Voigtlander VC Meter II $174

[ruben]

I would like to ask everyone here about this clip-on meter. As far as I have understood, it offers the advantage of enabling you to preset the ISO and f/stop, then you push the button and move the speed dial to the right point - a proceeding much faster and easier than, for example the Gossen Digisix with which you get an EV and then start going crazy with the dials and numbers (the same as with all pre-digital meters).
But, is the price OK ?
Is it really nice and compact ?
Is it really practical to combine with a meterless camera instead of a small hand light meter ?

Any users out there ?
Thanks,
Ruben

 

[Stephanie Brim]

It's a good meter, but I think it's mostly there for the look. It's very retro-stylish.

For that amount of money I'd probably go get myself a Gossen Luna Pro Digital, which I could get on Ebay for less than that. With the presence of a large format camera looming on the horizon (maybe), I really need to think about getting a new one, too.

 

[Justin Viiret]

I use mine on an M3 all the time -- it stays on the shoe permanently, and it's very easy to use and matches my handheld meter for readings. I find it a lot easier than using a handheld meter, actually, it means I don't have to carry anything more around than the camera.

I haven't got a photograph of it sitting on the camera handy, but CameraQuest has a few.

 

[ERV]

174. is the cameraquest price for a new meter- I assume you are asking about a new meter..
I have two that I bought used and like them because they are discreet and easy to use.
I also use a handheld from time to time, however I agree that having a meter on the shoe is faster and simpler.

 

[wlewisiii]

It is a nice meter and it is very fast and convieniant to use it in the shoe of most meterless cameras. I liked mine well enough, but I also sold it recently and am using a Sekoninc L-28C now because I wan't something a bit fancier to also use for large format. I think that price has gone up or else I got mine on sale because I didn't pay that much. For that money I'd look at a new Gossen or Sekonic instead. But if you can find a used one for ~$100, then it would certainly be worth it.

William

 

[SteveM(PA)]

It is a nice meter and it is very fast and convieniant to use it in the shoe of most meterless cameras. I liked mine well enough, but I also sold it recently and am using a Sekoninc L-28C now because I wan't something a bit fancier to also use for large format. I think that price has gone up or else I got mine on sale because I didn't pay that much. For that money I'd look at a new Gossen or Sekonic instead. But if you can find a used one for ~$100, then it would certainly be worth it.

William

I bought William's for the afore-mentioned 100 bucks and love it to pieces. I had to wait quite a while to find one, but it turned up! It is a solid little hunk of metal, and the dials are chrome-plated brass (mine (William's) is nicely brassed) It's real smooth, and a pure pleasure to use. The led's are visible in bright sun. Works well for my snapshots...the quick ones, and the composed ones. It just finished a roll (role?) on my Fed 3b/J8.

 

[dcsang]

It's a handy pocketable meter that sits nicely on any of the non-metered Leicas/Contax/etc. etc.

It's easy to use and handles pretty well. It's a bit bigger (width/length wise) than a film canister cap (about 1.5x the size) and it's as thick as 8 stacked pennies.

It's the perfect reflective meter for general outdoor and some indoor scenes. 🙂

Dave

 

[Bill Ely]

For me, an excellent item. They are very accurate and handy. I use mine all the time. Also available is a small fitting affixed to a neck cord for about $40 more. For what they are, I can't see how Voigtlander/Cosina could have made anything better. They seem very well made, and have a nice solid and substantial "feel".

 

[Silver4ever]

Voigtlander VC Meter vs. VC II Meter on Canon P

Voigtlander VC Meter vs. VC II Meter on Canon P

My Voightlander VC Meter has proven very accurate on my Canon P, even when I'm shooting chromes. I intentionally bought the older original VC model, even though the newer VC II has some design improvements.

Why? Because the VC II, with its lower but wider profile, blocks the P's rewind crank from turning. You need to remove it to rewind film. Not a big deal, to be sure -- but the older VC clears the rewind crank with room to spare, and I find it more convenient to rewind film without removing the meter.

Obviously, this would not be an issue for Leica Ms with either a rewind knob or the slanted rewind crank.

--Bruce

 

[flashover]

one just sold on pnet for 120.

 

[wlewisiii]

Langdon, it's nice to see it's doing well for you.

I stopped by to see a friend of mine, a former pro photographer whos still shoots quite a bit for himself and showed him my new-to-me Sekonic. First thing he said was "I used to have one of those." 🙂 He got out his recently calibrated Luna-Pro and we compared meters - mine was within 1/3 of a stop of his. Not bad for a Selenium meter that's between 36 and 44 years old (range of when the L-28c was made.) 😀

Not as compact as the VC II was, to be sure, but it's handy enough. Certainly smaller than that Luna-Pro! 😱 I always forget how huge many meters really are. Now even more compact is the 1 stop off GE PR-1 I got given to me today. That one's in nice enough shape that I may just have to give it a vacation at the QLM day spa... 😉

William

 

[eric mac]

I've been using the original vc on my m2. The only thing wrong is I keep forgetting to transfer the reading from the meter to the camera. :bang: It also doesn't fit on my kiev.

Eric

 

[Timmyjoe]

Just picked up a VC II, man is it ever tiny. Only been using it a short while, on an M4, and so far I really like it. I can read it without my reading glasses on (something I couldn't do with the Sekonic L-208) and it's really easy to adjust. Will eventually try it on my Nikon S2, but I have to flip around the shoe for it to fit.

Best,
-Tim

 

[richardHaw]

one of the best things you can buy these days 😱😱😱

i made a review on the 2 models on my blog.

one is better for barnacks while the other is better for everything else.

 

[ktmrider]

Had one and sold it. I prefer a hand held meter, especially for incident light. However, using the VC meter it is easy to forget to set the shutter speed while remembering to set the f stop, at least it was for me.

Have been looking recently at a MR4 meter for my M2 or M4. Of course, its advantage is it is coupled to the shutter speed dial. Its disadvantage is its age. B&H shows a used one for $129.

 

[Huss]

Had one and sold it. I prefer a hand held meter, especially for incident light. However, using the VC meter it is easy to forget to set the shutter speed while remembering to set the f stop, at least it was for me.

Have been looking recently at a MR4 meter for my M2 or M4. Of course, its advantage is it is coupled to the shutter speed dial. Its disadvantage is its age. B&H shows a used one for $129.

I did the same thing when I had it on my M4-2! I forgot to change the shutter speed as I was used to using Leica's fantastic linked meters.
But it is a very nice meter, with unfortunately a battery cover that opens too easily.
I use it on my Texas Leica where it looks like it is part of the design.

 

[Godfrey]

I would like to ask everyone here about this clip-on meter. As far as I have understood, it offers the advantage of enabling you to preset the ISO and f/stop, then you push the button and move the speed dial to the right point - a proceeding much faster and easier than, for example the Gossen Digisix with which you get an EV and then start going crazy with the dials and numbers (the same as with all pre-digital meters).
But, is the price OK ?
Is it really nice and compact ?
Is it really practical to combine with a meterless camera instead of a small hand light meter ?

Any users out there ?
Thanks,
Ruben

I bought one an age ago, before I bought the MR-4 meter for my M4-2. It works very well: a convenient meter for any of my meterless cameras with an accessory shoe. And its very accurate, readings match my Sekonic hand held meters in reflected light mode and the MR-4 very closely.

It's a nice design, and it's small and light. Here's a shot of it fitted to my Voigtländer Perkeo II, with a six inch ruler on the table in front of the camera to give you a sense of the size.

I believe I paid over $200 for it once upon a time. $174 sounds very reasonable to me.
BTW: The battery door on mine has never opened accidentally. It's actually a bit tight... ?

G

 

[Huss]

My get up

 

[charjohncarter]

This is what it was made for: IIIf. Lens is an Instamatic lens mount for LTM.

Disposable Camera Lens on LeicaIIIf by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[CameraQuest]

I would like to ask everyone here about this clip-on meter. As far as I have understood, it offers the advantage of enabling you to preset the ISO and f/stop, then you push the button and move the speed dial to the right point - a proceeding much faster and easier than, for example the Gossen Digisix with which you get an EV and then start going crazy with the dials and numbers (the same as with all pre-digital meters).
But, is the price OK ?
Is it really nice and compact ?
Is it really practical to combine with a meterless camera instead of a small hand light meter ?

Any users out there ?
Thanks,
Ruben

Ruben started this thread in 2006
$174 was the price then, for the model 1.

They have proven to be incredibly reliable, almost repair free.

That said, Huss, something is wrong or broken with your copy. The battery cover does not come open easily unless its in need of repair.
BTW, we have never repaired any VC meter, either version, with that problem.

Stephen