Shutter issue Voigtlander Bessa 66

Agulliver · Apr 12, 2021

I've taken delivery of a Voigtlander Bessa 66...in good visual condition and of course described as working in the ebay auction.

But the shutter is slow on speeds below 1/100 sec. I find that it's fine if I apply a little pressure to the cocking level in the direction of travel. Is there any simple fix without taking the lens/shutter apart?

thuggins · Apr 12, 2021

You can try using a small paint brush to apply some lighter fluid to the slot where the cocking lever fits. This can work on shutters that aren't "too" gummed up.

But cleaning the shutter on this camera (and similar folders) is very easy. The assembly is held on by one retaining ring that is very easy to remove on a 6x6. The glass usually comes out easily as will the face plate. You don't even need to remove the cam plate in most instances to do a thorough flush clean.

Dan Daniel · Apr 12, 2021

Agulliver said:
Is there any simple fix without taking the lens/shutter apart?

Probably not. Try a little lighter fluid in the slot as mentioned above

You need to remove the glass before going deeper. Put the lens at infinity focus and take notes and photos of how things align- the lens name leterring with the stop tab on the shutter block, etc. You'll need to get everything back in the same setting, or need to reset infinity focus, etc. And when you unscrew the focus ring, watch those screws- amazingly small!

So get the focus ring off, then get the front element off, then the second element. Remove the glass from the back. Now you can open up the shutter and do some better degreasing and such. I'll keep it vague here because if you know you know, and if you don't there isn't room to explain it here.

Agulliver · Apr 12, 2021

Thanks! I do have some lighter fluid knocking around the garage so I'll give that a go tomorrow. It's close to working, a small bit of pressure on the lever and it all works so with luck the fluid will help.

dxqcanada · Apr 12, 2021

Best to open it up and clean components.
Flushing with Zippo will just move the crap around to other places.
Trust me ... I know from experience.

I suggest: https://learncamerarepair.com/

Grim Tuesday · Apr 12, 2021

Yep, agree with @dxqcanada - the lighter fluid dissolves the grease...and then redeposits it when the lighter fluid evaporates. Should be taken apart, shutter blades and gears cleaned, and put back together.

MattKing · Apr 12, 2021

Considering how good those cameras can be, I'd suggest the more detailed approach.
From my "Baby" Bessa:

thuggins · Apr 14, 2021

If you do disassembly it, note that the focus adjustment isn't like most folders (assuming your model has the hinged filter holder). There are no set screws for fine rotation of the focus scale. You have to get it close with shims. The helicoid has a six lead thread; the fine adjustment is done by engaging the correct lead. You have a one in six chance of getting it right the first time, so plan on some trial and error.

Agulliver · Apr 14, 2021

Well the lighter fluid helped a but but it's still not firing at 1/10 or below. I really don't trust myself to take it apart so I am faced with either sending it back or getting a quote for a repair. I know my local shop will repair it, but at a fair cost of course. I like giving them business but.....it was advertised as working.

Dan Daniel · Apr 14, 2021

What's the lens on the Baby Bessa? And is the frame counter system working? Bellows not leaking? If everything but the shutter is in good shape, then the shutter cleaning might be worth it, depending on what you paid. I'd run a roll and see if you like the results, then decide.

Or just send it back and find another one. The automatic frame spacing is nice on the Baby Bessas compared to many other common folders, but there are a lot of 6x6 folders out there.

Agulliver · Apr 14, 2021

I paid £32 for it plus postage. I don't think this one has any frame counter system other than the red window. The lens is the Skopar I think, 75mm f3.5 in a Prontor II shutter. The bellows look intact and I am on exposure 10 of 12 in a test film.

The seller has offered me a 50% discount so I could take it for £16 and investigate a repair....assuming the higher shutters speeds are OK it's still usable but I had intended to use it at 1/10s inside a dark music club once things like that restart.

Auer · Apr 14, 2021

Agulliver said:
I paid £32 for it plus postage. I don't think this one has any frame counter system other than the red window. The lens is the Skopar I think, 75mm f3.5 in a Prontor II shutter. The bellows look intact and I am on exposure 10 of 12 in a test film.

The seller has offered me a 50% discount so I could take it for £16 and investigate a repair....assuming the higher shutters speeds are OK it's still usable but I had intended to use it at 1/10s inside a dark music club once things like that restart.

At the discounted price it's worth fixing, if otherwise in good shape.
These are great pocket camera's, I love my Bessa 46.

MattKing · Apr 14, 2021

Show us a couple of pictures of it - we might be able to give you some suggestions about which model you have

Agulliver · Apr 15, 2021

The test film I ran through it confirms that the higher shutter speeds are OK. I've attached a few photos. I think it's a fairly early model, with the hinged yellow filter missing - you can see where it was once attached. Otherwise it's in excellent cosmetic condition and everything else works nicely.

dxqcanada · Apr 16, 2021

Yeah, common broken off hinged filter ... I had a later Bessa with same lost yellow filter.

https://voigtlander.pagesperso-orange.fr/anglais/bessa4666tousA.htm

Dan Daniel · Apr 17, 2021

That's an early Baby Bessa. Later ones have a chrome top plate assembly with automatic frame spacing. Not integrated to the shutter release; you hit a button to wind on. And the viewfinder is moved to the far right end, a small optical tunnel.

On later models, I think the basic system was the Heliar lens had a Compur-Rapid shutter, the Skopar had a Compur, and the ??Voigtar?? triplet had the Prontor shutter. Sorry, I forget the name of the Voigtlander triplet. I don't know how this broke down on earlier models like yours.

gone · Apr 17, 2021

Do you really need anything below 1/10? Unless you plan on using the camera on a tripod (which is not the usual usage for a tiny pocket folder, but you can), your camera will probably never need it. I had one like yours w/ a Heliar lens. Took great photos!

Agulliver · Apr 18, 2021

I need 1/10 as I can hand hold at that speed, and part of my intended use is in a dim jazz club where I used to use my stolen Ikonta. At the moment nothing under 1/100 is working reliably, 1/50 is sometimes working. It does look like the tripod screw has never been used. I just happen to prefer the older version with the pop up viewfinder, and it's similar age to the Ikonta.

It's certainly a nice camera which I would use quite a lot as I don't have any other 6x6 folder. Practical, pocketable, light and with enough aperture/shutter settings to be useful in almost all conditions.

Anyway it's with my local friendly repair shop for a free estimate.

Dan Daniel · Apr 18, 2021

The viewfinder your camera has must be nice in a nightclub. No glass, simple and as bright as the rest of the room. The later model's little squinty tube viewfinder would be very dim in such conditions.

How do you deal with frame numbers when winding in the dark? Do you need a light, or is there enough ambient if you turn the camera the right way?

Shutter issue Voigtlander Bessa 66

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