Rangefinder Bessa

1936

Voigtländer & Sohn

Braunschweig

Germany

Lens:

f3.5, 10.5 cm Skopar, iris diaphragm to f22. Serial no. 1076857 .

Shutter:

Compur Rapid speeded 1 - 1/400, B, T. Delayed action. Serial no. 5238471.

Construction:

Leatherette covered metal body, leather bellows.

Format:

8, 2 ¼" x 3 ¼" exposures on 120 roll-film or 16, 2 ¼" x 1 ¾" exposures.

Focusing:

Bellows to 3 feet.

Attributes:

Coupled rangefinder giving double image. Optical eye-level finder with mask for 16-on.
Film-advance indicated by red window, not coupled to shutter.
Depth of field scale. Hinged yellow filter.

Serial Number:

H578375 .

With:

Focar 65 close-up lens in pouch.; 16-on mask.; Cable release.; Instructions.; Box.

After the strangely designed Prominent, Voigtländer produced a rangefinder model based on its Bessa range. The camera was well designed and easy to use but lacked the solid feel of competitors such as the Super-Ikonta. Different lenses were available, all of f3.5: Helomar, Skopar, Heliar. The design on the shutter front varies between models.

The Rangefinder Bessa was reasonably priced at £18.15.0 (in 1938), being roughly that of the equivalent Ensign and ⅔ that of the Super-Ikonta.

References & Notes:

BJA 1937, pp. 246, 520.; Minit&Cine, 1938, p. 79.; Minit&Cine, 1939, p. 154.

Early Photography