Leica iiif and leicavit vs canon VT

[d.dulin]

I would like to get another screw mount camera for compact carry. Would also like to have a rapid winder because, well, the knobs are kind of slow and the rapid winders are super cool. The caveat being that I want to fully collapse the elmar 50 into either body.
Looking for feedback on pro, cons, build quality, user interface etc
Thanks!

 

[presspass]

Years ago I had a IIIf and Leicavit and they worked well together. I have a Canon IVSB2 but not the VT and there's one major difference between the Leicas and the Canons. The Canons have a combined viewfinder/rangefinder, the Leica use separate windows. The Canon viewfinders are larger and easier to use if you wear glasses. The construction quality is comparable on the IIIc and the IVSB2 that I now own. The Canon is also much less expensive. Were I to look for a thread mount with a winder, I would probably go with the Canon if you plan to use it a lot.

 

[jnalepa]

I'll second the VT as an option. Viewfinder is great for 50 with glasses, and workable for 35. If you get the original VT with the gold tone patch it is less prone to flare and usually brighter image over the cooler toned ones. Downside with the original is the cloth curtains as opposed to metal in later versions (or could be considered an upside if you want a quieter curtain). VT is a bit larger than a IIIF with Leicavit, but if you have larger hands you may find that to be a blessing.

As in most cases with the Canon bodies, the lug straps on the front make it weirdly balanced (angled towards you) if you don't have a big/heavy lens on it. So using an Elmar might be a bit annoying.

 

[xayraa33]

The VT series of cameras have nicer less squinty finders than the Canon bottomloaders, even the so-called improved ones.

On the down side, the VT is a heavier bulkier camera and unlike the Leicavit and its Canon bottomloader camera equivalent, the bottom winder cannot be removed and just rely on knob winding for a lighter less bulky camera.

 

[Spavinaw]

Being offset, lenses intrude less into the field of view of the of the Canon finder.

 

[CameraQuest]

I would like to get another screw mount camera for compact carry. Would also like to have a rapid winder because, well, the knobs are kind of slow and the rapid winders are super cool. The caveat being that I want to fully collapse the elmar 50 into either body.
Looking for feedback on pro, cons, build quality, user interface etc
Thanks!

Of these two choices the Canon VT is the better picture taking machine,
but the IIIf is the more aesthetically pleasing. That said, I prefer the VT overall.

 

[Ste_S]

The Leica III series is generally a better shelf sitter, whilst the Canons are generally better user cameras. For a start you don’t have to go through the faff of trimming leaders like you do with the Leicas.

That said, Canons sometimes have issues with collapsible lenses. If the Elmar 50 won’t collapse on a Canon then your choice will have been made for you

 

[d.dulin]

Of these two choices the Canon VT is the better picture taking machine,
but the IIIf is the more aesthetically pleasing. That said, I prefer the VT overall.

You wouldn’t happen to have a side by side size comparison photo would you?

 

[goamules]

If he doesn't the internet Google search by images does.

The VT is a tank, but works very well. The viewfinder has 3 magnifications and lines for the main 3 focal length lenses. It's far better than the old Barnacks.

 

[nhchen]

A canon Ivsb with a canon rapid winder attachment would be smaller in size than a canon VT, and more similar to the iiif with leicavit.
Nathan

 

[xayraa33]

If he doesn't the internet Google search by images does.

The VT is a tank, but works very well. The viewfinder has 3 magnifications and lines for the main 3 focal length lenses. It's far better than the old Barnacks.

My VIT has the lines in the viewfinder, the VT series of cameras have no lines in the viewfinder...just the high mag, the 50mm and the 35mm positions in the VF.

Some say the high mag position of the classic Canon Tri-finder corresponds as a finder for the 100mm lens.. others say it corresponds to the 135mm lens, I don't know as I always used a separate VF on the camera with lenses longer than 50mm.

The Viewfinder on the VT has aged better than the Viewfinder on the VIT on most cameras, as internal light reflections in the latter's viewfinder can be annoying.

 

[d.dulin]

My VIT has the lines in the viewfinder, the VT series of cameras have no lines in the viewfinder...just the high mag, the 50mm and the 35mm positions in the VF.

Some say the high mag position of the classic Canon Tri-finder corresponds as a finder for the 100mm lens.. others say it corresponds to the 135mm lens, I don't know as I always used a separate VF on the camera with lenses longer than 50mm.

The Viewfinder on the VT has aged better than the Viewfinder on the VIT on most cameras, as internal light reflections in the latter's viewfinder can be annoying.

So the viewfinder mag just changed to represent a field of view? I believe that I read elsewhere that the VT has parallax corrected frame lines.

 

[Mackinaw]

So the viewfinder mag just changed to represent a field of view? I believe that I read elsewhere that the VT has parallax corrected frame lines.

The variable viewfinder changed magnification and field of view. The VT-series cameras don’t show frame lines in the viewfinder, but the VI-series cameras do (50 and 100mm frames, parallax corrected too). The VT-series cameras did offer auto-parallax correcting accessory viewfinders. They work very well.

Jim B.