1931 Voigtlander 9x12 Bergheil Camera with HELIAR LENS! Freshly serviced CLA’d

Cleaned, Lubricated & Adjusted. Ready for immediate use

This is a Voigtlander Bergheil 9x12cm camera in excellent condition. It was built in prewar Germany as a top quality, double extension camera. It was carefully constructed of metal and covered with real Moroccan leather. The double extension feature is a valuable feature since not only does it allow the camera to focus at very close distances with the standard lens, it also means that could be fitted and used as well. An interesting historical fact is that the Voigtlander Bergheil was Brassai’s favorite camera. This photographer used a Bergheil extensively to record images of Paris in the 1920’s and ‘30’s. If you’re not familiar with Brassai’s work, I recommend looking him up on the internet.

The serial number of the lens indicate that it was produced in circa 1931. It’s fitted in a quality, dial set Compur shutter. This shutter has been carefully cleaned, lubricated and adjusted. All shutter speeds (T, B, 1 sec – 1/200th) work well and all speeds are appropriate. The slow speeds buzz along smoothly and the faster speeds are clean and snappy

The lens on this camera is the famous Voigtlander Heliar 4.5/ 15cm (150mm). (A superb design with five elements in three groups.) The Heliar lens is well known, well loved and is recognized as a master piece of design. It was a top-quality lens of its day. For decades it was a benchmark of sharpness, but its greatness is not simply defined by high resolution. What photographers and artists love about this lens is the beautiful rendition in the fore and back ground. It’s something the Japanese refer to as bokeh. Simply said, this lens has a gorgeous bokeh. Open up the lens or narrow the depth of field by getting closer and the focus rolls on and off silky smooth as cream… Soft out of focus foreground moves lovingly into sharp focus on your subject matter and then off again into gently blurred background. There are few lenses that do it as nicely as this. If you’ve seen it, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, well then you’re in for a treat….

The superb Heliar lens is exceptionally clean. There are no scratches, no cleaning marks and it’s capable of producing very lovely photos with modern color & B&W film.

It comes complete with a removable back which feature a ground glass with folding shade, eight plate holders and a used leather case designed to hold it all. (By the way if you’re interested in using this cameras with 120 film, roll-film backs produced were produced by “Rada” and “Rollex-Patent” and can often be found on eBay. They will allow you to produce 6x9 negatives with this camera. )

All in all, a lovely classic camera with a legendary Heliar lens.