Seems like the interest in old cameras is growing.
We came across this Voigtlander Bessamatic in a “collectables” shop. It was at the bottom of a pile of cameras, most indifferent plastic things. When I say a “pile”, it was literally that. Honestly, if they want to sell this stuff, they need to display it properly.
This thing is a beast. It feels like it was carved out of a block of metal, and is just as heavy. There are lots of little things sticking out to catch on. And (the thing that actually attracted me) when you move one knob or dial, lots of things spring into action, including a quite nifty depth-of-field indicator. This camera also played host to the first variable focal lens zoom lens, though I can’t actually afford one of those.
The film transport was jammed, and the shutter wouldn’t fire. The light meter was not working. But it looked so good!
Once home, a bit of minor maintenance got the things working again, and it could take pictures! Admittedly, there are still problems. There is a lot of dust in the prism, and the shutter sticks about every five or six shots, though a bit of percussive maintenance makes it work again. So, I ordered a set of docs from Ebay about fixing these up. They are frighteningly complex.
Anyway, a stroll around the docks and some trial shots show potential. Considering this thing probably hasn’t taken a photo since the early 1970s, these aren’t too bad.