Zeiss-Ikon S312/ Voigtlander VF 101

[hilltime]

I have recently purchased a Zeiss S312 which led me to find a Voigtlander VF 101 for comparison. Both cameras are close in size and shape with the Zeiss, being earlier, having slightly different features. My question is does anyone have any experience shooting either of these models and what's your thoughts on quality of the lenses? I've read even though the Zeiss has a 40/2.8Tessar and the Voigtlander has a 40/2.8 Color Skopar, they are actually the same lens?????. The S312 was made in W. Germany and the V 101 made in Singapore. Same lens????
Any comments or further info would be appreciated on these two relatively obscure rangefinders.
Regards,
Gary Hill

 

[ZeissFan]

Actually, the camera that you bought is the Zeiss Ikon Contessa S 312. It's mechanically the same camera as the Voigtlander VF 101.

Zeiss Ikon assumed full control of Voigtlander in the 1960s, and some cameras were made concurrently under the Voigtlander and Zeiss Ikon names. This is one of them.

When Zeiss Ikon ended production in the 1970s, Rollei took over most of the Voigtlander line. It's a somewhat complicated story, but briefly production of medium format cameras and most 35mm cameras ended. A line of Voigtlander-branded 35mm SLRs were sold alongside the Rollei SL 35 series, in addition to this camera. Production of the VF101 was moved to Singapore, as was production of all of Rollei's (and Voigtlander-branded) 35mm cameras.

That was a bit convoluted, but the story of the German camera industry during that period is a bit convoluted.

The Tessar and Skopar are of the same design (4 elements in 3 groups), and it probably wouldn't be a big stretch to say that the lenses on the two cameras are identical.

I have the Contessa S 310, which is a zone focus model. It has the same f/2.8 Tessar, and it's a very nice little camera.

These were made to take four 1.5-volt 625 cells. Electrically, the batteries are in two sets of two cells connected in parallel to give a total of 3 volts. It's not too difficult to convert the camera to use a 123 lithium battery, which I've done with three of these.

They're very sturdy cameras with a good lens and a generally accurate meter.

They're about the size of a Rollei 35 but heavier. I have a short writeup about the Contessa S 310 on my site.

 

[hilltime]

Thanks for the info and concise history. Would you have any knowledge of an original case for these cameras as to size, shape, material?
Regards,
Gary

 

[ZeissFan]

For the Zeiss Ikon camera, I know there were at least two cases available.

One was a pleated soft leather case with a zipper. The front of the case had a series of pleats -- somewhat unusual. It had Zeiss Ikon embossed in the leather. The Voigtlander soft case (at least for the Singapore camera) looks more like a Rollei 35 soft case, which isn't surprising.

The other was a two-piece mostly plastic eveready case, and the top half could be removed. This case had a Zeiss Ikon nameplate on the front.

 

[hilltime]

Again, thanks for the knowledge.
Gary