Gee. Flat rate repair at Essex. I should have known.
I can handle it.
I can handle it.
The Maligned Voigtlander Prominent (The Sporty Corvair?)
- Thread starter jdos2
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Well, I'll find out if one set of operating blades are light tight with this test roll. Something I would not do with a Leica, walk around with the lens at F1.5 pointed at the Sun. The blades are metal, and immediately behind the rear element, so the light is unfocused and can';t heat the blades. But it will test for leaks.
This camera is not a "Corvair". More like my '68 Cougar. Fast Lens, lots of chrome, lots of knobs and levers. Overdid the Vacuum actuated headlight covers, backup vacuum tank, and sequential turnlight signals.
This camera is not a "Corvair". More like my '68 Cougar. Fast Lens, lots of chrome, lots of knobs and levers. Overdid the Vacuum actuated headlight covers, backup vacuum tank, and sequential turnlight signals.
jdos2
Well-known
I've got to dig around- there's a specific reason that shutter is there, but I don't remember what it was- it wasn't just suspicion that the camera needed another, but absolutely, under certain circumstances, did.
I was thinkin' Corvair- as in auxiliary gas heater, Spyder turbo, &c. 🙂
Yours is apt, too. I thought you had one previously, Brian? Are you just gettin' back into 'em for the Nokton?
I was thinkin' Corvair- as in auxiliary gas heater, Spyder turbo, &c. 🙂
Yours is apt, too. I thought you had one previously, Brian? Are you just gettin' back into 'em for the Nokton?
It looks like the same setup on my Polaroid 180. A second set of blades activated directly by the shutter release button, not times or controlled otherwise. The interior shutter works when it has a little Ronsonol on it. After drying, they got sluggish again. I "tucked them" into the open position with the shutter on "B".
If I get a leak, I'll get it CLA'd. It is Mint. The Lens is Mint. And I had one before, a beater bought for $10 and sold for $200. So this one was not much more than what I sold the last one for.
And yes, got it for the lens. Nokton-lust.
If I get a leak, I'll get it CLA'd. It is Mint. The Lens is Mint. And I had one before, a beater bought for $10 and sold for $200. So this one was not much more than what I sold the last one for.
And yes, got it for the lens. Nokton-lust.
jdos2
Well-known
Into the darkness of the insane ("Zenner than thou!") I go.
It is no longer Nokton or Noctilux (or Summilux, for that matter) lust I suffer, it is far worse: Ten-Tec Orion II... For those that are Amateur Radio Operators that enjoy CW, they know the malaise of which I speak: The FT-1000MP Mark-V ain't quite good enough...
Wormtongue is cravenly whispering things like "The Nokton is good enough- sell the Noctilux!" and "WHY do you need both the 35mm Summilux and the Noctilux?" or worse: "You've kinda stopped shooting as much ANYWAY... The Prominent is FINE for film, the Leica can GO!"
Sadly, I'm sure I'd get what I wanted radio-wise, then immediately suffer "seller's regret..."
ACK!
It is no longer Nokton or Noctilux (or Summilux, for that matter) lust I suffer, it is far worse: Ten-Tec Orion II... For those that are Amateur Radio Operators that enjoy CW, they know the malaise of which I speak: The FT-1000MP Mark-V ain't quite good enough...
Wormtongue is cravenly whispering things like "The Nokton is good enough- sell the Noctilux!" and "WHY do you need both the 35mm Summilux and the Noctilux?" or worse: "You've kinda stopped shooting as much ANYWAY... The Prominent is FINE for film, the Leica can GO!"
Sadly, I'm sure I'd get what I wanted radio-wise, then immediately suffer "seller's regret..."
ACK!
You'll be Sorry....
Of course about 50 RFF'rs are drooling at the prospect.
I'n not tempted by that call. My Zenith World-Band Receiver is enough. And the Triumph Oscillo-graph to keep it company.
Of course about 50 RFF'rs are drooling at the prospect.
I'n not tempted by that call. My Zenith World-Band Receiver is enough. And the Triumph Oscillo-graph to keep it company.
Well, the Voigtlander Prominent reported by William has arrived. And I would again like to thank him.
The 1" long "thing" in the lens was paint that peeled from the front module. From the description, and when received, I thought it was an aperture blade. But I could count them all! Gave the lens my best, stupid, sideways look. The front section simply unscrews from it, exposing the aperture blades and allows easy removal of the flakes. I used a "Sharpee" to blacken the frosted glass of the element. Cheese-Wiz Engineering. Spray it in, tastes great.
The secondary blades work fine on this one. It has a shoe mount, no framelines, and knob wind. The other one has the lever advance, and etched framelines. If it has any leaks, its going to Essex.
Both lenses are near perfect. I will probably use one with the Nikon RF with the adapter.
ONE NOTE: The little ball bearing that conrols the "Click" stops falls out easily when the aperture ring comes off. It is hidden by the ring, and is spring loaded. The aperture ring comes right off with the front module out. It is impossible to find after the spring shoots it across the room. Remove the spring, otherwise it makes a "Yucky" sound. I hate click stops anyway.
The 1" long "thing" in the lens was paint that peeled from the front module. From the description, and when received, I thought it was an aperture blade. But I could count them all! Gave the lens my best, stupid, sideways look. The front section simply unscrews from it, exposing the aperture blades and allows easy removal of the flakes. I used a "Sharpee" to blacken the frosted glass of the element. Cheese-Wiz Engineering. Spray it in, tastes great.
The secondary blades work fine on this one. It has a shoe mount, no framelines, and knob wind. The other one has the lever advance, and etched framelines. If it has any leaks, its going to Essex.
Both lenses are near perfect. I will probably use one with the Nikon RF with the adapter.
ONE NOTE: The little ball bearing that conrols the "Click" stops falls out easily when the aperture ring comes off. It is hidden by the ring, and is spring loaded. The aperture ring comes right off with the front module out. It is impossible to find after the spring shoots it across the room. Remove the spring, otherwise it makes a "Yucky" sound. I hate click stops anyway.
jdos2
Well-known
I coulda told you about that little ball- it's missing from mine (though not from anything that _I_ did!)
🙂
Know that the adapter is an "infinity" adapter. I believe that the Nokton is built closer to the Contax standard than the Nikon... That's what I hear, anyway.
Congratulations!
🙂
Know that the adapter is an "infinity" adapter. I believe that the Nokton is built closer to the Contax standard than the Nikon... That's what I hear, anyway.
Congratulations!
I have one Nikon S2 re-shimmed for the Contax lenses. It works well with the Sonnar, and even 13.5cm F3.5 wide-open.
But now the problem is: the later body is mint; the older one a strong EX+. The chrome is perfect. They both deserve a CLA. The first one has the tinted finder like the prominent II, but is small like the original. I'll shoot a roll between the two of them. Send one in at a time. Sell a couple more cameras to pay for the CLA's...
But now the problem is: the later body is mint; the older one a strong EX+. The chrome is perfect. They both deserve a CLA. The first one has the tinted finder like the prominent II, but is small like the original. I'll shoot a roll between the two of them. Send one in at a time. Sell a couple more cameras to pay for the CLA's...
I took the Prominent I model 3 out to a puppet show and walk around Old Town today.This is the one that had the stuck secondary shutter. I tried flood cleaning it several times, to no avail. Finally I just tucked the blades fully open and shot a test roll. It came out fine. Voigtlander over-engineering. According to the Owner's Manual, the secondary shutter is there to assure that shutter is light-tight. For the first test roll, I walked around with the lens at F1.5 pointed into the sun. Made a point of advancing the film with the camera pointed into the sun. It has metal blade shutters.... no risk of burning the shutter. With ASA400 film, the test roll came out fine. Maybe if I pushed it to ASA6400 the secondary blades would be required, like on the Polaroid 180.
ANYWAY! Before loading the camera, I "tucked in the secondary shutter". Loaded it with ASA400 and took it out for the day. This was to decide how much I like it, and if it was going to Essex to get EVERYTHING working again. Got it home, unloaded it. The secondary shutter had closed. Whoops.... figure no exposures. Wound it, fired it 10 or 20 times. It had decided to start working again; and worked everytime I fired it. Snappy as the Prominent I V2 that William picked up for me at St Vinneas.
That test roll should be in, ready for pickup. That one works great, but the RF does not go to infinity, stops at 60ft or so. Checked it with a loupe, the focus of the lens agrees with the RF. I figure when the camera was last worked on, the focus knob may not have been set properly to go all the way to infinity. Good News! It should focus closer!
JD.... How did you fix that on your Prominent?
ANYWAY! Before loading the camera, I "tucked in the secondary shutter". Loaded it with ASA400 and took it out for the day. This was to decide how much I like it, and if it was going to Essex to get EVERYTHING working again. Got it home, unloaded it. The secondary shutter had closed. Whoops.... figure no exposures. Wound it, fired it 10 or 20 times. It had decided to start working again; and worked everytime I fired it. Snappy as the Prominent I V2 that William picked up for me at St Vinneas.
That test roll should be in, ready for pickup. That one works great, but the RF does not go to infinity, stops at 60ft or so. Checked it with a loupe, the focus of the lens agrees with the RF. I figure when the camera was last worked on, the focus knob may not have been set properly to go all the way to infinity. Good News! It should focus closer!
JD.... How did you fix that on your Prominent?
jdos2
Well-known
These things are a touch capricious... I've one that's "apart," and one that works.
The CORRECT way (as I see it) to adjust the focus is with the screw above the film gate- with a ground glass thrown across the back, and the focusing coupling screws (all three) relaxed so that the lens/shutter/focusing mount can rest against the recessed screw. It is only at this point that one correctly adjust the infinity mark on the focusing knob with the little arrow.
Done this way, it'll be fine, Brian. Someone probably opened it up to losen the focusing mount grease- there's LOTS in there. When they put it together they might not have re-aligned the focus knob.
Good luck- I hope the shutter did indeed open, and that everything worked. The lenses have surprised me with their shapness, though I do need to re-blacken the 50mm f/1.5 and one of my (two!) 100mm 4.5's.
The CORRECT way (as I see it) to adjust the focus is with the screw above the film gate- with a ground glass thrown across the back, and the focusing coupling screws (all three) relaxed so that the lens/shutter/focusing mount can rest against the recessed screw. It is only at this point that one correctly adjust the infinity mark on the focusing knob with the little arrow.
Done this way, it'll be fine, Brian. Someone probably opened it up to losen the focusing mount grease- there's LOTS in there. When they put it together they might not have re-aligned the focus knob.
Good luck- I hope the shutter did indeed open, and that everything worked. The lenses have surprised me with their shapness, though I do need to re-blacken the 50mm f/1.5 and one of my (two!) 100mm 4.5's.
I will let you know with the test roll. These are nice -but quirky- cameras.
jdos2
Well-known
The Nokton is impressive. You'll want to have the focus right- it's not just bright enough, but well enough corrected. Contemporary with the CZJ 1.5 I have, though I must say that it's not hard to tell 'em apart when there are speculars in the frame... Nokton has that physical vignette to a greater degree, so the footballs are worse.
How's the edge paint on yours, Brian?
I've found the f/2 to be... Well... "Contemporary" with any others, if only a touch less bright- still sharp as a razor, and fair-to-middlin' wide open.
How's the edge paint on yours, Brian?
I've found the f/2 to be... Well... "Contemporary" with any others, if only a touch less bright- still sharp as a razor, and fair-to-middlin' wide open.
VinceC
Veteran
Somewhat OT: I've never owned or used a Prominent, but a Corvair was my first and second car ... and I think I still have the rather nice second one tucked in a barn somewhere back home in Indiana. I come from a family that collects cars the way some of us here collect cameras, and the Corvairs really weren't bad automobiles. There's actually a tiny, half-crazed cabal of people who still drive the things regulary and feel as passionately about Corvairs as we do about rangefinders.
Here are a couple shots of one of my brother's Corvairs when I visited last summer. He used the Corvair station wagon to tow another car a little over 100 miles. Had a bench seat in front (remember those?), and I sat in the middle for the windshield shot.
Photos taken with my Nikon S3 and 2.8cm f/3.5 Nikkor.
EDIT: That's the trunk that's open in the front. He was loading up his tool box.
Here are a couple shots of one of my brother's Corvairs when I visited last summer. He used the Corvair station wagon to tow another car a little over 100 miles. Had a bench seat in front (remember those?), and I sat in the middle for the windshield shot.
Photos taken with my Nikon S3 and 2.8cm f/3.5 Nikkor.
EDIT: That's the trunk that's open in the front. He was loading up his tool box.
jdos2
Well-known
That'd be a Lakewood. My favorite. I'd love to have one someday. The VW Type-III is great, but not the same. 🙂
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Nice Corvair! If it is part of the thread header, it must be on topic.
But does the Corvair have Headers on it? My Brother's '67 Cougar did. Engine so big, he drilled holes in the firewall to change the spark plugs. 429 with twin-quads. Anyone heard that new commerical, "as we say in Germany, What the heck did you do to that car!"
Back on Topic! I, like JD, picked up two Prominent's in the space of a week or so. The first was spotless, perfect paint.
The second was the "St Vinneas" Prominent, spotted by William. He graciously picked it up for me, and sent it down. From the description, it sounded like aperture blades floating around in the lens. It was Paint Flakes, As Big as Exacto Blades! (Borrowed from Wallace and Gromit). Opened it up, cleaned it off. Got rid of the rest of the failing paint. Darkened the glass with an Sharpee. We find out today how well it worked! Rest of the paint looked good, just the surface that is exposed and in front of the aperture blades was flaking.
But does the Corvair have Headers on it? My Brother's '67 Cougar did. Engine so big, he drilled holes in the firewall to change the spark plugs. 429 with twin-quads. Anyone heard that new commerical, "as we say in Germany, What the heck did you do to that car!"
Back on Topic! I, like JD, picked up two Prominent's in the space of a week or so. The first was spotless, perfect paint.
The second was the "St Vinneas" Prominent, spotted by William. He graciously picked it up for me, and sent it down. From the description, it sounded like aperture blades floating around in the lens. It was Paint Flakes, As Big as Exacto Blades! (Borrowed from Wallace and Gromit). Opened it up, cleaned it off. Got rid of the rest of the failing paint. Darkened the glass with an Sharpee. We find out today how well it worked! Rest of the paint looked good, just the surface that is exposed and in front of the aperture blades was flaking.
jdos2
Well-known
How are the pictures, Brian?
The roll came out good. The RF matches the lens diwn to the normal close distance; with the distance scale "out" the RF can get a little closer focus, but the lens travel does not accommodate it. Everything from 3.5ft to 60ft looks great!
Put in the roll from the I mdl 3, the inner shutter continues to operate. Will find out if it woke up slowly, or "snapped to".
Put in the roll from the I mdl 3, the inner shutter continues to operate. Will find out if it woke up slowly, or "snapped to".
jdos2
Well-known
Oh, that's great!
If you want to shoot closer, the Proximeters work well...
🙂
If you want to shoot closer, the Proximeters work well...
🙂
fatfred
fatfred
jdos2 said:
You mentioned in another post about giving some how to pointers on realigning rangefinder. I have a very early Prominent that I recently inherited. The focus seems to be off a bit. Noticed most on close up indoor shots. The lens attachment/shutter ring is slightly askew, leans a bit to the right. Not sure how to correct that. I recently sent the camera off to get the shutter repaired, missing a few leaves, had the x-synch plastic replaced as well. Everythign working great except focus. Not quite perfect yet. Any advice/info would be appreciated.
