Voigtlander Vito III / Prominent repair?

[Iplawman]

Hello everyone. I'm a long-time reader and first-time poster on this excellent forum. I recently acquired a beautiful Voigtlander Vito III. The Ultron lens is crystal clear and the shutter appears to be working well. Unfortunately, there is a problem with the film transport. The film advance knob and sprocket wheels will not move, even when the advance lock release button and rewind buttons are pressed. Can anyone recommend a good repair person? I understand that the Vito III and Prominent largely share the same body, other than folding vs. rigid lens assemblies. So I expect that someone with Prominent repair experience would also be a good resource for the Vito III. (I contacted Jurgen at Certo6, but unfortunately he does not work on the film transports for these models.) Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[largedrink]

It's a shame Chris Sherlock is retired. He corrected the rf alignment on my Vito III and other random jobs including a RoBoT winder repair. He would have been able to fix it.

So how can you fire the shutter, if the film advance is not working? The shutter should lock and not fire.

I'm assuming there's no film in the camera

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Hello everyone. I'm a long-time reader and first-time poster on this excellent forum. I recently acquired a beautiful Voigtlander Vito III. The Ultron lens is crystal clear and the shutter appears to be working well. Unfortunately, there is a problem with the film transport. The film advance knob and sprocket wheels will not move, even when the advance lock release button and rewind buttons are pressed. Can anyone recommend a good repair person? I understand that the Vito III and Prominent largely share the same body, other than folding vs. rigid lens assemblies. So I expect that someone with Prominent repair experience would also be a good resource for the Vito III. (I contacted Jurgen at Certo6, but unfortunately he does not work on the film transports for these models.) Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Your location might help target possibilities proximate to you?

 

[Iplawman]

It's a shame Chris Sherlock is retired. He corrected the rf alignment on my Vito III and other random jobs including a RoBoT winder repair. He would have been able to fix it.

So how can you fire the shutter, if the film advance is not working? The shutter should lock and not fire.

I'm assuming there's no film in the camera

I agree Chris Sherlock would have been great. He did excellent work on my Retina IIIc.

The shutter on the Vito III has its own cocking lever on the shutter body itself. You can cock and fire the shutter by pressing the small firing pin on the shutter body, without advancing the film wind or pressing the shutter release button on the camera's top plate. That is how I "tested" the speeds. I will have the shutter checked and lubricated as needed when I get the film transport repair done. There is no film in the camera.

 

[Iplawman]

Your location might help target possibilities proximate to you?

I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. I should have noted that in my original post. Thanks.

 

[largedrink]

I agree Chris Sherlock would have been great. He did excellent work on my Retina IIIc.

The shutter on the Vito III has its own cocking lever on the shutter body itself. You can cock and fire the shutter by pressing the small firing pin on the shutter body, without advancing the film wind or pressing the shutter release button on the camera's top plate. That is how I "tested" the speeds. I will have the shutter checked and lubricated as needed when I get the film transport repair done. There is no film in the camera.

Is the shutter lock engaged? I mean, can you depress the shutter release or is it locked.

 

[Iplawman]

Is the shutter lock engaged? I mean, can you depress the shutter release or is it locked.

The shutter lock appears to be engaged. I can't press the shutter release. It is locked in its up position. And as noted above, the film advance knob will not turn when it is in its normal seated position. (It will turn when it is in its raised position, which allows the film counter to be reset. But turning it when it is in the raised position will not advance the sprocket wheel or release the shutter lock.

 

[shawn]

I bought a CLA'd Vito III from Zack's Camera repair in Providence, RI and it works wonderfully so worth checking there.

Shawn

 

[Iplawman]

I bought a CLA'd Vito III from Zack's Camera repair in Providence, RI and it works wonderfully so worth checking there.

Shawn

Thanks Shawn! I appreciate the suggestion and will check them out.

 

[shawn]

Hope he can get it squared away for you. The Vito III is my favorite 35mm folder, just super precise feeling. Love that it is a dial wind but can still be wound with your thumb.

Shawn

 

[p.giannakis]

I can't recommend anyone on that side of the pond but if you can't find anyone who can work on it, I am sure Ed Trzoska from Euro Photographic Services will work on it. He is based in Leicester, UK thought.