Visoflex decision...

[rbiemer]

As part of the stuff that I got with my M4, I got a fairly beat Visoflex.
My intent was to just sell it but I can hear the distant sound of impending doom: I've been thinking about, maybe, cleaning it up and using it...
Here is what I have:

As you may see, the arm to trip the shutter is broken and will need replacing. Not so obvious is that the rubber eyecup is gone. And the thing will need some serious cleaning.

And, I would need some adapters to actually attach any lenses...and might need some lenses aside from the 9 cm Elmar I currently have as well.

Completely impracticable. But still tempting.

Des anyone know what this adapter is and is for? There are no markings on it. The previous owner said he got the Viso to use with "some 200mm lens."

Thanks!
Rob

 

[sc_rufctr]

Sorry I can't help but there are literally hundreds of accessories for the Visoflex system.

I hope Tom Abrahamsson chimes in. I anybody knows he should.

 

[CameraQuest]

that is some sort of home made adapter to who knows what lenses.

If you wish to use your Viso, I suggest acquiring the necessary Leica adapters and lens heads, or the various 3rd party adapters for other make SLR lenses which you can find on Ebay.

Stephen

 

[Ronald M]

Missing the arm to trip the shutter & release the mirror?

 

[presspass]

DAG has a number of parts for the Visoflex II. Check his website.

 

[dugwerks]

contax/nikon rf tele external bayonet possibly

 

[Vickko]

Start here: http://elshaw.tripod.com/Visoflex/Visoflex.html

 

[JMQ]

The Viso II is relative inexpensive as the 90-finder does not clear the digital M cameras. The Viso III will clear of course. it may be more economically viable to look for a decent condition Viso II with the various adapters than try to fix.

 

[rbiemer]

Missing the arm to trip the shutter & release the mirror?

Yes.

DAG has a number of parts for the Visoflex II. Check his website.

I noticed that and the arm in particular is fairly low cost.

contax/nikon rf tele external bayonet possibly

Seems to be too big but I don't have any Contax/Nikon?Kiev lenses to hand so could be?

Start here: http://elshaw.tripod.com/Visoflex/Visoflex.html

That was a good read, thanks for the link!

The Viso II is relative inexpensive as the 90-finder does not clear the digital M cameras. The Viso III will clear of course. it may be more economically viable to look for a decent condition Viso II with the various adapters than try to fix.

I think you are right about this. After some time poking around on-line, I think I am not going down this particular rabbit hole, though. I do have a perfectly good SLR.
The time and money I would spend on setting this or another Viso "kit" I can use in some other part of my photo hobby.
Thanks all for your contributions in this!
Rob

 

[leicapixie]

A good decision not to go Visoflex route.
A SLR is inexpensive these days and better.
Fixing the Viso. not a real problem but lenses are!
It is very thick. Only lenses made for it will work.
I mean focusing to infinity.
I had the V2 and V3.
Lenses from 65mm to 200mm.
In those days it was a lot of money.
Paid for half of my first car.
It was a very nice car.
I went the SLR route and purchased a Nikon-Ftn.

 

[Dralowid]

Lenses from 65mm to 200mm.

65mm to 800mm with Leica lenses if one wants to be pedantic... I have never seen the 800mm Telyt but the 560 is useable...but not near airports!

 

[leicapixie]

lenses..

lenses..

I wrote the lenses i owned "65mm to 200mm"
i could NOT sell lenses i wouldn't bother with..or have.
Of course there were lenses easily available,
with lots of money to 400mm.
I used a borrowed 240mm Telyt, 125mm f2,5 and last a 90mmSummicron made without RF mount..
The 800mm was not available except by special order..

I was very happy to part with the Visoflex..😀

 

[Nokton48]

I had Viso II & III which I used on M2 & M5. Had 90mmF2, 280F4.8, 400F5.

When I bought the VisoII the screen was coated in oil from the innards. I bought a new screen from DAG for $20 and installed it myself. Twas fun.

I found the Visos to be very heavy and cumbersome but I really enjoyed playing with them. I was impressed with how bright and how easy it was to focus the screens.

I enjoyed the fact that it slowed me down.

 

[leicapixie]

The Visoflex screen better than almost any SLR!
That from one, who says don't go that way..
The reason it was for longer lenses only..
65mm upwards getting infinity.
As I said an easy fix, adjusting the mirror to clear before shutter,
a constant variable.
No Auto stop down..
Last week i shot with an old Spotmatic.
That has stop down metering.
Light,Dark,light!!
After 11 frames I quit and headed home.
Put the film in the M3.
As you have it, fix it, fool around..

 

[View Range]

It's hard to see that the lens mount is on the adapter just looking from the side. If you would like to sell the kit, please contact me privately.

 

[presspass]

One advantage of the Viso vs. an SLR is just having film in one system at a time. Sure, you can count shots, move the film, and then move it back. But the Viso is easy to focus, bright enough, and makes the photographer THINK about what he or she is doing. Slowing the process is not always a bad thing and it is frequently good for the image.

 

[Eric T]

Avoid the Visoflex if at all possible. To me, it ruins the fun of a rangefinder.
If you need to see through the lens, get a good film SLR. Zillions of them out there for little money. Nikon F, F2, F3, F100, are just a few examples.

 

[mdarnton]

I have a Viso III. I don't use it much because it's so heavy, but for macro work, it's a honey. When I got mine, things were cheap, and I have over a foot of various extension tubes and adapters. Also, you can hang some weird things on it if you're inclined that way, like magnifying glass lenses, enlarger lenses, etc. Great for experimenting! Somewhere in the mess of things that were made for it is an adapter for everything. I just bought a Graflex 250mm tele that came with a 125mm Hektor bellows adapter screwed on the back, for instance! Now I have to go dig out my bellows II, lost in a box somewhere in the last move.

For regular shooting I can understand that people think it's too heavy, but it's also really stable for hand-holding, and quiet, too. As someone commented, the screen is great--no split image or anything, but incredibly easy to focus, nevertheless.

There's absolutely no reason to stay away from a Visoflex. It's not like it will bite you or give you a disease or something.....

Here's a picture I shot for an article on making violin corners, using the 65mm Elmar macro, with about eight inches of tubes behind it:

 

[Dez]

The Visoflex has always seemed to me to be a means of "making a sow's ear out of a silk purse". It works, and is a cool piece of gear, but is very impractical in a world that has had good SLR's for the last 50 years.
I have a Visoflex 1 and a 200mm f4.5 lens that I trot out about once every two years and use for a few shots just for the fun of it, but I certainly wouldn't use it for any serious work.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[FrankS]

There's nothing wrong with having some fun once in a while. 🙂