The 1935 Bessa folding camera is a transition from the relatively simple 1930 model, to the much improved form that was to come in 1938. This must have been a popular camera as they are common to find. It’s an attractive folder that folds down into a slim shape, easy to fit in a coat pocket.

There were a couple of different Voigtar lenses used on these. These were simple triplets that were capable of sharp photos. This one is the 6.3, a little faster than the 7.7. These cameras used different shutters, with the 7.7 lens normally found on a very simple ever-ready shutter. This has a slightly better shutter with more speed options.

Another variation on these is the language on the focus scale. These must have been widely exported, I have seen many with English focus scales and I have a French language version. This is a German one. You can see “Gruppe,” for group photos, and “Landschaft,” for landscapes.

This camera has a sticker inside that was put there by the seller I bought it from. Normally I remove any kind of label that is not contemporary with the camera. I will leave this label on. It’s inside, and I don’t think it will hurt anything, long term. It is part of the history of this camera. These things are still sold by camera shops even in the age of the Internet.

This camera had a slow shutter and frozen focus. I got it all working correctly and I like the results.

The photos below were taken with Ilford FP4+, developed in D76 1+1.