Vitessa L Query

P

prosty

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Aug 4, 2005
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Hi all, I've benefited from your collective wisdom for several weeks in deciding upon my first rf. Now I've finally received a model to qualify me to actually post something - a Voigtlander Vitessa L with the f/2 Ultron. Gorgeous camera with a solid feel.

Here's my issue. Most of the time, the plunger does its job, that is to advance the film and cock the shutter. I'm then able to press the shutter release and all's golden at all speeds. Problem is, about 25 percent of time when I push down and release the plunger, the shutter trips as the plunger comes back up. :bang: It almost works like it's on a bulb setting (there's a point where I can hold the plunger and keep the shutter open indefinitely). Is there anything I could be doing wrong to cause this? Is this a common problem with Vitessa plungers? Might it have to do with the V setting, which I believe is a self-timer that I can't get to function correctly (or maybe it is and I just don't know it)?

Since this item was purchased off the auction block ( :bang: ), I would certainly return it if this isn't easily correctable.

Many thanks for any suggestions you can provide.

Best,

Dan
 
Thanks for responding -- the Butkus page was where I went first. Which reminds me, I need to paypal him sometime.... From what I can tell, the Vitessa on his site is an earlier model, as it doesn't have the V (self-timer) function next to the M and X. Also, the version I have has an EV scale that couples the aperture and shutter values. That aside, I was able to learn the basic functions, which I've tried to follow. Testing the camera without film, the first several shots are fine. But, seemingly at random, the plunger begins to trigger the shutter during its release. After the plunger releases the shutter on its way up, pressing the shutter does nothing as the shutter has already been fired. I have to re-plunge, which usually repeats the problem.

Argh....

Thanks again for your help!

Dan
 
Dan,

I am not sure if it is related, but the Vitessa has one design fault: the interlock release clutch only works after the shutter release button is pressed further down after shutter rundown.

In other words, when you press the shutter release button, after the shutter fires, do not let go of the pressure, but continue to press down until a very weak ckick is felt; that's the interlock release. It took me a while to figure that one out.
 
A second problem that I have seen posted is that the plunger can jam if it is advanced when the camera is focussed closer than 4'. The web-page for this is gone, but I saved some of the photo's from it at home.

I have a Vitessa T and a Vitessa N. I had to do an RF Calibration on the "N". Beautiful pictures with the lenses, beautiful finish on the camera, worst RF mechanism I have ever seen, and even "worster" than that to adjust the RF.
 
I appreciate the suggestions -- I'm able to at least usually compensate for the problem if I give a little (actually a fair amount of) forward pressure to the plunger as I press it down. For some reason, this doesn't trip the shutter. Likewise, if I press the plunger straight down or with pressure toward any other direction, it fires the shutter during the release. The Vitessa manuals don't appear to recommend treating the plunger like a joystick, so I'll be returning this (hopefully).
 
Brian, how did you adjust the RF?
Or yo sent it to repair?
 
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