Bessa Mont St-Michel (MF Voigtländer Bessa II / Pancro)

            Mont St Michel, Normandy France, Summer 2022.
View from above on this fabulous iconic castle.

Voigtländer Bessa II (6x9) rangefinder folder, ca 1954
with Color-Heliar f/3.5, 105mm
Bergger Pancro 400
Bergger PMK, 1+2+100, 18' @ 20C (with 5' prewash)

Nikon Coolscan 9000 ED

This is a very primitive camera, even if it was in the super-premium class back in the day.  The viewfinder is just terrible, although it does offer in-finder focusing, and there is no double-exposure prevention either as was found in contemporaneous cameras like the Retina. Each shot requires a hand cocking of the shutter beforehand.  Frames are advanced by peering into the orange-hued sight window. Metering ... are you kidding?

On the other hand the coated optics are crazy sharp edge-to-edge and more than contrasty enough for color or mono. The build quality is simply outstanding. 

The biggest factor for me is that it's just such a joy to use this antique gem almost 70 years later and get such amazing results and better, in such a huge, film-gobbling format.  This photo scans out at 106 MP, at 4,000 dpi.

Zoom in twice for details.  The TIFFs are even better.... despite the heavy Pancro grain, you can make out many of the types of shoes people are wearing.
   

Some rights reserved

Taken on: August 6, 2022

Tags:

H2208A

Voigtländer

Mont Saint-Michel

Bessa II

Pancro

120

medium format

6X9

monochrome

black and white

self-developed

Bergger

France

Harald Philipp

bellows camera

antique camera

rangefinder

people

aerial

folding camera

island

castle

bridge

medieval « less

Sets appears in: • Caught on Film • Misc film stocks more » • Black and White • Self Developed • Medium Format • Beaches « less

Groups appears in: • beach lovers. . . • Globetrekkers more » • Vintage Camera Photography • Voigtlander • B&W • Rangefinder Cameras • Medium Format (120/220 film only) • Water... Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, Creeks • Grain is Good • No Photoshop Here • Analog Photography • analog • White and Black Photography • Analogue Photography • Aerial pictures • Flickr B&W • The Film Group • Black and White Film • 120 • *Inspirational Travel Photos • Outdoor Photography • TRAVEL Photography! • B+W • I Love Film • _B&W_ • Film is not Dead!! • Europe analogue • B/W ... the world in black and white • Swiss Photographers • Art in Black and White • A Better B&W Group • We travel the World • Vintage Camera Museum • White/Black • Black and White (Photography) • GeoTravel FotoLogues • Medium Format Flickr • "IQ" - Image Quality • "Black and White Unlimited" • Vintage Analogue • FlickrCentral With No Posting Limit • Long Live FILM - a worldwide revolution • NO color • film's dead, but it just won't lie down • Analog Soul • Paths and People • ***Flickr Global • Classic Film Shooters • Black and White Photography Art • Black & White Done Right !. • Upgrade to Film • Why I Love Medium Format - Film Only • Medium And Large Format Masters • Aspiring Street Photographers • The Best of Black & White ☯ • The Street Photograph (Black and White Street Photography) • ` FLICKR ´ • BUY FILM NOT MEGAPIXELS • MUNDO ANALÓGICO / Analog world • BUY 120 FILM! • Film/ Analog/ Photography • I heart film! (Analogue Love!) • Analog Rangefinders! • Film Love <3 • Architecture, Landscape and Cities images / Archiref.com • Classical Black & White • My time behind the lens No 30/60 limits • no edit or touch up photos no professional photographers • Black white and grey • PBWA - Photography By Wandering About • Grauzone • We love cameras • THE B&W GURUS (No 30/60 Limit) • Travel Photography - Through the eyes of the world • This is Why I Bought A Camera • True Grain • Home Darkroom • Bergger Pancro 400 • FLICKR INTERNATIONAL - No 30/60 Groups Limit • ~Attention Worthy - No 30/60 Limit « less

Camera: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 9000 ED (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 9000 ED
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 23.4 (Windows)
Show full info

Stats: 8,821 views / 8 comments