My Classic Voigtlander Bessamatic

By Ken Parks, November 24, 2010
Photographer/writer Examiner.com

“Bessy” was my first 35mm camera, and the years of creating artful images bring tears of joy. She was my first camera and there will always be a special place in my heart over the time we shared.

During the summer of 1966, I was introduced to her at Groton Camera store, a place my Dad and I often frequented. She was used but in good condition. I was interested in her streamlined and modern looks, ahead of its time as compared to the bulky Canons and Nikons. My Dad noticed that I had my eye set on this wonderful camera. He must have known that I felt disappointed with the acceptance of not being able to purchase such a newly and relatively modern camera.

In the next moment my Dad had asked the camera store owner to bring the camera out from the glassed in display case. I thought it was a tease to let me hold the camera and feel her smooth shutter release, wind the gears of the film advance and view through her single eye. Time transcended slowly like a mist over a morning lake as I handed the camera back for her grand position in the display. I walked away while my Dad continued his common chatting with the owner. I expressed my desire to learn photography with a wonderful camera, but felt that this was beyond my reach.

My Dad went into negotiation mode with the owner. He was relentless and used his Bronx street debating skills to reduce the price. My Dad turned to me upon the agreed upon price and said, “I'll match dollar for dollar of what you pay. You're just going to have to work for it.” The camera was placed on-hold and I felt a stream of determination.

I was only a sixth grader and had to figure out how to make $65.00 within 90 days. My Dad pointed out that I can establish an entrepreneur approach to my challenge. He suggested that I go door-to-door and sell my services... mowing lawns and doing yard work. I landed several customers within the Field Crest Estates and mowing lawns became my summer business. I worked long hours, sometime cutting up to six lawns per weekend. Each job was $5.00. One has to remember that this was 1966 and minimum wage was less than a dollar per hour. I earned my wages with sweat and determination to purchase her. She was a Voigtlander Bessamatic with a 50mm f/2.8 lens. The camera was German engineered and built, a pleasure to shoot.

Towards the end of the summer, I had accumulated over $65.00 and I made the final payment. I named my newly purchased camera “Bessy.” All along my Dad had a secret. He had purchased the model above the Bessamatic, the Ultramatic and a few lenses that fit both cameras. It was his intention to be my mentor and share the same lenses.

My Dad loved German built cameras, having previously acquired two Rolleis, a Speedgraphic with Linhof lens and a Bolex 16mm movie camera. This was his first German 35mm camera system. The system was enlarged with the acquisition of the famous Zoomar 36-82, f/2.8 lens, the first production zoom lens for any 35mm camera. And a Voigtlander 300mm lens. The Japanese soon copied its lens characteristics. My Dad had a disdain for Japanese photographic equipment ad often referred to them as being inferior to the German quality camera ad lenses.

My Dad always wanted to have a Hasselblad, a medium format camera, but this was well beyond his fiancial resources. The Hasselblad 500 C/M including the lens, backpack, and viewfinder was equivalent to purchasing a new medium sedan of its time.

My Dad had built a lens stock to hold the 300mm lens. I used this setup to shoot sports such as football, track, baseball, and tennis while in High School. I was one of the High School photographers and went on to become photographic editor for the college yearbook staff.

My Dad passed away in my Senior year and I felt such a void, not having a mentor. Eventually I retired old “Bessy” and caved to the new developments of photographic equipment. The Japanese had matched or excelled in technical advancements beyond the Germans. By 1976 and after shooting for nearly 10 years with “Bessy,” It was time to make a change. Olympus had produced a top notch camera system. The Olympus OM-2 had become my new darling and a joy to shoot.

Although many changes have taken place in the technical advancement into the age of digital photography... every so often, I bring “Bessy” out, adjust the lens aperture and shutter speeds, engage the shutter release and remember all the wonderful times we shared together. She's still my first love.