Re-Furbished Voigtlander Bessa I

[photobizzz]

Well I know this isn't technically a RF, although I do have a Voigtlander external rangefinder on the way to put in the cold shoe of this baby.

There was a scuff in the chrome so I stripped it and polished the brass. The vulcanite was in bad condition, holes here and there and peeling up on the edges. So she was recovered in faux maroon alligator. I have been told this is ugly and out of place. I normally don't like the wilder colors but with the brass I think she is quite sporty!

Anyway just wanted to show off my handi-work. Now just gotta go out and put her to work!

 

[ZeissFan]

Did you lacquer the brass? The camera is cool. Almost looks like one of those polished brass Soviet knockoffs.

I think the original covering is a leather composite. I don't believe Voigtlander used vulcanite -- that was a Leica thing.

 

[photobizzz]

No I didnt lacquer it, just polished it with a compound that comes with a dremel polishing kit and then with mothers metal polish. Yea the original covering was a leather stuff, pretty thin, about .5 mm. Took a good bit of scraping and sanding to get all the glue off. I only paid $124 for the camera off of eBay. The shutter and aperture are perfect but the glass has a chip inside, doesn't affect the photos I was told. I will test it this week to be sure but I don't think the guy was lying. Pretty reputable eBay seller. If I ever get the chance to pick up a new set of lens elements for it I will. I may even re re-cover it at some point. I used a glue that is pretty easy to clean off and doesn't dry hard.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Well, unless you are into polishing your camera every week, you need to put some clear lacquer on the brass. I don't have anything against your choice of covering (different strokes for different folks and all), but either the edges are sticking up (too thick) or some of the color came off of them when you were cutting it. It is important that you get a material that is thin enough and that the color goes all the way through. Like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ITALIAN-Goatski...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a77880ec

BTW, the original covering was not a leather composite but a cellulose leatherette over a thin cloth base. It is very rare, and I assume this has something to do with wartime shortages, but a very few of the wartime Zeiss cameras were made with a covering that seems to be just paint over cloth, with the leather texture molded into the paint. You can tell, because those coverings practically explode into powder with any attempt to remove them. Cellulose leatherette doesn't do that. Anyway, I've only ever seen two of those, both on Nettars.

Edit: No, it isn't a rangefinder, but since we don't have a category for 120 folding cameras that are not rangefinders, most of the threads about them wind up here. Technically, it is a "ranging" camera. You make your best guess about the distance, cross your fingers, and hope that depth of field will compensate for any error. Of course you can use an accessory rangefinder with it too and eliminate nearly all of the error. A lot of people mistakenly call those "zone focusing" cameras, but they are not, really. A zone focusing camera has... well, focusing zones (usually three of them), like the Bessa's "portrait," "gruppe," and "landschaft" zones (portrait, group and landscape).

 

[photobizzz]

Well I have a Voigtlander external rangefinder on the way to use with it, so I wont have to guess. As for the covering I am thinking of recovering it again in black but finding a thin enough material is hard. If I could find some 1mm thick black leather with a bit of texture that would be ideal. Bookbinding leather would great but it is quite expensive. I may look for a leather purse to cut up to use. If anyone has any ideas or materials they could donate or sell I would welcome it.

Thanks for the ideas and info FallisPhoto. BTW I lived in Northern VA for 2.5 years (Alexandria). I loved it, so much to do in the DC area. Traffic sucks but hey I would gladly trade the unlimited photo ops for some traffic. Don't get me wrong Alaska is beautiful but DC fits my photography style much better.

 

[ZeissFan]

That would be Zeiss Ikon cameras, not Zeiss cameras. Not the same thing. Zeiss made lenses but not cameras. Zeiss Ikon made cameras but not lenses.

 

[photobizzz]

Ok, I have not gotten used to the red covering and it was too thick so I found an old laptop case that was made of black vinyl. Not ideal but closer to the right thickness for covering it, and black looks better too. Here she is, now accessorized with a perfectly working Voigtlander external RF, a RFF softie, and Gossen Super Pilot (CDS meter). I think she looks good and have a roll of Fuji Acros 100 loaded in her now. Can't wait to see the shots she can produce!

 

[Ken Smith]

Hey - that's where my RFF softie went too. Instead of the Voigtlander rangefinder I have a Prezia that I use on mine, and my Gossen is the Pilot in the plastic clam shell.

Ken

 

[photobizzz]

Ah yes, the Gossen Pilot (selenium cell) I used to have one, they are actually a great meter. I had to buy a PX625 Wein cell for this Gossen Super Pilot but I think CDS is more accurate. I have a Leica MR4 meter as well that is CDS and takes the same Wein cell.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Ok, I have not gotten used to the red covering and it was too thick so I found an old laptop case that was made of black vinyl. Not ideal but closer to the right thickness for covering it, and black looks better too. Here she is, now accessorized with a perfectly working Voigtlander external RF, a RFF softie, and Gossen Super Pilot (CDS meter). I think she looks good and have a roll of Fuji Acros 100 loaded in her now. Can't wait to see the shots she can produce!

That looks much better, but you still have some of the white fabric base showing around the edges. Can you get a fabric marker, like a Sharpie, and go around the edges, darkening the fabric where it shows? BTW, I just bought a Gossen Super Pilot myself. When I find some time, I'll refurbish it.