Voigtlander Prominent from my dad's collection

B

BrunoK

BrunoK
Local time
8:14 AM
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
65
Location
Maryland
View My Gallery
Tonight's find from my father's collection.
It keeps getting more and more interesting.

It's hard to not to rave about this beautiful camera. I have no idea at all how or when my dad acquired this. It really looks as though someone bought it or received as a present, unpacked and put it in a safe. I wonder if it film was ever loaded in it.

Any info, tips, warnings, etc greatly appreciated.
This whole kit has go to go to the top of the must photograph and share list.


Voigtlander Prominent 35mm rf coupled
sn B65xxx interior
lens Voigtlander Nokton 1:1,5/50
shutter Synchro-Compur flash sync M X
original leather case excellent condition



Accessory lenses

Voigtlander Skoparon 1:3,5/35 with Voigtlander leather case

Voigtlander Dynaron 1:4,5/100 with Voigtlander leather case

Voigtlander accessory viewfinder
labeled 35 mm one end, 100 mm other end which also has flip down metal lens plate with distance scale in ft m labeled 1 3 inf symb. with Voigtlander leather case

Voigtlander Prominent Proximeter I
Voigtlander leather case
(I believe close up lenses are used with this?)
 
These cameras are beautifully built, albeit a little quirky in design - eg the method of cocking the leaf shutter and of focussing the lens mount. The lenses are also well made and exceedingly competent (although I recall them being a little on the low contrast side.) Many years ago I bought a body which came with the F2 (Ultron I think) and the 100mm Dynaron. Eventually I also located a 35mm Skoparon for it and although I also had the chance to buy the Color Skopar 50mm (virtually the same as the Tessar in design I believe) I never took this option up. Perhaps I should have because I had a Voightlander Vito with that lens design and found it to be very nice indeed although a little slow at f3.5. But in the time I owned it I did buy a number of accessories including the correct lens hood (again brilliantly made.) The camera also came with the correct accessory viewfinder - the Turnit as described in the originating post. The version I had was all metal and leather covered - later cheaper plastic versions also exist. Eventually I sold the kit to help pay for my "next big thing" (I think it was an M3 in very nice condition) and of course I regretted it from that day forward. At least I got a good price for it. I specifically recall that the shutter was whisper quiet and left the leicas for dead in this respect. This leaf shutter also had the advantage that it could synch with a flash at all speeds - something which I believe endeared this camera to press photographers when it was new. I have on a few occasions considered buying another on eBay and may one day succumb to this temptation. The camera was a bit odd to use in certain respects, but I like using old camera designs and with this one you just have to be prepared to go with the flow as its not your usual bit of kit. Like many cameras of the era, the viewfinder was unconscionably small and squinty - maybe a match for a 111 series Leica camera but certainly not for an M mount camera. One final comment about these cameras. The chrome on these bodies (and accessories) was and is much tougher than on any leica or SLR camera. It is very hard to mark so its not too difficult to find these cameras in good cosmetic condition.

Quite a good little overview of the camera here -

http://www.cameraquest.com/voiprom.htm
 
Last edited:
Peter,

The accesory viewfinder is called the "Turnit" ? The one I have has a plastic body with the metal viewing lens. Is is turned around on the body shoe when changing lenses?

I understand about the heavy chrome, but this camera is just phenomenal considering it's age. Inside the film guides are bright polished, there is absolutely no mottling or fading of the interior paint.

The case exterior has some very slight rub marks as though moved from drawer to drawer, but there are almost no creases in the leather straps or hinge points. To me that indicates that the case was rarely even opened when coupled with the bright fresh appearenc eof the camera itself.

Thanks for the link
 
Thats right, its the TURNIT finder. From memory (its been a few years) the finder is turned around as needed to give the correct view. Also the metal screen on one end can be lifted to give the correct view required for one lens - the 35mm I think.
 
A bugger to wind on at 1/500.

Very popular professionally as late as the 60s if you wanted flash synch at all speds.

The first modern, rare-earth f/1.5 lens, let down by a chrome lens bezel which could flare at the wrong angle.

Mirror box also available (!) with 100mm and later 150mm lenses at DM 40 more than a complete Prominent with f/3.5 lens (DM 395 in 1954). Understandably rare. Also Proximeter 'NOOKY' type device.

A lovely camera -- I've had two, both with f/1.5, one with the mirror box -- but very much of its time; hard to defend today against an M.

Has yours the built in accessory shoe? From memory, the first series didn't, and the second did -- but I could be wrong. I think I sold my second around 17-18 years ago.

Cheers,

R.
 
I have the Prominent I with the Nokton and the Skoparon. Both lenses are excellent.The rest has been said above.
 
Roger Hicks

Has yours the built in accessory shoe? From memory, the first series didn't, and the second did -- but I could be wrong.
It does have the accessory shoe. Might it be a Prominent 1a?

Thanks for the info.
 
Love the lenses. Loathe the body.

For me, it's the worst camera ever in terms of ergonomics, among those that I've used (roughly 150). They took everything that is idiotic about camera design and quirky with the Voigtlanders and stuffed it into one body.

That's not entirely true, but I have very little nice things to say about the Prominent, starting with the time that it ripped in half the first roll I tried to use and ending with poking myself in the eye repeatedly with my thumb while trying to hoist an unnecessarily heavy camera.

I think that I'm in the minority when it comes to the Prominent. I've yet to have an enjoyable outing with it.
 
Raid, I see that I'm in good company.

The f/2.0 Ultron is an excellent lens. I have an adapter that allows it to be used on a Contax RF body.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom