Bessamatic

1959

Voigtländer & Sohn

Braunschweig

West Germany

Lens:

f2.8, 36 - 82 mm Zoomar, automatic iris diaphragm to f22. Bayonet mount. Serial no. 6690444 .

Shutter:

Synchro-Compur X, speeds 1 - 1/500, B. Delayed action. X, M flash synchronisation. Shutter within camera body.

Construction:

Metal body.

Format:

36, 24 x 36 mm exposures on 35 mm film held in cassette.

Attributes:

Reflex viewing through taking lens. Fixed roof pentaprism finder, split-image and microprism rangefinder focusing screen with Fresnel condenser.
Auto-stop on film advance. Film advance lever tensions the shutter. Film advance and shutter inter-linked for double and blank exposure prevention.
Coupled selenium exposure meter, match needle type. Film setting range: 12 - 36 DIN, 17 - 3200 ASA. Scale for over exposure 1.5 - 5. Needle visible in view-finder. Setting the needle against the index alters the aperture and shutter setting rings.
Exposure counter.

Serial Number:

57817 .

With:

Cable release (AGC). Clip-on accessory shoe.
Filter clamp. Rubber lens hood. Focar B (95 mm diameter).
Tripod adapter. Depth-of-field calculator.
Camera instructions. Zoomar instruction book, German text. Case for Zoomar and camera.

The Zoomar, introduced in 1959, was the first zoom lens to be offered on a still camera. Filters and close-up lenses are screwed into a ring which then clamps over the front of the lens. Accessories for the Zoomar included:

Filter clamp.
5x orange filter.
3x yellow filter.
UV filter.
Focar A and B close-up lenses.
Lens hood.
Tripod adapter.
Depth-of-field calculator.

The depth-of-field calculator shows figures for the Zoomar alone and with Focar A, B and A plus B lenses combined.

The tripod adapter screws to the camera and shifts the centre of gravity when mounted on a tripod.

Code Names:

296/95 - Filter clamp. 305/95 - Rubber lens hood. 304/95 - Focar B. 296/30 - tripod adapter.

References & Notes:

Blue-Book, 1960-61, p. 55. BJA 1961, p. 522. BJA 1962, p. 510.

Early Photography