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Voigtlander& Sohn Bessa II

The Voigtländer Bessa II is a folding medium-format rangefinder camera that exposes 6×9 cm negatives on 120 roll film. It was introduced in 1950 as the top folder in the postwar Voigtländer range, offered with a choice of lens fittings that drove very different price points when new.

At recent UK auction, hammer results for standard Bessa II examples have clustered between roughly £350 and £900, with a median around £480 across the sales tracked here. The model is strongly lens- and condition-sensitive at saleroom level: the November 2025 result of £6,500 reflects the large premium buyers will pay today for the scarce Apo-Lanthar lens variant, while a more typical Color-Skopar or Color-Heliar example is worth a small fraction of that figure and sells for well under four figures in clean order.

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Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Prices updated: November 2025

Date Price Source
Nov 2025 £6,500 Flints Auctions
Nov 2024 £275 Flints Auctions
Nov 2024 £312 Flints Auctions
Aug 2024 £300 Flints Auctions
May 2024 £2,750 Flints Auctions
Apr 2023 £338 Flints Auctions
Nov 2022 £525 Flints Auctions
Jun 2022 £525 Flints Auctions
Feb 2022 £200 Flints Auctions
Nov 2021 EUR 550 Leitz Auction
Jun 2021 EUR 800 Leitz Auction
Nov 2020 £806 Flints Auctions
Oct 2019 £360 Flints Auctions
Oct 2019 £420 Flints Auctions
Nov 2018 £480 Flints Auctions
Oct 2017 £6,960 Flints Auctions
Nov 2015 EUR 6,500 Leitz Auction
Nov 2014 EUR 340 Leitz Auction
Mar 2014 EUR 3,000 Leitz Auction
Nov 2013 EUR 600 Leitz Auction
Nov 2013 EUR 650 Leitz Auction
Nov 2012 EUR 1,300 Leitz Auction
May 2012 EUR 750 Leitz Auction
Nov 2011 EUR 900 Leitz Auction
Dec 2009 EUR 550 Leitz Auction
Nov 2008 EUR 320 Leitz Auction
Nov 2008 EUR 420 Leitz Auction
Jun 2008 EUR 400 Leitz Auction
Jun 2008 EUR 650 Leitz Auction
Jun 2008 EUR 380 Leitz Auction
Nov 2007 EUR 420 Leitz Auction
Nov 2007 EUR 320 Leitz Auction
May 2005 EUR 240 Leitz Auction
May 2005 EUR 220 Leitz Auction
Feb 2005 £192 Christie's
Nov 2004 EUR 573 Leitz Auction
Nov 2004 EUR 354 Leitz Auction
Sep 2004 £310 Christie's
May 2004 EUR 542 Leitz Auction
Nov 2003 £293 Christie's
Apr 2003 £376 Christie's
Mar 2003 £352 Christie's
Nov 2002 EUR 625 Leitz Auction
May 2002 £211 Christie's
Nov 2001 £352 Christie's
Nov 2001 £176 Christie's
Sep 2001 £1,527 Christie's
May 2001 £293 Christie's
May 2001 £199 Christie's
Mar 2001 £376 Christie's
Mar 2001 £258 Christie's
Oct 2000 £305 Christie's
Jul 2000 £411 Christie's
May 1999 £437 Christie's
May 1998 £276 Christie's
Jan 1998 £322 Christie's
Jan 1998 £345 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Voigtländer Bessa II worth today?

At UK auction a Bessa II with the standard Color-Skopar or Color-Heliar lens is typically worth £350 to £900 at the hammer depending on cosmetic and mechanical condition, while an Apo-Lanthar example can sell for several thousand pounds, as shown by a £6,500 result in late 2025.

How much does a Bessa II sell for at auction?

Recent hammer prices have ranged from about £360 for a tired but working example to £525 for a cleaner standard-lens body, with the headline Apo-Lanthar sale reaching £6,500.

Why do some Bessa II cameras sell for so much more than others?

The price is driven primarily by which lens is fitted; the Apo-Lanthar version is scarce and commands a multiple of the Color-Skopar and Color-Heliar variants, so the engraved lens name should always be confirmed when assessing value.

What film does the Bessa II use?

It takes standard 120 roll film and produces eight 6×9 cm negatives per roll.

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