largedrink
Down Under
Hi everyone,
I recently acquired a nice Vito III which I am slowly cleaning and adjusting. The rangefinder is quite out of alignment so I removed the top name plate and successfully set the vertical alignment using the set screw. Horizontal alignment is also way out but I am unsure how to use the two set screws to change the alignment - any help appreciated! I am guessing that one of the screws is a stop screw and the other to make the adjustment.
Also, this Vito III happened to be missing the small cable release socket that sits next to the shutter release on the top plate, you can see the hole in the attached photo where the socket should be. If anyone has advice on how to replace this or happens to have a donor part I'd be happy to hear from you!
I recently acquired a nice Vito III which I am slowly cleaning and adjusting. The rangefinder is quite out of alignment so I removed the top name plate and successfully set the vertical alignment using the set screw. Horizontal alignment is also way out but I am unsure how to use the two set screws to change the alignment - any help appreciated! I am guessing that one of the screws is a stop screw and the other to make the adjustment.
Also, this Vito III happened to be missing the small cable release socket that sits next to the shutter release on the top plate, you can see the hole in the attached photo where the socket should be. If anyone has advice on how to replace this or happens to have a donor part I'd be happy to hear from you!
There are a number of similarities between the design of the Vito III and the Prominent rangefinders (the folding lens arrangement of the former notwithstanding). I suspect the rangefinder system may be one area of shared components? There's most likely a lot more information available about the Prominent than the Vito III so this may assist when searching for details.
Have you checked and, if necessary, adjusted the lens focus yet? It's always best to ensure the lens you are calibrating a rangefinder to is focusing accurately. There's not much point getting your RF patch bang on with an infinity target, if the lens itself is off. Results still won't be optimum. So that's the first step. Having done this you can then proceed to RF adjustment.
FWIW my suggestion, if you're up to it, would be to remove the cover shown in order to properly access the interior components for cleaning and adjustment. Not only will this enable you to most likely improve the performance of the rangefinder by achieving a brighter focus patch, you'll be better able to ensure correct operation of all pivots, cams etc. this way. And it should reveal the functionality of the RF adjusters clearly.
Of course if you're not confident doing this, better to leave it to someone experienced. The Vito III is a very beautiful rangefinder, relatively rare, and has a superb Ultron lens (I would love one myself to add to my stash of other Voigtlanders). Like a number of other classic Voigtlanders it is appreciating in recent years. All excellent reasons to take all care against accidental damage in the course of working on it.
Cheers
Brett
Have you checked and, if necessary, adjusted the lens focus yet? It's always best to ensure the lens you are calibrating a rangefinder to is focusing accurately. There's not much point getting your RF patch bang on with an infinity target, if the lens itself is off. Results still won't be optimum. So that's the first step. Having done this you can then proceed to RF adjustment.
FWIW my suggestion, if you're up to it, would be to remove the cover shown in order to properly access the interior components for cleaning and adjustment. Not only will this enable you to most likely improve the performance of the rangefinder by achieving a brighter focus patch, you'll be better able to ensure correct operation of all pivots, cams etc. this way. And it should reveal the functionality of the RF adjusters clearly.
Of course if you're not confident doing this, better to leave it to someone experienced. The Vito III is a very beautiful rangefinder, relatively rare, and has a superb Ultron lens (I would love one myself to add to my stash of other Voigtlanders). Like a number of other classic Voigtlanders it is appreciating in recent years. All excellent reasons to take all care against accidental damage in the course of working on it.
Cheers
Brett
NeeZee
Well-known
I have a Vito III as well and use it a lot. Never had to adjust the RF and I can't find anything online but as Brett said, it is very similar to the Prominent whose RF adjustment is covered here: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/classics/forum/messages/13061/9706.html?1183181895
Hope that helps.
Have fun with the camera - it's a joy to use!
Hope that helps.
Have fun with the camera - it's a joy to use!
largedrink
Down Under
Thanks both for the advice, the link to the adjustment procedure on the Prominent is very useful - the Vito III looks very similar to the Prominent so I suspect you're correct Brett that the rangefinder is a shared component.
Great idea to check the infinity focus of the lens first. I have done this a number of times on front-focus types of folding cameras, though with the Vito III I'm wondering what exactly I'll do if the lens infinity is incorrect. There isn't an obvious way to calibrate the lens focus, I imagine that would require dismantling the top cover and de-coupling focus mechanism from the lens movement in order to re-set it... something like that?
I'd love to remove the top cover completely to clean the viewfinder / rangefinder, but yes, reluctant to do so without instructions to follow, this is one of the more complex cameras from the '50's I have seen.
The build quality of the Vito III is superb, I can't wait to use it! This one came with a very clean lens and the shutter works well. You won't regret purchasing one Brett. Oh BTW if you're also interested in adding a very nice Perkeo IIIe to your collection I'm trying to sell one!
Cheers
Hugh
Great idea to check the infinity focus of the lens first. I have done this a number of times on front-focus types of folding cameras, though with the Vito III I'm wondering what exactly I'll do if the lens infinity is incorrect. There isn't an obvious way to calibrate the lens focus, I imagine that would require dismantling the top cover and de-coupling focus mechanism from the lens movement in order to re-set it... something like that?
I'd love to remove the top cover completely to clean the viewfinder / rangefinder, but yes, reluctant to do so without instructions to follow, this is one of the more complex cameras from the '50's I have seen.
The build quality of the Vito III is superb, I can't wait to use it! This one came with a very clean lens and the shutter works well. You won't regret purchasing one Brett. Oh BTW if you're also interested in adding a very nice Perkeo IIIe to your collection I'm trying to sell one!
Cheers
Hugh
Hi Hugh,
I would also love a Prominent but do not have one yet (it's one of only three of four cameras I still really lust after). So the following comments are just a guess, but an educated one after a lot of time working on various German cameras. My hunch would be that, as the Vito III focuses using a focus wheel on top left (like the Prominent) that you probably dial in the lens focus precisely by adjusting the position of the infinity stop on the knob relative to the focus shaft, for instance, or something similar. Hence, adjusting this, if needed (and hopefully, it may not be, but it's good to check) would be a case of backing off the fastening screw, turning the knob slightly away from infinity, temporarily re-fastening the knob and then moving the focus back and forward (perhaps beyond infinity and back to it) until you hit that point where it is sharpest. At that point, you'd back off the fastener, and, without rotating the focus shaft (or gear shaft, or whatever it uses), rotate the knob back to the infinity stop and tighten it.
The above is essentially how you would set a TLR incidentally. I could be leading you completely off track, but I suspect that is basically how you would have to adjust it. Of course if any Prominent or Vito III owners have actually carried out this process, corrections are very welcome.
The other point is that there is a repair manual on CD available for the Prominent. I have one for the Bessamatic SLR by the same author and it's very good, plenty of actual photos and a lot of clear instructions based on repairing the cameras decades old. I have every reason to expect the Prominent manual by the same author would be equally worthwhile. Of course a purchase of the manual may be a catalyst for Prominent ownership, but despite the types well documented ergomonic challenges, it's a not an unappealing prospect, is it? The quality of the Voigtlander lenses for the Prominent as demonstrated by Rick Drawbridge, your fellow Kiwi (do a search over at photonet) is reason enough in my mind to perservere with the Prominent body design. As a Vito III owner it would be a pretty smooth transition for you I suspect. Here's a link to the manual:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Repair-Inst...311946?hash=item542df56d8a:g:HicAAOSwYIhWjwEy
As it happens, I spotted a Perkeo myself about a year ago at a local market. Surprisingly I resisted the urge to purchase it but about a fortnight ago I visited again and it was still there, so I finally relented. It's not as gorgeous as yours, being a Perkeo I with the Vaskar lens, but fits nicely in the pocket. I need to budget for the next few months. A nice local lady I met needs to find a safe home for her father's old Voigtlander TLR and she likes me, so it may come my way. A focusing Brilliant would be rather nice, but, this is actually a Superb, so I'm rather keen to take the chance to get it! And I've unearthed another Contax right here in Tasmania, (a Contax II and collapsible Sonnar with one owner) and am buying this also. Not to mention I would really, really like a Prominent.
So I will have to pass on the Perkeo, as appealing as a rangefinder equipped example undoubtedly is. But thank you for thinking of me. They're fairly rare: I should keep it, Hugh, if you can, there are few genuine medium format cameras as compact as a Perkeo or as durable. Cheers
Brett
Just on the subject of checking and adjusting infinity accurately, Rick Oleson has a good page on his site covering the use of a reliable SLR to check the lens focus at the film plane. It's now my preferred way of checking and adjusting lens focus. I generally prefer to use my Hasselblad because its larger viewfinder makes it easier to inspect the target. A trustworthy 35mm SLR is however perfectly usable also, but for best results fit it with a lens the focal length of which is at least twice that of the one being tested (Ie. for your Vitos 50mm Ultron attach a 135mm tele or similar for best accuracy of adjustment).
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-123.html
Cheers
Brett
http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-123.html
Cheers
Brett
largedrink
Down Under
Hi Brett,
Thanks again for the advice, sounds like you're busy enough with new (old) cameras! Actually there are a couple of reasons to sell my Perkeo E - number one being that I already have one that's in even better condition (practically mint), the other that I promised my wife I'd try to keep my hobby cost-neutral. And seeing I've made a few purchases lately (unusually for me I paid almost market price for the Vito III) do need to recoup some of that expense! Having said that I do love the Voigtlander cameras and am happy to hold on to both for a while.
The repair manual looks really useful, in fact the photograph on the auction looks like just what I need for my Vito III. With that and your tips I am getting tempted to pull the cover off it now.
I haven't looked into acquiring a Prominent though it's on my list, it would indeed be a nice project to work on restoring one. I do think they're a handsome camera and love all that chrome work.
Cheers
Hugh
Thanks again for the advice, sounds like you're busy enough with new (old) cameras! Actually there are a couple of reasons to sell my Perkeo E - number one being that I already have one that's in even better condition (practically mint), the other that I promised my wife I'd try to keep my hobby cost-neutral. And seeing I've made a few purchases lately (unusually for me I paid almost market price for the Vito III) do need to recoup some of that expense! Having said that I do love the Voigtlander cameras and am happy to hold on to both for a while.
The repair manual looks really useful, in fact the photograph on the auction looks like just what I need for my Vito III. With that and your tips I am getting tempted to pull the cover off it now.
I haven't looked into acquiring a Prominent though it's on my list, it would indeed be a nice project to work on restoring one. I do think they're a handsome camera and love all that chrome work.
Cheers
Hugh
Chris Sherlock in Dunedin has a page on the Vito III rangefinder. No comments regarding adjusting the lens or rangefinder, but Chris posts here occasionally and is a friendly, helpful guy, so if you're stuck you could try asking him for some suggestions perhaps? FYI here is his page on the Vito III:
http://retinarescue.com/vito3.html
Let us know how you get on please and if you do any further disassembly feel free to add some images and perhaps we can offer some further suggestions.
Cheers,
Brett
http://retinarescue.com/vito3.html
Let us know how you get on please and if you do any further disassembly feel free to add some images and perhaps we can offer some further suggestions.
Cheers,
Brett
largedrink
Down Under
I checked the infinity focus at the film plane using the Rick Oleson method and the focus seems to be accurate. Great. I then removed the top nameplate again to try to adjust the rangefinder settings, using the Prominent adjustment instructions, but found the lock screw to be incredibly tight and couldn't move it. Rather than risk damaging anything I decided to leave the rangefinder for now. On the weekend I'll do some more focus tests using paper on the film plane, to try to see how different the rangefinder is to the actual focus of the lens. Then I think I'll try putting a film through, with a few controlled and measured shots at different apertures and see how much of a problem (or not) it is.