What films WORK in 1930s Voigtlander Bessa RF?

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ssakoian

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Hi Everyone -

here is something I found out the hard way. My vintage RF and Ektar 100 are not compatible! The numbers for the film do not line up with the windows on the back of the camera - the number on the film is closer to the top of the camera, and above the window. I found this out after I had no numbers showing in the left hand window of the camera, and ran the whole roll of Ektar through it.

I have found Portra 400 worked nicely in it.

What have YOU found that works and does not work? I sure hate wasting film!
 
ssakoian said:
Hi Everyone -

here is something I found out the hard way. My vintage RF and Ektar 100 are not compatible! The numbers for the film do not line up with the windows on the back of the camera - the number on the film is closer to the top of the camera, and above the window. I found this out after I had no numbers showing in the left hand window of the camera, and ran the whole roll of Ektar through it.

I have found Portra 400 worked nicely in it.

What have YOU found that works and does not work? I sure hate wasting film!
Click to expand...
This picture was taken on Ektar 100
Frampton Country Fair 2012 by John Hancock, on Flickr
by this camera
Voigtlander Bessa Rangefinder with chrome trim by John Hancock, on Flickr

Is the position of the red windows different on yours ?
 
I got this reply from Kodak three weeks ago:

"The 645 and 6x6 tracks are aligned to the ISO standard. They should be visible in any camera window.

We are in the process of printing backing paper with an added frame number track for Voigtlander Bessa 6x9 cameras".
 
JPD said:
I got this reply from Kodak three weeks ago:

"The 645 and 6x6 tracks are aligned to the ISO standard. They should be visible in any camera window.

We are in the process of printing backing paper with an added frame number track for Voigtlander Bessa 6x9 cameras".
Click to expand...
JPD said:
Your rolls are probably from before Kodak changed the backing paper (or at least the printing on it).
Click to expand...
Ah, thank you, that makes sense. Better check my next purchase of Ektar 100 in that camera !
 
citizen99 said:
Ah, thank you, that makes sense. Better check my next purchase of Ektar 100 in that camera !
Click to expand...

My camera's windows do look like the back of yours, but I couldn't see any numbers through the windows, so it does seem as if it is true that Kodak changed the printing. My RF is ca. 1935. This makes me wonder if there will be problems with Ektar for my other medium format film cameras. What a waste of money.

On an upnote, I put in a roll of Fuji Pro 400H and the numbers do align with the red windows.

What other films have you used in the RF?
 
ssakoian said:
My camera's windows do look like the back of yours, but I couldn't see any numbers through the windows, so it does seem as if it is true that Kodak changed the printing. My RF is ca. 1935. This makes me wonder if there will be problems with Ektar for my other medium format film cameras. What a waste of money.

On an upnote, I put in a roll of Fuji Pro 400H and the numbers do align with the red windows.

What other films have you used in the RF?
Click to expand...
I also used Portra 400 as far back as 2010 and 2012, and Portra 160 as recently as 2015. All were in-date stock, but obviously manufactured a significant time before use.

I've also found this earlier thread
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156146
And
https://www.flickr.com/groups/67377471@N00/discuss/72157673126698125/
 
I have just sent a Bessa 6x9 VF camera back to a friend after cleaning it up, and he found the same thing, number don't line up - they do a bit if you wind the roll to the end then wind it backwards.
 
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