Question about Voigtlander Vitessa

[ornate_wrasse]

First of all, I am not sure I am posting in the correct forum. Please feel free to move it to a different forum if necessary.

My friend was showing me several old cameras that used to belong to her Dad. One of them was the Voigtlander Vitessa.

We were trying to figure out how to open the front doors and, even after reading the manual and trying to follow what it said, we could not figure out how to do it.

Can anyone post instructions on how to open the front doors of the camera?

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[splitimageview]

press down on the shutter button on the top right of the camera, it takes a bit of effort

 

[Peter Jennings]

Yes, press the shutter button and the doors should "spring" open. It can startle you if you aren't ready for it. You may want to place a hand lightly over the barn doors to make the opening more gentle. The advance plunger will spring up as well, so hold it away from yourself.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

One of the things that makes the original folding Vitessa such a cool camera is that several parts are multifunctional. Eg the rewind lever doubles as a prop stand for the camera to balance it. The combi-plunger may also be retracted to make it easier to stow the camera in a pocket. Similarly, the shutter release button has a dual purpose as it also opens the front doors. It's an inspired, if unorthodox, design exercise which is also in the finest tradition of many of Voigtlander's better cameras.

The preceding comments are all on the money, I would only add that, as the doors are opened, please keep a hand over the combi-plunger to slow its egress from the body, rather than permitting it to snap up abruptly. If treated roughly, the plunger mechanism can be problematic, so...better to be gentle with it.
You can access the owners manual for the Vitessa here.
Cheers,
Brett

 

[ornate_wrasse]

Thanks so much splitimageview, Peter Jennings and Brett!

That makes complete sense for the shutter release button to open the doors.

Now maybe my friend can go out shooting pictures with this camera and see the (hopefully) lovely results.

It seemed we'd pressed every available button and knob on the camera to get the doors to open, except for the one that worked :bang:

 

[citizen99]

Another point about controlling the opening speed of the doors; if you 'squeeze' them slightly, so as to absorb the pressure of the spring mechanism before pressing the release button, you may find that it makes release easier. This is mechanical 'sympathy' for the mechanism, and should minimise further wear.
I had one once; the shutter release was a wreck, which was a pity as the Ultron lens was superb.