Manual for a Bessa 66 (46)

[Spider67]

Hi,

I decided after years of negelect to use my Bessa 66 again......alas I can't load ist properly as there is a mechanism preventing double exposures :bang: .....perhaps one of you has a Bessa 66 or 46 (1938-1940 and 1945-1950) and can "walk" me through?
Thanks in advance!
Greetings from Vienna
Des

 

[AZPhotog]

You could try the BUTKUS site -- he may or may not have information on this model

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/index.html

 

[Dan Daniel]

On the 46's I've had, there is a counter advance button near the counter window. And with the back open, one of the silver rollers on each side of the film gate is what drives the counter. You can open the back and rotate the roller. Try rotating the roller in the direction it would move with film in. See if it moves the counter and/or releaes the shutter lock.

I don't remember the exact details, but once you get a handle on the order to push the button and the shutter release it should make sense. As I remember, set the counter to 0, load film and wind until 1 is in the window, then slide the button to get the counter to move to 1, then the camera takes care of the rest.

 

[Spider67]

Thanks!

I'll give it another try!

Have a nice sunday!

 

[hanskerensky]

You might have a look at the text written underneath this Flick image. The author explains there how to operate the double exposure prevention :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95742794@N05/30999546760/


Have fun with your Bessa !

 

[summar]

Hello Spider: I found a fine working Bessa 66 at a flea market many years ago. I couldn't find a manual for it online and finally found out how to work it by lengthy trial and error. Amother forum member had the same trouble long ago, so I typed out a personal set of complete instructions and forwarded it to him. (No manual on Mike Butkus' site.)
The instructions are still on my hard drive -- so if you like, send me a PM and I'll reply with the instructions attached as a PDF.

 

[CheyenneMorrison]

Bessa 46 instruction manual

Bessa 46 instruction manual

I know that response if from 2008, but if you have instructions for using the Bessa 46/66 that would be amazing.

I have two versions of the manual, the English one is quite basic. The German one is detailed with 24 pages, but all in German.

Please get back to me if you still have the instruction, I have hunted high and low all over the Net, and cannot find a detailed guide in English.

 

[summar]

After 11 years I'm still here! Check your private messages.

 

[davhill]

Hello Spider: I found a fine working Bessa 66 at a flea market many years ago. I couldn't find a manual for it online and finally found out how to work it by lengthy trial and error. Amother forum member had the same trouble long ago, so I typed out a personal set of complete instructions and forwarded it to him. (No manual on Mike Butkus' site.)
The instructions are still on my hard drive -- so if you like, send me a PM and I'll reply with the instructions attached as a PDF.

Any chance you can send those Bessa 66 instructions to Mike Butkus? He might publish them in lieu of an actual manual ... and make them far more accessible than the happenstance of finding you on this forum.

 

[summar]

Hi Davhill, I just checked the Voigtlander section on Mike's site and found he had listed "Voigtlander Baby Bessa 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 (need to scan)". This would be a scan of the original manual with illustrations -- a lot easier to follow than my instructions, which have no illustrations!

 

[davhill]

Hi Davhill, I just checked the Voigtlander section on Mike's site and found he had listed "Voigtlander Baby Bessa 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 (need to scan)". This would be a scan of the original manual with illustrations -- a lot easier to follow than my instructions, which have no illustrations!

So ... I've asked Mike if he might push that one into his workflow.

 

[davhill]

So ... I've asked Mike if he might push that one into his workflow.

Mike Butkus sent a scan of his extremely tattered Baby 66 manual. And also provided the following links ...

BB66 Loading instructions from Petralka Classic Cameras .. which also has a wealth of info on Contax and other cameras of the age... https://www.petrakla.com/pages/loading-instructions-for-the-1936-voigtlander-baby-bessa-66

Ita a BB66 manual, but not a factory manual. "One Man's Opinion", from "Willoughby's, apparently an English language importer who needed a manual to sell the new Bessa's?
https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/00701/00701.pdf

 

[CheyenneMorrison]

Manual for Baby Bessa 46/66

Manual for Baby Bessa 46/66

Mike Butkus has the good manual in German, the poor condition one in English, and there is the very basic one which doesn't have much information.

I will use the tatty English manual and add the text to the German copy, and when it's complete give Mike a copy as well as post in the group.

I will make a more detailed shooting guide and add to the group as well.