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Voigtlander Vito CLR questions
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 2:13 pm    Post subject: Voigtlander Vito CLR questions Reply with quote
I thinking of buying a fixed lens rangefinder and I wondering if someone has experience
with the Voigtländer Vito CLR? Also is it better to buy one with the Color Lanthar or Color Skopar (both f2.Cool
lens? Thanks.

......I wrote 2.8, but it came out as a smiley face. Shocked


PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Color Skopar is 4-glass 'Tessar' type; Color Lanthar is 3-element 'Cooke triplet'. I have a Vito with a Skopar and it's a nice lens. But if you're making colour prints I doubt you'll see much, if any, any difference.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
scsambrook wrote:
Color Skopar is 4-glass 'Tessar' type; Color Lanthar is 3-element 'Cooke triplet'. I have a Vito with a Skopar and it's a nice lens. But if you're making colour prints I doubt you'll see much, if any, any difference.


Thank you. Do you have the CLR or a different model?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have the Vito B with the big 1:1 viewfinder and the f3.5 Color Skopar. Actually, it's my wife's camera which I got for her when we got engaged . . . a while ago now Smile If you shoot slides you could possibly see a difference between the two lenses, if you have a projector with a top-class lens. Properly exposed Kodachromes from 'mine' really can't be distinguished from those shot with the 50mm Elmar I had back then.

I can't recall if the early 'solid' Vito cameras had their lenses in helical focusing mounts or if they were front-cell focusing like the later 'square' models. Front cell focusers are often alleged to suffer as the camera-subject setting decreases but I'm not sure how serious an issue that is.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi.

I had the CLR with the skopar 2,8/50 for years.

Don't use it wide open, the focus is moving the frontal element, so you change the FL to focus and that is seeing in the image. And the selenium almost sure doesn't work properly.

From F/8 has good IQ and the best bet is F/16.

The rendering of that lens is different to the SRL skopar 2,8/50.

If I want to buy a RF, should look for another cam, like the Olympus, canon, yashica (the Minister and the 35 electronic series are very good), konica (you have among the S series the IIIS and the S with 5 elements lens very sharp, and the S2 with a 6 elements lens, after those, the S3 which is a different cam, etc.), I actually have a Minolta AL, a good one.

If you want to have a Voigtlander perhaps to look for the Vito CS is the best way.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
papasito wrote:
Hi.

I had the CLR with the skopar 2,8/50 for years.

Don't use it wide open, the focus is moving the frontal element, so you change the FL to focus and that is seeing in the image. And the selenium almost sure doesn't work properly.

From F/8 has good IQ and the best bet is F/16.

The rendering of that lens is different to the SRL skopar 2,8/50.

If I want to buy a RF, should look for another cam, like the Olympus, canon, yashica (the Minister and the 35 electronic series are very good), konica (you have among the S series the IIIS and the S with 5 elements lens very sharp, and the S2 with a 6 elements lens, after those, the S3 which is a different cam, etc.), I actually have a Minolta AL, a good one.

If you want to have a Voigtlander perhaps to look for the Vito CS is the best way.


Thanks for this information, because you have used this camera. I was also thinking of buying a Minister D rangefinder. Is there any special advantage to the Vito CS over the CLR?


PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
uddhava wrote:
papasito wrote:
Hi.

I had the CLR with the skopar 2,8/50 for years.

Don't use it wide open, the focus is moving the frontal element, so you change the FL to focus and that is seeing in the image. And the selenium almost sure doesn't work properly.

From F/8 has good IQ and the best bet is F/16.

The rendering of that lens is different to the SRL skopar 2,8/50.

If I want to buy a RF, should look for another cam, like the Olympus, canon, yashica (the Minister and the 35 electronic series are very good), konica (you have among the S series the IIIS and the S with 5 elements lens very sharp, and the S2 with a 6 elements lens, after those, the S3 which is a different cam, etc.), I actually have a Minolta AL, a good one.

If you want to have a Voigtlander perhaps to look for the Vito CS is the best way.


Thanks for this information, because you have used this camera. I was also thinking of buying a Minister D rangefinder. Is there any special advantage to the Vito CS over the CLR?


The main differences between the Vito CS and the CSR versions are that the R stands for coupled rangefinder distance metering in the viewer, whereas with the CS you have to judge yourself and set the average distance on the lens.

I've now spotted a Vitoret DR for very little money and bought it. It will most probably arrive next week.

That maybe also an option for you. The main differences between the more expensive Vito and the reasonable Vitoret (both R versions in square form opposed to the older round shapes) are:

Vitoret doesn't need a battery as it is equipped with a selenium light meter opposite to Vito which is equipped with a CdS metering with battery instead.
Shutter speed: Vito: 1/500 and Vitoret only 1/300.
Slightly different mechanism for rewinding the film, but that has no real practical impact.
Vito shows light metering in the viewer and Vitoret only on top of the camera, whereas the luxury version of the Vitoret (called LR instead) would also offer this feature.

Actually both cameras are coming with the same lenses, either the Lanthar or the Skopar. The Lanthar is a 3 lens type whereas all 6 surfaces of the 3 lenses are fully coated for better colors and to minimize CA's.

So for the lens quality it doesn't make any difference which model you take. However, in terms of availability, price and usage I would rather recommend the Vitoret DR or LR instead.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 11:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you. I was also looking at a Vitoret DR. It is going for $18, but to be honest my interest in a fixed lens rangefinder has run out of steam for now. I will be interested to hear about your results though. I have been thinking to buy a folding 35mm rangefinder or folding viewfinder camera. I have a lot of film cameras considering how much film I am shooting.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
uddhava wrote:
Thank you. I was also looking at a Vitoret DR. It is going for $18, but to be honest my interest in a fixed lens rangefinder has run out of steam for now. I will be interested to hear about your results though. I have been thinking to buy a folding 35mm rangefinder or folding viewfinder camera. I have a lot of film cameras considering how much film I am shooting.


Well, I am in a comparable situation.

It was just an opportunity for little money. Another camera which most likely will collect dust as the main purpose.
Pathological collector's syndrome. Wink

However, if I find some energy to shoot a roll of film and to scan it afterwards I'll certainly post some examples here.....

BTW, if you are looking for some help on Voigtländer stuff I can certainly help you further. I'm very good equipped with all the necessary books. Wink


PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thomas - could you possibly list those books? I know they'll be in German but I may be able to get hold of some of them in the UK once I know their details.

Sorry for diverting the thread . . .


PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
scsambrook wrote:
Thomas - could you possibly list those books? I know they'll be in German but I may be able to get hold of some of them in the UK once I know their details.

Sorry for diverting the thread . . .


I think I've done that before. However, here again:

http://goo.gl/nTvy3u
http://goo.gl/UW3GLR
http://goo.gl/I87Vgg

FYI, Claus Prochnow (the author) used to work for Franke & Heidecke (Rollei) 1955-1991 in the development department and was therefore able to use the original documents from Voigtländer when Rollei took over the Voigtländer company from Zeiss. I think there is no better source than that.
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