Question for Perkeo II users

[DWThomas]

Hi all you perky Perkeo II guys,

I recently acquired a Perkeo II from certo6, and aside from some liveware errors running the first roll through, it seems to be pretty functional. However, today I was trying out some shots with a Focar 1 closeup lens and encountered an odd thing.

Since I couldn't simultaneously measure from the subject and hold the camera too well, I put it on a tripod and also used a cable release. Analysis of subsequent events seems to indicate the auto-stop on film advance doesn't stop with a cable release screwed in. (I dusted off 3 frames before I realized something was messed up.)

I was using a generic release with a tapered end thread. I'm theorizing it projects through the piece it screws into enough to interfere with the link that ties the shutter linkage to the auto-stop thingie.

Anybody ever encounter this?
Did Voigtänder market a special cable release?

I suppose I could try filing down the end of a release cable. And in truth, I don't know how much I will want to use a cable release with the Perkeo -- when I'm that serious, I'll probably go with the Bronica.

I also find the tripod socket rotates a few degrees, can't quite see how it's fitted, mayhaps that's another "just deal with it item."

I'm planning to take this to England in a few weeks as part of a "traveling light" package and am trying to get its idiosyncrasies sorted out before I go.

TIA,

DaveT

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I haven't used it with a cable release enough to have noticed that problem. I think of it mainly as a handheld camera.

The tripod socket shouldn't move. You might ask Jurgen about it.

 

[Mike Té]

Hi, Dave.

I have a Perkeo II as well. I bought it elsewhere and sent it to Jurgen Krekel (Certo6) for CLA. I've been completely enamored of the cute little camera since I first set eyes upon it... It makes decent pictures, as expected, and its portability is a huge plus. Mine has idiosyncrasies in that the viewfinder is off about 20 degrees to one side and there's a smidge of vignetting in one corner. I just adjust my perspective and framing to take these into account and I get some fine negatives. Finally, the "cool factor" is off the scale. Enjoy.

 

[DWThomas]

Thanks guys,

I can certainly live with it as-is, I was hoping someone might have experienced the tripod socket problem and know of a secret setscrew to tighten the fitting or the like. I really expect to use it mostly handheld; I just had some tiny delusions about it becoming my slightly soft-focus SQ-A. I primarily bought it as an almost pocket-sized MF camera to bring back some black and whites when I don't want to lug the Bronica. (And yes, for the cool factor!)

The auto-stop on film advance is one of those things I had some misgivings about before buying. The engineer in me says, enh, one more handy but not absolutely necessary little bit of complexity to act up. But the II seems to be the one that appears with the Color Skopar, that was the decider.

I haven't done a serious check, but I think the viewfinder on mine is reasonably accurate. My aging eyes have a little trouble taking in the whole field of view with glasses on, but it's manageable. When using the lens hood a good bit of the lower right is chopped off -- but such is life. It is amazingly compact, which makes it feel really heavy compared with the plastic stuff produced today. It's accompanying me to London in about two weeks, so we'll see what happens.

I will mention the idiosyncrasies to Jurgen just in case there is a simple fix, but I don't expect to even take a tripod on this trek. All in all, I'd say for 55 years old or so, the little bugger is doing pretty well.

DaveT

 

[DWThomas]

Just in case some anxiety-riddled Perkeo owner finds this thread in 2012 . . .

I used a different cable release for the session described, so I checked the original one I used on the previous roll. Close examination shows with the problematic one, the tip of the tapered thread projects through the threaded hole in the strut about .015 to .020 inches further than the other, visibly displacing the magic link thingie that interlocks the winding and shutter mechanisms. Even the original release projects through a bit, so I took a little off its threaded tip with a fine file. It worked great on a session today, so it will become my Perky release on the rare occasion it's needed.

The tripod mount appears to be a sort of top hat shaped fitting that is swaged in -- I suspect there may be a flat or key in the hole, but here's no way to see much without a major (and perhaps irreversible) disassembly. Anyway, I put an O-ring between the camera and my quick release plate such that the ring falls around the perimeter of the tripod mount boss and provides friction/contact between the body itself and the QR plate -- worked like a champ. One could also probably cut a piece of rubbery stuff to accomplish the same thing.

FWIW,
DaveT

 

[larsco2002]

I've had 3 of the IIs and 5 of the 1's

The film counting/stop mechanisms went south in two of the II's. I tried to rebuild it, but ended up stripping the mechanics out to have a Perkeo with the Color Skopar. I consider the film counter befuddling in it's usage with that flip lever, etc. In all my research on the Voigtlander camera's I was able to determine that two of the most dependable (simple) bodies were the Bessa I, which, with the film plane plate, shoots 645 and 6X9, and the Perkeo I.

The good news is that both of those camera's can occasionally be found with Color Skopars and Synchro Compur shutters factory installed. The Color Skopar was available as an upgrade lens on both the Bessa I and the Perkeo I.

I have had two of the Bessa I's with 105 Skopars and currently have a Perkeo I with a Skopar 80. The Perkeo I with the Skopar has the silver front standard that is common on the II.