Voigtlander Virtus Viewfinder

[thuggins]

I have a very nice Virtus with a very cloudy viewfinder. Does anyone know how to get this apart to clean it?

I managed to remove the bezel around the ocular, but that doesn't hold the actual lens. It just reveals what appears to be a "viewfinder subassembly" inside the housing. There are two screws, one on either side of the housing, that look like they would remove the top cover. But from examining it all around with a magnifying glass, the cover doesn't look removable. I am loathe to remove the screws for fear they hold something inside that may become loose.

The finder is not a typical fixed reverse Galilean. There is a linkage to the focus for parallax compensation, so it is a bit more involved than one would normally expect. I have a haunting fear that the whole thing was installed thru the front of the housing and is held in place with the front bezel, so that it can't be removed without destroying parts of it.

 

[choiliefan]

Petra Keller has some very nice pics of the Virtus at https://www.petrakla.com/products/1...er-clad-freshly-servced?variant=8383038980148

Some information on access to cleaning the viewfinder is here:
http://www.camarassinfronteras.com/voigtlaender_virtus/voigtlaender_virtus.html

"The viewfinder of my Virtus has accumulated a lot of dust over the years and unfortunately getting to your lenses to clean them is not as simple as unscrewing the two screws that it has on its sides, which seems to be there to attach to the flip-up inner support . In order to clean the viewfinder, it will be possible to lift the leather of the camera and force the case, which is not worth it in this case."

 

[thuggins]

That's a very detailed link. It does confirm my suspicion that the two screws hold some mechanism inside. Unfortunately, "In order to clean the viewfinder, it will be possible to lift the leather of the camera and force the case, which is not worth it in this case" is not very helpful. I had already thought to remove the leather over the housing, but this still doesn't look like it provides access. I'm increasingly convinced that the viewfinder is installed thru the front of the housing.

I don't often avail myself of Google Translate, but this is a great example of just how bad computers are at translating and the unintended consequences this could cause. Among the various obscure bits on that page that you can potentially struggle thru lies this gem:

"Apart from this technical refinement, difficult to find in other cameras (from the same time or later), the rest of the Virtus equipment is not turkey mucus."

Image the dangers of Google Translate rendering "Can you direct me to the station?" as "Please fondle my bum.".

 

[choiliefan]

I have a Virtus parts camera somewhere under the rubble which I will unearth and report back asap.

 

[thuggins]

I have a Virtus parts camera somewhere under the rubble which I will unearth and report back asap.

Wow! Thank you.

 

[choiliefan]

I have the Virtus in hand and have stripped back all the front leather adjacent to the viewfinder.
There are no screws or rivets related to the finder visible. I presume the viewfinder block was inserted into the camera front and the thin plate with the blue/yellow enameled "V" secured to the body with the two brass rivets.
Perhaps a thin tool can be used to pry the "V" escutcheon to loosen and pull these rivets?

 

[thuggins]

I had already convinced myself that the top cover was not removable, but I really appreciate the confirmation. That saves me from trying to peel back the leather "just in case".

Your conclusion about the viewfinder being inserted into the camera front is the same as what I have come to. But I don't think the key is the little area below the viewfinder where the enameled escutcheon is mounted. BTW, those are two of the smallest rivets I've ever seen!

Here is my theory. There is a little frame or bezel that appears to be pressed into the front of the viewfinder housing. This is obviously not attached to the viewfinder itself, because as you adjust the focus the viewfinder clearly rotates up and down while this bezel and the housing itself stay stationary (this is the famous parallax correction that Voigtlander advertised). I suspect that the two screws on either side of the viewfinder housing form the pivot that allows this movement of the viewfinder. So the viewfinder must be inserted thru the front of the housing, the two screws inserted to hold it in place and allow the pivoting action, and then the little bezel is pressed in place to make it all pretty. Somehow the mechanism for the parallax correction is attached to the viewfinder and God only knows what that involves.

Any further thoughts, ideas or suggestions will be welcomed.

 

[choiliefan]

The viewfinder block pivots on the two screws on either side of the top housing. My camera is badly corroded so parting lines around the front area are hard to make out. I removed the two screws and was able to push the block forward and back and easily secured it again.
I suppose you could try removing the screws and pressing forward lightly to see if there is any movement of the viewfinder's front surround?

 

[thuggins]

A badly corroded Virtus is a very sad thing, but it's always nice to have one camera so far gone that you readily accept it as a parts and learning tool.

Emboldened by your information, I cautiously tried prying out that frame piece. It is definitely pressed into the viewfinder housing and is not attached to the pivoting viewfinder assembly. I was able to pry out the top half out pretty easily. The bottom part is more stubborn and it looked like the little frame piece could break so I held off going further. It is not apparent whether the bottom slides into a little recess or whether it is just tighter on the bottom. Logic dictates that it just presses straight in rather than sliding into a groove at the bottom first, but that whole design is pretty convoluted so who knows what they might have done.

This really leaves me on the horns of a dilemma. The Virtus is nearly mint and really deserves to be used more. But every time I look thru the viewfinder it's an "oh, crap!" moment. It is kinda ironic that Voigtlander advertized this as a major selling point. I would have been a lot happier with a plain, ol' , non-parallax-correcting viewfinder.

 

[choiliefan]

I have an absolutely pristine Leica VIOOH finder with a slightly foggy viewfinder. It still has the microscopic wax seal with the cursive L in the center covering one of the tiny screws which holds it together so I've never attempted to clean the glass.

As far as this Virtus is concerned, it came fitted with a near perfect 75mm Heliar lens which I use on a Century Graphic. The camera body is corroded with peeling paint and leather but good bellows and free focus mechanism. I'm loathe to pry on it further, at least until I get some guidance.

I wonder if Petra Keller(s) has a tech who restores her classic German cameras? An old-timey Z-V guy may have schematics but these folks are dying off fast.

 

[thuggins]

A near perfect Heliar is about as good as it gets. Glad to hear it found a good home.

I understand the reluctance to pry further. At this point I believe I have a pretty good idea of how it must all fit together, but there are always those "unknown unknowns". A near mint Virtus with a badly obscured finder is still (marginally) better than a Virtus with a hole where the Viewfinder ought to be.

I have a Super Ikonta with Jurgen Kreckel right now. When he finishes with that I'll see if he has ever worked on a Virtus.

Thanks for your help!

 

[choiliefan]

Good plan.