My new budget folder... Bessa II...

[valdas]

This is my new purchase, paid 220 eur, very nice condition, all speeds sound fine, focusing also seems to be ok (need to test with fim). Came with leather case, filter, hood, seconic L8 meter, zeiss flash....
What do you think, decent deal?

 

[OlliL]

Deal!

Enjoy this fine camera and when you get tired of it,
I'll take it off your hands for the same price. 😉

 

[rhl-oregon]

Let's see what it can do (which should be splendid if the Skopar is in good shape). But that sounds like a very good price for all that swag tossed in too.

 

[valdas]

Let's see what it can do (which should be splendid if the Skopar is in good shape). But that sounds like a very good price for all that swag tossed in too.

The price is probably not related to any hidden faults. A lady was selling her late father's camera, she said he bought it in 50ies. But yes, I am impatient to run a roll through it... I don't expect Rolleiflex quality, but still... Nice to have 6x9 finally...

 

[kuzano]

Make sure to load tight

Make sure to load tight

The price is probably not related to any hidden faults. A lady was selling her father's camera, she said he bought it in 50ies. But yes, I am impatient to run a roll through it... I don't expect Rolleiflex quality, but still... Nice to have 6x9 finally...

Some tips on that LOOONG frame opening.

Be sure the film is stretched tight across the back of the camera, to avoid mid roll jams and assist with proper frame spacing throughout the roll. Of course the ruby window is your best bet there. I do not recall if the II has film count and stop, so a tight load will facilitate proper frame spacing in either scenario.

I always leave my last shot of the day uncocked and not moved ahead to the next shot. Reasons:

1) advancing the frame just before shooting assists in a flat film across the film opening.
2) Not that it's a big item, but the camera is not stored cocked.
3) Alleviates dust on the film if the film is freshly forward just before shooting.
4) Don't allow the door to snap open, Assist it open and into the locked position. Easier on the strut assembly.

Common tips for folders, particularly 6X9, of which the most important tip is the tight load upon closing the camera when new roll is inserted.

Capable of some incredible images. I had a Bessa I with the Color Skopar, Compur shutter and the 645 mask (dual format). Amazing pics.😀

 

[valdas]

Thanks for those tips kuzano. I used to own Zeiss Ikon folder, so most of it I still remember 🙂

 

[Thomas78]

I think it is a very decent deal!

I like the front cell focusing Color Skopar at my Perkeo IIIE and the unit focusing version is for sure not worse.

Some tips on that LOOONG frame opening.

Be sure the film is stretched tight across the back of the camera, to avoid mid roll jams and assist with proper frame spacing throughout the roll. Of course the ruby window is your best bet there. I do not recall if the II has film count and stop, so a tight load will facilitate proper frame spacing in either scenario.

The Bessa II has neighter a film counter nor a double exposure prevention as the shutter is operated with a leaver in the door.

 

[pb908]

agree on the tips to wind film just before shoot. Takes a discipline to do it in a routine way so i don't loose film count. I had both skopar (in the past) and still keep heliar. Both are great performer. Congrats for your new acquisition.
Becareful with all leather (strap of the body camera on the right side), i broke mine and the camera dropped to the floor. Lucky that the lens cover was closed and it really build like a tank!

 

[Vickko]

That's a great deal. The lenses on the Bessa II are phenomenal, and the fight between Color Skopar and Heliar (most expensive) is like the fight between Planar and Xenotar in Rollei land.

The 6x9cm negative will blow your socks off.

Just remember that the film advance and shutter aren't interlocked. It takes discipline to avoid double exposures or blank wasted shots.

 

[GaryLH]

Congrats. Bessa 2 one of my all time favorite folders. Left hand shutter release takes some practice.. I always felt the voigtlander lenses were just as good if not better than their Zeiss counterparts back..

Have fun w/ it.
Gary

 

[Vickko]

Correction, Heliar is more expensive.

APO Lanthar Bessa II is most expensive ($8K now).

And no idea how good the APO Lanthar lens is.

.... Color Skopar and Heliar (most expensive).....

 

[valdas]

UPDATE:

I have run a test roll through, I really did not have good testing conditions with decent light, just made a few pictures in an artificial light with long exposure (1/5 s, f4.0). Surely it is not as sharp as my Rolleiflex, but I feel I'm gonna like it...
Good news is that focus is accurate, exposure speeds as well...

 

[OlliL]

I like it. 🙂

 

[loirsun]

Congratulations! Very decent price for a bessa II with accessories filter and hood.

 

[kuzano]

It's pretty darn good...

It's pretty darn good...

Correction, Heliar is more expensive.

APO Lanthar Bessa II is most expensive ($8K now).

And no idea how good the APO Lanthar lens is.

Kicks A__ on the Color Skopar AND the Heliar.

There is a fellow posting here who has the APO Lanthar and has posted a number of images. Quite good.

 

[joeswe]

Congratulations, I think that is a good price for this sought-after folder. The quality of finish and lenses is great, but generally QC at Voigtländer was only so-so, in case you get results that leave room for improvement, it might be necessary to recollimate the lens correctly. At least that was the case with my Bessa II, where infinity was slightly off.

The three different lenses on the Bessa II are really interesting as they have a distinctly different character. Additionally, it seems that there are production variations of the Heliar; there is supposed to be a distinct difference between earlier and later models. I cannot corroborate this from personal experience as I only own one of them (early model Heliar). But there is an nice article available on the web that treats these difference in detail. Unfortunately it is written in Italian and I understand only half and have to guess the rest, but it still makes for an interesting read.

 

[rhl-oregon]

Glad to see this result. Beautiful boy, and the IQ of that exposure must be reassuring to you.

UPDATE:

I have run a test roll through, I really did not have good testing conditions with decent light, just made a few pictures in an artificial light with long exposure (1/5 s, f4.0). Surely it is not as sharp as my Rolleiflex, but I feel I'm gonna like it...
Good news is that focus is accurate, exposure speeds as well...

 

[shortstop]

UPDATE: I have run a test roll through, I really did not have good testing conditions with decent light, just made a few pictures in an artificial light with long exposure (1/5 s, f4.0). Surely it is not as sharp as my Rolleiflex, but I feel I'm gonna like it... Good news is that focus is accurate, exposure speeds as well...

Very nice photo.
I like shooting in home. I possess a perkeo II and my favourite 6x9 is Welta Weltur (I'nm searching one on ebay), but Bessa II is the top. the price is less than the half of current quotations.
Can you show us other photos?
Antonio

 

[shortstop]

Congratulations, I think that is a good price for this sought-after folder. The quality of finish and lenses is great, but generally QC at Voigtländer was only so-so, in case you get results that leave room for improvement, it might be necessary to recollimate the lens correctly. At least that was the case with my Bessa II, where infinity was slightly off. The three different lenses on the Bessa II are really interesting as they have a distinctly different character. Additionally, it seems that there are production variations of the Heliar; there is supposed to be a distinct difference between earlier and later models. I cannot corroborate this from personal experience as I only own one of them (early model Heliar). But there is an nice article available on the web that treats these difference in detail. Unfortunately it is written in Italian and I understand only half and have to guess the rest, but it still makes for an interesting read.

Thanks for the link to the article. this time I benefited from the language...
Antonio

 

[valdas]

Very nice photo.
I like shooting in home. I possess a perkeo II and my favourite 6x9 is Welta Weltur (I'nm searching one on ebay), but Bessa II is the top. the price is less than the half of current quotations.
Can you show us other photos?
Antonio

well, i don't have many photos scanned from this folder, but here is one: