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Condition: Excellent
Voigtlander Bessamatic 35mm SLR (Faulty)
Excellent cosmetic condition, but please note that the shutter speeds are erratic and not accurate
Supplied with slip on flash shoe
Color-Skopar 50mm f2.8
General Voigtlander Bessamatic Information
The Bessamatic was launched by Voigtländer in 1959, a few years after the 1953 Contaflex and the 1957 Retina Reflex, all from Germany. This is by far the biggest and heaviest of these three leaf-shuttered SLR cameras, at more than 2 lbs. or 0.935kg. The late arrival at the market has helped Voigtländer improve the ergonomic design taking advantage of previous designs. Nevertheless, it has all the shortcomings found on these cameras, the finder blackout after exposure and the limited range of interchangeable lenses.
The Bessamatic is easy to handle and the controls are sound and reliable. The shutter is the behind the lens SLR Synchro-Compurand part of the DKL-mount, as found on its fellow competitors, with the EV cross-coupled shutter speed and aperture rings. The viewfinder is bright and the focusing screen has a split image rangefinder, probably the same as found in contemporary Contaflex cameras. The focusing ring is at the front of the lens. The selenium meter cell window is above the lens, in front of the finder prism where it out of the way for light-obstructing fingers. The light meter needle is visible to the right in the viewfinder, as is a follower pointer with a small circle at the tip. They are easily brought to coincide using the large aperture-control knob under the smaller rewind knob.
The camera has a sturdy wind-on lever at the right-hand side with a flimsy film reminder in the hub. Next to it is the shutter release and the rewind release lever. At the left-hand side is the rewind knob at top of the large aperture knob. A small lever on the left-hand side of the shutter housing have settings for M and X flash synchronisation, as well as V for self-timer, shifted when a small button is depressed on the opposite side of the shutter housing.
The camera back is opened by pushing two small latch buttons against each other using two fingers. The rewind knob is fully extended to load the film cassette. The only quite unusually odd thing about this camera is the frame counter, not the readout itself situated quite conveniently at the back, - below the wind-on lever, but the way in which it is reset. To set it, the film advance sprocket drum, next to the take-up spool, must be turned, using the thumb at the ridged middle part until reaching the desired number. It is difficult, time consuming and not very practical. Otherwise, the interior is beautifully finished and the film easily loaded.
The lenses available for the Bessamatic is quite comprehensive, ranging from 35mm to 350mm and considered being of superior quality, but rather expensive second hand, since not easily found. The Bessamatic is often associated with the first 35mm zoom lens, the 36 to 82mm f/2.8 Zoomar made by the Zoomar Corporation of USA.
Camera House Price: £35.00
The Voigtlander Bessamatic 35mm SLR (Faulty) is shown in Cameras > Vintage Camera.
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Delivery will be made by Royal Mail, you will be able to track your order online to find your scheduled delivery date. Any deliveries scheduled to arrive on the Saturday or Bank Holiday will be delivered the following working day. We aim to dispatch your order within 24 hours of the time the order has been placed.
Looking after your camera
Use a Camera Bag
A camera bag does more than just protect the camera against scratches and dust: It keeps it safe from rain because many are waterproof on the outside.
Be Very Careful Around the LCD Screen and Camera Lens
Use only special equipment to clean your camera’s LCD screen and camera lens. Buy a special cleaning kit that includes liquid solutions, microfiber cloths and brushes that have been specially designed to clean your camera lens.
Never Leave Your Batteries in Your Camera for Too Long
Many camera batteries are now alkaline or lithium formats. If you keep your camera with the batteries inside of it in a moist area, then the batteries can get corrosive. So if you’re thinking about just putting your camera on the shelf for several months, do yourself a favor and remove them.
Turn Your Camera Off Prior to Doing Anything
Before you do anything to your camera, always keep in mind that it should be turned off first. No matter what it is—swapping lenses, changing memory cards or disconnecting or attaching cables—your camera should be turned off.
Cold and Wet Weather Can Wreak Havoc on Your Camera Body
Take your camera out only in a waterproof bag. If the weather’s unusually cold, just wrap your camera in a plastic bag that has silica desiccant packets for the reduction of moisture. It’s also a smart idea to have a soft towel with you to wipe off any moisture, just in case it should get on your camera.
Good Memory Card Care Is Good Camera Care
Only transport your memory cards inside of a protective caseMake sure the memory cards stay dust-free at all times. When removing memory cards, make sure you do so indoors or in non-dusty situations.
Make sure that you keep memory cards only in cool places. Never keep them in places where they may heat up, like dashboards or glove compartments.
Never place your memory cards close to magnetic sources. Examples of magnetic sources are things such as audio speakers, TV monitors and actual magnets.
Use a Filter to Protect Your Camera Lens
The lens of your camera is naturally fragile. As such, it’s susceptible to scratches, cracks, dents…you name it. A UV filter will not only will you give your lens a fighting chance, but you’ll also enhance the quality of your pictures.
Condensation Can Be Controlled
Condensation normally happens when you move your camera between different temperatures.
Allow your camera a chance to naturally get used to the hotter environment. Don’t place it inside a closed plastic bag when transporting it between different temperatures! Just let the camera sit in the humid temperature for a while, until condensation disappears.
If this still doesn’t get rid of all of it, you can utilize a soft cloth to wipe away any remaining moisture and marks left behind from the condensation.
