Voightlander Vitessa -film advance?

[darinwc]

Just received a Voightlander Vitessa.
Beautiful camera, But with the camera back off, the film advance does not appear to be working.
-Is this normal? Is there a lever or something to engage the advance when the back is installed?
THX

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I don't know if yours works the same way, but on the Vitessa-L, there is a pump advance button on the top of the camera. As I recall, you turn it to release it, so that it extends about 2 inches above the top of the camera and depress it to advance the film.

 

[gzinsel]

I suppose there is not a youtube video of someone operating theirs' ??????

 

[leicarfcam]

The advance plunger should stand approx 2 inches tall after releasing it from the lock position (all the way down). If you press it down and no turning of the takeup spool and sprocket then send it back for your money back. It is supposed to work even with the back removed..

https://youtu.be/AgiN1g0N9mc

 

[summicron1]

you push the button on the right to release the plunger on the left and open the barn doors to let the lens/shutter extend. Pushing the plunger once after you do this advances the film and cocks the shutter. If you push it a second time without firing the shutter, it does not do either again, first you have to fire the shutter (button on the right again) and THEN push the plunger to advance/cock.

Yes it should do this even if the back is removed, BUT IT WON'T MOVE THE SPROCKET UNLESS YOU FIRE THE SHUTTER FIRST.

When you push the lens doors shut by pushing on the shutter housing, you then push the plunger down again to hide it away.

 

[GRHazelton]

Go to this site http://www.butkus.org/chinon/voigtlander_pdf/voigtlander_vintessa/voigtlander_vintessa.htm for an instruction manual. I'd suggest slowing the rise of the advance plunger with your finger so it doesn't slam against its stop; repairs on this part of the camera are probably expensive. There are two triangular marks on the top and bottom of the shutter housing, gently press toward the body with these to fold the barn doors.

READ THE MANUAL before fooling around with this camera. This is a marvelous camera, the f2 Ultron is excellent; some later models have automatic parallax correction in the viewfinder, unusual for a folding camera of that time.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Ditto on the Ultron 50/2.0--my favorite 50mm lens for a 35mm camera.

 

[Brett Rogers]

Sometimes the wind lock release can stick. You might also check this.
There is no "h" in Voigtländer.