An Old Voigtlander Vitessa L Came My Way

Since I'm getting real interested in old rangefinders (its a disease), I picked up another one.

This time an old Voigtlander Vitessa L with Ultron 50mm F2 lens. When I received it, took it out of the box and heard a rattle. When I looked through the eyepiece, I couldn't see the rangefinder spot.... You guessed it, the rangefinder mirror was what was rattling around inside the top of the camera.

Since I got this camera for $100.00, I didn't really want to send it back. So, I took half a day to take the camera apart and reglue the rangefinder. Most of the time was spent readjusting the rangefinder spot after the glue dried, MAN what a pain!

Anyway, the next day I took it outside and shot a short roll through it to see how well I repaired it. I used some cheap expired Fugicolor 100 that I picked up for $0.75 a roll. I developed the roll in some 1 1/2 year old C-41 chemicals I had lying around in glass bottles.

I'm happy with the result.

Voigtlander Vitessa L with Ultron 50mm F2 by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

Here's some scans of the negative. These aren't anything special, just some snaps around the house. Also, the meter works on this Vitessa, so all the images were calculated with the Vitessa's onboard meter.

Voigtlander Vitessa L Ultron Test Roll 2 by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

Voigtlander Vitessa L Ultron Test Roll 1 by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

Voigtlander Vitessa L Ultron Test Roll 3 by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

Voigtlander Vitessa L Ultron Test Roll 4 by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

It looks like patience paid off. The rangefinder on this camera was very difficult to align. I can't tell you how many times I had the top of the camera on and off to get the rangefinder aligned. the mirror and prisms are build on top of the camera, but the eyepiece is built in the removable top. So, to align the spot you have to constantly take off and reinstall the top plate, as well as the focus wheel.

I can tell you one thing though, I think I am going to enjoy this camera. That Ultron lens might prove to be something special.

I have a pristine Vitessa but the rangefinder needs some adjustment.... I wonder how much time it takes to do a decent job...

Dali said:

I have a pristine Vitessa but the rangefinder needs some adjustment.... I wonder how much time it takes to do a decent job...

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It took me about 4 hours to fix it totally. To adjust the rangefinder exactly, I could probably do it in about an hour now.

To take the top plate off (I didn't bother taking the plunger off), you just have to unscrew two screws. They are located inside the film compartment (turn the take up spool to get to the one under it). The top then just lifts off. You have to turn the focus wheel back and fourth to get the top completely off.

The rangefinder has four screws, one large lock down screw, then two vertical adjustment screws and one horizontal adjustment screw.

I just barely loosened the lock down screw, then turned only one screw at a time and put the top plate back on. You have to install the focus wheel each time as that effects the focus.

To make sure I had focus, I started at infinity and used a small piece of ground glass with a 10X lupe taped to it. I held the ground glass on the film plane to make sure I was at infinity focus, then adjusted the rangefinder.

You also have to be careful with the shutter button. The shutter button mechanics can fall out the side and is somewhat difficult to put back together again.

Everything I've seen about that little camera seems amazing. 'Hope it puts smiles on your face the rest of your days.

The Vitessa is a fantastic camera and very unique. To align the rangefinder, techs had special cut-out tops so they could see through the viewfinder and still access the adjustments.
The Ultron is one of the best lenses of the period.

CJ: those are great shots btw. Hope to see more from that little camera!

Vitessas are great cameras, I have 3, one of the Barn Doors, without the meter and two vitessa T's the last of them,same shape as the earlier barn doors type, complete with the full set of lenses, a 35,100 and 135 lens and a turnit viewfinder, a wonderful piece of equipment that covers 35,50,100 and 135 lens by simply turning the body round, I use them all a lot,

An attractive camera and very good results - congratulations on your Voigtländer and your repair skills.

darinwc said:

The Vitessa is a fantastic camera and very unique. To align the rangefinder, techs had special cut-out tops so they could see through the viewfinder and still access the adjustments.
The Ultron is one of the best lenses of the period. View attachment 171688

Click to expand...

No, it's not one of the best lenses of the period. It's one of the best lenses, period! The same goes for the Agfa Solagon lens of the same time period, period! Just outstanding as the pictures above prove.