C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Voigtländer Bessamatic CS (1967) is a 35mm single-lens reflex camera produced in Braunschweig, West Germany, by Voigtländer & Sohn AG, representing the final development of the Bessamatic SLR line that had begun in 1959. The "CS" suffix denotes the replacement of the original Bessamatic's battery-free selenium exposure meter with a CdS (cadmium sulphide) photoelectric cell requiring a 1.35V battery — the key distinguishing update from the earlier Bessamatic M.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The final Bessamatic — the CS replaced the Bessamatic's selenium meter with a battery-powered CdS cell for improved low-light sensitivity, updating the interchangeable-lens DKL-mount leaf-shutter SLR formula for the available-light photography demands of the late 1960s.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm (24×36 mm) |
| Mount | DKL (Deckel) bayonet |
| Years | 1967–1969 |
| Shutter | Synchro-Compur leaf: 1s – 1/500s + B |
| Flash sync | Full X-sync at all speeds including 1/500s |
| Meter | CdS TTL (CS version) |
| Exposure | Manual (meter-guided) |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism |
| Focus | Manual, ground glass + split-prism |
| Battery | PX625 / SR44 |
The original Voigtländer Bessamatic (1959) was an ambitious leaf-shutter SLR featuring a selenium meter, the DKL interchangeable-lens system, and a through-the-lens metering system that was ahead of many contemporaries. It was followed by the Bessamatic M (1964) with minor improvements, and the Bessamatic CS (1967) as the final version with CdS metering.
The Bessamatic was a commercial competitor to the Kodak Retina Reflex IV and the Voigtländer Ultramatic, all three sharing the DKL mount. This inter-system lens compatibility was a marketing advantage, though the DKL system never achieved the breadth of the M42 or Pentax K ecosystems.
By 1967, the leaf-shutter SLR market was contracting. Japanese focal-plane SLRs — Pentax Spotmatic, Nikon Nikkormat, Canon FT — offered higher shutter speeds, larger lens ecosystems, and better ergonomics. Voigtländer continued developing the Bessamatic for loyal customers but discontinued the line in 1969 as the company was absorbed into the Zeiss Ikon / Schering AG group and eventually ceased German camera production.
The Bessamatic CS is the final and most capable expression of the Bessamatic concept — a high-quality West German leaf-shutter SLR with full flash sync at all speeds, a respectable DKL lens selection, and CdS TTL metering. For flash photographers, the full 1/500s sync speed is a compelling advantage. The Septon 50/2 — Voigtländer's fastest standard lens for the system — is one of the most optically distinguished DKL-mount lenses and makes a compelling pairing. Collected as the last of the West German Bessamatic line.
DKL bayonet lenses: Voigtländer Color-Skopar 50/2.8, Septon 50/2, Skopagon 40/2, Zoomar 36–82/2.8; Schneider-Kreuznach Curtagon 35/2.8 DKL, Retina-Xenar 50/2.8; Rodenstock Heligon 50/1.9 DKL. Wide DKL interoperability with Kodak Retina Reflex IV. Accessories: cable release (threaded socket on shutter), sync socket, Voigtländer filters in 40.5mm and 49mm thread sizes.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Voigtländer Bessamatic CS
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