Larry H-L
Well-known
Anyone using a Cosina / Voigtlander VC or VC II meter on a TLR?
How are the ergonomics?
Does it stay in place on the cold shoe?
Please post any pictures of the meter on your camera.
Thanks!
How are the ergonomics?
Does it stay in place on the cold shoe?
Please post any pictures of the meter on your camera.
Thanks!
Matus
Well-known
I would be curios too
Ezzie
E. D. Russell Roberts
Well, I have several TLR's and a VC meter, but not used one in conjunction with the other, yet. I can however mate one with the other and take a picture of it if anyone is interested.
Which TLR would you prefer? See my signature.
Which TLR would you prefer? See my signature.
Larry H-L
Well-known
Eirik, yes, that would be great!
Any TLR picture would help me decide, but especially interested in Minolta Autocord, Rolleiflex, Yashicamat.
Thanks!
Any TLR picture would help me decide, but especially interested in Minolta Autocord, Rolleiflex, Yashicamat.
Thanks!
Ezzie
E. D. Russell Roberts
Rolleiflex it is then. See what I can do later this evening.
john_s
Well-known
The only thing I don't like with the VC 2 meter is that the film speed disc does not stay put. I tried taking the dial off with a view to putting a friction washer there but I couldn't make one thin enough. I've thought of gluing the dial at 100 and making mental adjustments when using different film.
rolleistef
Well-known
you would preferably need a TLR with an accessory shoe : Ricoh Diacord ; Autocord...
Larry H-L
Well-known
DOH!
I have been using my Autocords so much lately that I guess I started mentally visualizing a cold shoe on my Rolleis also, but you are correct, no shoe on a Rollei "E."
But it would work on the Autocords, so I'm still interested in seeing a picture of a VC meter on the camera.
I have been using my Autocords so much lately that I guess I started mentally visualizing a cold shoe on my Rolleis also, but you are correct, no shoe on a Rollei "E."
But it would work on the Autocords, so I'm still interested in seeing a picture of a VC meter on the camera.
dfatty
Well-known
Autocord and Yash 124 (not G)
Autocord and Yash 124 (not G)
Okay, so I have the Autocord and Yashica 124 (non-G) so I thought I would check this out. I usually carry a small light meter around my neck so I don't use the VC2 this way, but here's what I found.
The Autocord has a coldshoe:
But the VC2 does not want to go on, I can't figure out why.
Anyway, even if I could push it on, there's a pretty good chance the body of the VC2 would hit the lightmeter.
The Yash 124 also has a coldshoe:
As you can see, the coldshoe is higher up on the body. Which is good because the VC2 does indeed fit quite nicely on it without hitting the focus knob:
Only thing with the Yash is that the VC2 fits loosely in the coldshoe, so the VC2 can slide off easily. So you would have to tape the VC2 on or maybe put some tape on the VC2 shoe so it fits snugly into the coldshot.
After going through this exercise, though, I would still prefer a handheld meter so you can more easily point the meter to what you want to meter.
Oh yeah, I'm not sure if Rolleis have coldshoes, I seem to remember them not.
Hope this helps. PS to John S, my VC2 doesn't have any loose dials, everything stays put. Hopefully that's not a common problem that happens over time.
Autocord and Yash 124 (not G)
Okay, so I have the Autocord and Yashica 124 (non-G) so I thought I would check this out. I usually carry a small light meter around my neck so I don't use the VC2 this way, but here's what I found.
The Autocord has a coldshoe:
But the VC2 does not want to go on, I can't figure out why.
Anyway, even if I could push it on, there's a pretty good chance the body of the VC2 would hit the lightmeter.
The Yash 124 also has a coldshoe:
As you can see, the coldshoe is higher up on the body. Which is good because the VC2 does indeed fit quite nicely on it without hitting the focus knob:
Only thing with the Yash is that the VC2 fits loosely in the coldshoe, so the VC2 can slide off easily. So you would have to tape the VC2 on or maybe put some tape on the VC2 shoe so it fits snugly into the coldshot.
After going through this exercise, though, I would still prefer a handheld meter so you can more easily point the meter to what you want to meter.
Oh yeah, I'm not sure if Rolleis have coldshoes, I seem to remember them not.
Hope this helps. PS to John S, my VC2 doesn't have any loose dials, everything stays put. Hopefully that's not a common problem that happens over time.
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
Thanks for the TLR experiments. Even on the Yashica, it's protruding out in front and doesn't look quite right. This meter is great when it's tight to the camera body. I would not want the meter to catch on something and break off.
For what it's worth, my VC II has no problem with the film speed slipping.
For what it's worth, my VC II has no problem with the film speed slipping.
Larry H-L
Well-known
Dean,
Many thanks for trying the meter and posting the photos, very helpful.
Does not look like a good option on the Autocord.
Well, on to Plan B.
Many thanks for trying the meter and posting the photos, very helpful.
Does not look like a good option on the Autocord.
Well, on to Plan B.
David Murphy
Veteran
I've hand-held them - easy
rommelgc
never clever
Depends on the Autocord.
I have an earlier model (meterless, 3.5/75 CITIZEN-MXV) and the VCII fits right in the accessory shoe slot. Flush to the stop (which is towards the front in this version), it wiggles a bit but doesn't fall off. It actually feels like the VC II "falls" into place into the recesses of the accessory shoe.
ray*j*gun
Veteran
I don't have pics but I use mine on my c220 and my Ricohflex. I little clumsy but doable.
Ezzie
E. D. Russell Roberts
Indeed the Rollei doesn't have a coldshoe. I couldn't find my flash bracket either and see how that would work out. I tried the VC II on the Kalloflex, Flexaret and Yashica A, and all were a very loose fit. They seem to be more approriate for attaching handles or brackets, rather than flashes or other standard accessory shoe gadgets.
mrisney
Well-known
The Sekonic TwinMate L-208 is another option.
I think it works rather well with TLR's. Something about the needle, it fits the analog nature of a TLR, and mounts on the side shoe of an Autocord , you can take it off and palm it.
I think it works rather well with TLR's. Something about the needle, it fits the analog nature of a TLR, and mounts on the side shoe of an Autocord , you can take it off and palm it.
PMCC
Late adopter.
I like what you did with the Autocord proprietary strap wings: grafting them on to the Domke swivel grippper strap is a good move. The original Autocord strap is narrow, stiff and uncomfortable, while the Domke is a personal favorite. Is that an Autocord I? Beautiful, rarely seen in such good nick.
mrisney
Well-known
Thank you, you are right on both counts. I specifically sought out a late model Autocord I, because I didn't want to deal with a CDS meter - that might go bad on me.
I did have a Mamiya C220 for a while, and found that the Voigtlander VC Meter II did work well, when I used it in conjunction with a screw on handle.
The VC Meter II is a good meter, simplistic in design, and it did double duty for the Mamiya and a Leica M4-P I had at the time.
The shoe however on the side, was loose and a few times the meter fell off the side mounted shoe onto the pavement. Luckily the VC II meter seemed
no worse for the wear. My opinion is that it seems very much a makeshift setup, so from a meter perspective - good meter, but the Mamiya C220,
without using the cold shoe on a side mounted handle/grip, didn't accommodate it well.I wasn't as enamored with the Mamiya C220 as I had hoped.
The image quality was OK, the lens had character, but I found it slightly cumbersome, and bulky. The additional presence of the handle, made it
- not something I could carry around - without attracting attention. So much for subtly catching a moment, with a camera that didn't scream "CONTRAPTION"
I then had a Rolleiflex 2.8F that I just did not cotton to, I paid a lot for it, over $1400 as there tends to be a premium for the metered 2.8F Planars,
the side focus knobs and the dials on the front, controlling fstop and shutter speed, made it seem too complicated. My most revered 120 format camera is my Mamiya 6 - so compared to that, shooting with the Rolleiflex seemed finicky and tedious. But, in terms of meters, one couldn't argue better integration - except mine stopped working as a meter almost as soon as I got it - bummer.
I found a Japanese buyer, and recouped most of my investment in the Rolleiflex 2.8F, and was TLR'less for 4-5 months.
My father gifted me another Rolleiflex MVX, that I never bothered to shoot a roll with. Like Leica's I understand the cult of Rolleiflex's
- But I somewhat shrug my shoulder, happier to shoot away with a Contax G2. I went through the same phase of ownership with a Leica M4-P, a meter-less camera, which originated the need to purchase the VCII,
ultimately moving on, to my current 35mm rangefinder the Contax G2, that came with most of the lenses for the cost of a Summicron 90mm and the Leica M4-P.
I wanted to give TLR's another go, I sold the MVX, again to a Japanese buyer (what is it about Rolleiflex's that they always seem to end up in Japan - hah)
I had read about the Minolta Autocords and heard the 75mm Tessar design Rokker lens was a performer.
Also finding out the the esteemed Minolta refinisher and CLA'er Karl Bryan lives in nearby in Beaverton, Oregon, I thought that a nice Autocord might
be a camera to pick up and work with. I liked that it had relative diminutive size similar to Rolleiflex's,
and it just seemed a little more aesthetically pleasing than the Yashica 124G's - and again - less bulky.
I have been looking for a while and found one - from an Estate sale near Northampton, England. One owner, and in very good condition. It even came with the original invoice.
Sorry for the tangents, I believe that this thread was begun to discuss the merits or feasibility of the Voigtlander VC Meter II, which I am a big fan.
However, I think that Sekonic TwinMate L-208 could be considered. It appears to slide in the side mounted cold shoe and stay put.
There is some outward projection, as compared to the Voigtlander VC Meter II- which could be considered relatively more stream lined to the camera body, I had used the Sekonic TwinMate before on a Seagull (my first TLR) and found that it worked well as a shoe mount. It's an underrated meter. It meters both incident and reflective, and it's similiar in that it is small in size like the VC II.
Then again, I do tend to use an IPhone lightmeter app, or sometimes point my Canon 5D MKIII at something and use that reading.
There are no rules, use what works for you.
Out of my survey of TLR's and meters, I think I might have arrived at a good setup. Agreed on the Domke strap,
it's loads better than the thin cheap plastic strap that Minolta supplied, I would encourage the upgrade.
jeanba3000
squareLover
If your TLR has a bayonet I, you could try the clever and beautiful Rolleilux lens hood with side lightmeter that folds inside the hood when not in use.