Voigtlander Bessa

[rockpowered]

Any one here spent anytime shooting a Bessa L. I just got a New Old Stock L that looks like it's been in the box since 2001. Spooling up the first roll the advance is slipping under the tension of the film. Is there anyway to overcome this other than sending it for repair. I'm not afraid to fix it myself but, I can't find any real information on what to do. I figured that shooting 24 instead of 36 exposure rolls might lessen the chance of a jam.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Didn't you already posted about this?

I'll suggest you send it for repair.
Even a new camera that hasn't worked for over a decade will have its problems.
Any camera will have problems from abuse as well as not using them.
Regular use is the best to avoid problems.

 

[rockpowered]

I did post about this in the repair subforum. I figured rangefinder folks might have actually shot this beast. To be clear it's not worth repairing even NOS. It's a mostly plastic body/gears thats worth far less than the cost/effort. I don't have a problem investing in a CLA for a quality camera thats more substantial. It's also further my understanding that this is more of a manufacturing defect and likely to reoccur. I was curious to possible work arounds.

 

[John Koehrer]

This's in the archive here.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[rockpowered]

Yes, thanks I was aware of that and had messaged him directly as well as responding to that thread hoping for a bit more detail

 

[blockend]

I shoot an L regularly but (touch wood!) haven't had slippage problems. The Bessa L is supposed to be prone to locking up if you press the shutter before the film is fully advanced, so ensure you throw the lever right over first.

 

[rockpowered]

What's your favourite lens? I bought mine with the Heliar 15mm and it's seems awesome but have yet to complete a roll with it.

 

[blockend]

I only have the Industar 61 50mm for it, which I use in conjunction with the Voigtlander Kontur viewfinder. I don't like ultra-wide angle lenses.

 

[rockpowered]

Your a bold shooter to shoot zone focus on a 50

 

[John Koehrer]

Shouldn't be problem zone focusing a 50. In the day of the folders rangefinder equipped cameras were'nt common but FL of 100+mm were

 

[blockend]

Your a bold shooter to shoot zone focus on a 50

I'm happy to shoot zone focus down to f2.8. On my folding medium format cameras there's no alternative, it's just a matter of learning to judge distances. From f8 there's sufficient DOF so long as you're aware of the general zone of focus, and the Kontur finder does away with distracting frames making it as fast as anything available.

 

[rockpowered]

To be fair, on many of these folders the glass and shutters were slow and it was going to be shot on a tripod anyway, in which case shooting zone is easily accomplished. Handholding a 35 seems more daunting. The Kontur finder seems really interesting, might just have to pick one up.