Review: Voigtländer Vitomatic IIa (1960)

[eckmanmj]

The Voigtländer Vitomatic IIa was a well built and high quality 35mm rangefinder built from 1960 - 1964 and was the most successful of the whole Vitomatic lineup.

It featured a selenium cell exposure meter with a unique system where a mirror image of the meter readout from the top plate was projected into the viewfinder, allowing the photographer to see the match needle readout without removing the camera from his or her eye.

Combined with the 4-element Color-Skopar lens and Prontor SLK-V shutter, the Vitomatic was capable of some really great shots.

Check out my review for some history, repair info, and some images shot with the Voigtländer Vitomatic IIa.

(Yes, I am aware that sometimes my site shows up as suspicious with Avast! and some other anti-virus programs. This is a result of a problem with how my site is hosted, and not a result of any actual security issue with the site. I promise, you can ignore any security issues with my site.)

http://www.mikeeckman.com/2017/05/voigtlander-vitomatic-iia-1960/

 

[Red Rock Bill]

thanks for posting ...a great read.....regards,Bill

 

[css9450]

So is that really a rangefinder with coincident focusing patch? That I did not know.

I have the Vito B which is just a scale-focus "guestimate focusing" camera. The viewfinder is just a couple plastic lenses but it sure is clear and pleasant to use. I suspect the Vito line was not an expensive line of cameras but the fit and finish of them was fantastic. Very nicely made.

 

[eckmanmj]

So is that really a rangefinder with coincident focusing patch? That I did not know.

I have the Vito B which is just a scale-focus "guestimate focusing" camera. The viewfinder is just a couple plastic lenses but it sure is clear and pleasant to use. I suspect the Vito line was not an expensive line of cameras but the fit and finish of them was fantastic. Very nicely made.

The Vitomatic I and Ia were scale focus, where as the II and IIa had coincident image rangefinders! 🙂

 

[vonfilm]

I enjoyed your review of the Vitomatic IIa. The Color Skopar lenses produced great photos. I have a Vitomatic II. It is a little difficult to see the rangefinder patch unless the lighting is good. My selenium meter still works. I would love to find a good working IIa.

 

[johnnyrod]

Try cleaning the RF and VF windows - a little dirt can make a big difference

 

[John Lawrence]

Interesting and helpful review - thanks for posting.

John

 

[hilltime]

Great review of the IIA, Mike as all of your reviews are. My experience with this line of cameras started with a Vito B, scale focus and with the 50/3.5 Color Skopar. Got a pretty beat up IIA and shot a few rolls and loved the images but was looking for the ultimate, IIA with the Ultron. Bought one on Ebay but the viewfinder was so crazed, it was next to impossible to see through it. I had to send it back without even trying and eventually came into my prize, a IIIB with 50/2 Ultron. Pristine with completely accurate meter and not a mark on it. One of my favorite performing and stylistically designed cameras. If I had to pair down my 200+ camera collection to about 10, it would be a keeper. I've got lots of Voigtlanders; this one and my Perkeo RF have got to be my two faves.

Gary Hill

 

[eckmanmj]

Great review of the IIA, Mike as all of your reviews are. My experience with this line of cameras started with a Vito B, scale focus and with the 50/3.5 Color Skopar. Got a pretty beat up IIA and shot a few rolls and loved the images but was looking for the ultimate, IIA with the Ultron. Bought one on Ebay but the viewfinder was so crazed, it was next to impossible to see through it. I had to send it back without even trying and eventually came into my prize, a IIIB with 50/2 Ultron. Pristine with completely accurate meter and not a mark on it. One of my favorite performing and stylistically designed cameras. If I had to pair down my 200+ camera collection to about 10, it would be a keeper. I've got lots of Voigtlanders; this one and my Perkeo RF have got to be my two faves.

Gary Hill

Thanks for the kind words Gary.

I too, was enamored with this little camera. I picked it up for very cheap and didn't expect much from it until I started to use it. I am bummed that I was unable to clean the viewfinder and improve contrast with the rangefinder, but the camera works really well otherwise.

Sadly, I've only yet shot one roll of film in this camera, but hope to shoot another soon! 🙂