (Post-war), Skopar or Color-Skopar (Post-War) 75mm f/3.5, or Color Heliar 75mm f/3.5
- Viewfinder: Sports finder in most models, and optical-viewfinder in "Deluxe" models
- Shutters observed:
- Compur, T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 300
- Compur-Rapid, T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500
- Prontor II, T, B, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 175
- Dimensions: 128 × 89 × 97mm (41mm folded); weight 510g (Deluxe) and 460g (Standard)
Notes
- ↑ 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). Page 953.
- ↑ [In-depth listIn-depth list of all the variants at Schoebel's Voigtlander-Archive (in German) ]
- ↑ advancing film in the Bessa 66 at Mike Butkus' Orphan Camera manuals
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.
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