Voigtlander Bessa T 101

[Bendemolina]

Hello,
I recently purchased the Voigtlander Bessa T Heliar 101 edition and hoping someone can help me. I am new to photography and have never used a rangefinder camera before. I am in Japan and do not have good enough Japanese to ask the right questions.

So far, I have been unable to get a good, sharp clear picture at any distance and from a range of settings. Nothing is in focus, and everything is in varying degrees of soft and blurry. The photos do not have the crispness that I was expecting. On a bright, sunny day with 100ISO film, I set the camera to f16/125x with film setting at 100 and everything was blurred. Wondering if it was something incorrect in my focussing, on a second roll of film I purposefully off-centered the focus but it didn't appear to make any difference in the prints. I have also experimented with faster speeds and smaller apertures but the results remain the same.

I appreciate it's difficult to help over the internet, but I was hoping you could tell me if there are any obvious suggestions or solutions that I am not aware of. What am I doing wrong?

The camera was second hand but in excellent condition, I believe.

Thank you!
😕

 

[Ken Ford]

I have to ask - did you fully extend and lock the lens? (I assume you have the collapsible Heliar.)

 

[Ken Ford]

My bad - I forgot to say "welcome".

Welcome!

 

[Dougg]

Odd, I thought I'd responded to this... Anyway, welcome to RFF! And I think Ken has hit the nail on the head; honestly not an uncommon error with collapsible lenses! Also akin to snapping the inner surfaces of your lens cap. 😀

 

[simonankor]

I'm sure everyone does it sometime!

 

[Ken Ford]

Those collapsible Heliars are reputed to be *great* lenses! I had a T for a few years, but not a 101 - nice camera.

 

[fgianni]

Welcome to the forum.

I think Ken gave the right answer, let us know if it works, you certainly got a nice camera and lens there.

I'm sure everyone does it sometime!

Not true, I never do it, probably the fact that I don't own any collapsible lens may have something to do with it. 😀
About lens cap photography OTOH I can definitely define myself an expert.😉

 

[pbjbike]

Are you focusing first using the rangefinder? With the Bessa T, you must focus using the rangefinder, (small window on the camera body), then compose using the external finder on top of the camera.

Cheers

 

[Bendemolina]

on extending the lens

on extending the lens

Thanks so much for your quick replies and for making me feel very welcome!

I thought I fully extended the lens (on the second try😱 ), but I didn't hear a click/snap or anything to indicate that it had "locked in". Am I extending it right? Is there a particular way to do this?

I'll attach a photo, just to indicate what I mean.

Thanks again.🙂

 

[ray_g]

There is no click or snap. You just pull the lens out, then turn clockwise (if you are facing the front of the camera). If you are already doing this, you may need to see if the rangefinder is out of alignment.

 

[Bendemolina]

extension of lens

extension of lens

Thank you. I believe I may have been extending the lens without the final turn at the end. i really hope it's as simple as that!😀

 

[pbjbike]

Make sure you have adjusted the diopter on the rangefinder eyepiece. If mine is in the minus range, I cannot focus accurately.

 

[Bendemolina]

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you all so much!

I just had my fifth roll of film developed and I finally have photos that are so sharp they're almost surreal. The problem, as I'd half expected, was me (what a relief! !'m a lot easier to fix than a lens!). I was extending the lens but not completely "locking" it in. Problem solved.😀

Thank for your kind advice. You gave me the simple advice I needed, without making me feel simple!🙂

 

[Ken Ford]

Woohoo!!!!

 

[captainslack]

I think everyone who's had a collaspible lens has had this problem. I know I did! 😀

 

[ray_g]

Now let's see some of those pictures. 😉