Vitomatic II

[unohuu]

Chance to buy one for about $40. I have wanted one because they appear to be rather compact in size. Especially compared to the Lynx 14 that I also have. Tell me what you like about this camera...and what you don't like about it. I am not a collector as much as one who likes to use them. Cosmetics are not so important as usability. Are there camera specific quirks I should know about? TIA Luke

 

[iggers]

Voigtlander Vitomatic II

Voigtlander Vitomatic II

The Vitomatic II is nice, BUT... is heavy and annoyingly front-heavy. I've never had one that did not have a faint, dim or dead rangefinder patch. The one that I still have also has a near-dead selenium meter, and an ASA dial that is almost impossible to move. The Color-Skopar is a decent lens.

 

[iggers]

Karen Nakamura has a write-up

Karen Nakamura has a write-up

I forgot: Karen Nakamura has a write-up on her excellent site:

http://www.photoethnography.com/Cla...eset.html?VoigtlanderVitomatic.html~mainFrame

 

[ErnestoJL]

Lens is excellent, and besides being front heavy, the only other bad thing about this nice little camera is that you should use the lower part of the neveready case to carry the camera (it has no eyelets where to hang a strap, and the selenium meter is limited in range (for ISO 100 you cannot go beyond 1/30 and f 2.8).
There were three models: Vitomatic II with uncoupled meter and visible from the top only.
Vitomatic IIa same but restyled, and Vitomatic IIb which had the meter fully coupled.
Strange thing, the meter goes up to ISO 800 max and lower featured Voigtländer models were different (Vito CD goes up to ISO 3200 for a top speed of 1/300 !! ).
Anyway is kind of a maid for all services, reliable and compact.

 

[unohuu]

Thanks, Iggers and Ernesto. Karen Nakamura is the person responsible for my new fascination with the RF. I actually bought the Lynx 14 (I think it was hers) after reading her review on her site. I also read the information and quirks of the Vitomatic II, but wanted input from RFF users. So is it worth it even with the near dead meter? I am getting pretty good at Sunny 16 rule. How heavy is front heavy? I had a Hi-Matic 9 that seemed pretty front heavy as well, and I do already anything as cumbersome as one might imagine with the Lynx 14.

Luke

 

[iggers]

If the rangefinder patch is good and the meter seems to work, then $40 is ok, but at the high end perhaps. As long as the lens is clear and you can set aperture, speed and distance, it should be capable of making good pictures. Go for it.

Thanks, Iggers and Ernesto. Karen Nakamura is the person responsible for my new fascination with the RF. I actually bought the Lynx 14 (I think it was hers) after reading her review on her site. I also read the information and quirks of the Vitomatic II, but wanted input from RFF users. So is it worth it even with the near dead meter? I am getting pretty good at Sunny 16 rule. How heavy is front heavy? I had a Hi-Matic 9 that seemed pretty front heavy as well, and I do already anything as cumbersome as one might imagine with the Lynx 14.

Luke

 

[ErnestoJL]

Thisl little maid for all services has speeds fro 1 to 1/500 and continuous f adjust from 2.8 to 22. The Meter cell is easily replaceable, you just need another cell of approx. same phisical size and a variable resistor to adjust new cells output to the meter (earlier models had a fixed resistor for adjusting, and later models added a variable one (the meter is Gossen made) as later models of Vito CD/CLR). The cell can be obtained from another camera, or a solar cell calculator. And of course you need either another camera with a fully working meter or a handheld one to calibrate it. They have just only one point of adjustment, so the job is damn easy. There are some tricks to "increase " ISO setting like reducing the adjusting resistor value so you can overcome the natural camera limitation. I did it and setting was up to ISO1600.
The RF patch is another issue, as Voigtländer tradition was to use a front gold metallized mirror, which if defective would be a pain in the a*s to replace (unless yo have another camera for parts). AFAICR RF adjustment is straightforward.
The lens is just a reissue of the same 1930 design of the Skopar (used in the V. Virtus) but coated and colour corrected. It was the standard lens for many top of the line Voigtländer models from the mid sixties.
USD 40/50 is a fair price if camera is good. Here in Argentina there is a seller asking USD230!.
Hope you can get yours , it is a very good camera.

 

[unohuu]

The Vitomatic II arrived today. See the image below. Simple question for users. Is the film release door kind of touchy. If I simply squeeze the body, the trap door for the film pops open. I solved this problem by replacing the case base. I wonder though if this is potential for a light leak. Anyway, the camera is not nearly as awkward as the Lynx 14. Luke

 

[rich815]

If the meter is dead I'd recommend a Vito B or BL instead. Sames lens for the most part, lighter and more compact.

 

[unohuu]

No, Rick, the meter is working well.

 

[rich815]

Sorry, you said this in a post above:

"So is it worth it even with the near dead meter?"

and I thought you meant the meter was not working properly.

 

[ErnestoJL]

You´ve got a nice camera!
The film loading door is a bit unusual to say at least. Check if the metal piece which works as a latch inside the body and in the door itself isn´t bent or broken. Once the bottom door is closed (and properly latched), there shouldn´t be any way to open the back door, unless you open it on purpose. The bottom hatch has a piece of black foam inside that ensures no light leaks can occur, keeping also the film cassete in place. If the rear door isn´t bent and seats properly in the foam filled slots of the body, there shouldn´t be any problem.
Good luck and congratulations!
Ernesto.