My Voigtländer Prominent

VisualDarkness · 11-16-2013, 11:15 AM

Some time ago I stumbled on a listing for a Voigtländer Prominent on the Swedish equivalent of Ebay and I just had to have it. Sadly it broke down in ess than a day but today I actually managed to fix it! I mist say that this camera blows my Spotmatic away when it comes to the exclusivity high end feel, but it's way way way more quirky to use.

Slower shutter speeds are slightly slow, I had no soldering iron for the flash sync and the second shutter (only safe-guard for lightleaks) is having slight trouble closing completely but is workable.

I got a badly scratched up Ultron 50mm F2 and a nice Skoparon 35mm F3.5 I also added some other stuff for it like bags and filters. I hope to add a lightmeter, a Voigtländer Turnit finder, a lens hood and maybe some more stuff soon.

VisualDarkness · 11-17-2013, 08:36 AM

Some pics of my current kit in the bag:

**qblade** · 11-17-2013, 10:48 PM

Very nice!!

VisualDarkness · 11-17-2013, 10:55 PM

Originally posted by qblade

Very nice!!

It's really a wonderful piece of work!

Rupert · 11-18-2013, 10:12 AM

Yes, very nice! That's what real cameras look like, not some precast molded chunk of plastic. I bet it feels great in your hands too. Someone should make an exact replica in digital, plain and simple, no video or fancy functions, it would sell well I am betting. You have fun with it, its a masterpiece itself!

Regards!

VisualDarkness · 11-18-2013, 10:14 AM

Originally posted by Rupert

Yes, very nice! That's what real cameras look like, not some precast molded chunk of plastic. I bet it feels great in your hands too. Someone should make an exact replica in digital, plain and simple, no video or fancy functions, it would sell well I am betting. You have fun with it, its a masterpiece itself!

Regards!

I bet focusing by a know would be even more weird to the modern crowd!

VisualDarkness · 11-24-2013, 06:02 AM

I got a second Voigtländer kit to get some lenses, accessories and a second body to sell and/or use for spare parts to trim up the first one. Excellent condition, no way.
I need to clean the Dynaron somehow to get is into a better shape, probably usable though. I serviced the Turnit finder so it is nice now. The second body seems to have a better shutter I can steal for my first one but it got a viewfinder full of dust, hair and fungus.

So this is how far I've come with the kit, shot some film and had two lockups. I will probable try switching the shutters after the whole roll is shot.

Clicker · 11-25-2013, 07:32 PM

Wow where did you get those?

VisualDarkness · 11-26-2013, 02:36 AM

Ebaying and searching in Sweden! It's been disappointing when it comes to the condition of most of the stuff but a nice kit is starting to take place and I got a lot of spare parts now with all the doublets of stuff.

VisualDarkness · 03-17-2014, 04:19 PM

A bunch of shots from the last rolls before CLA. Shutter speeds are really wonky at best and it shows. The second roll development went really good except that the film got twisted.

Who can explain this flare?

VisualDarkness · 05-23-2014, 09:07 PM

I got a new Voigtländer toy now, a Voigtländer Ultramatic CS!

Waiting for the first negs to dry and after that I have to get my scanner back.

VisualDarkness · 10-22-2014, 04:55 AM

I've developed another roll from my Voigtländer Ultramatic CS. It's a wonderful but heavy beast, people aways thinks it's a medium format camera when I show it to them.

Voigtländer Ultramatic CS + Septon 50/2
Fomapan 200 (expired) (exposed as ISO100)
D76 1+1
T-Max Fixer

Paul MaudDib · 10-22-2014, 06:54 AM

The Skoparex 35mm f/3.5 is reportedly the source of the design for the Pentax 35mm f/3.5. Supposedly the story is that Voightlander patented the design for leaf-shutter cameras, but neglected to do it for focal plane shutters...

Nice camera. I've always wanted to give a Vitessa a try...

tuco · 10-22-2014, 07:48 AM

Heck with the camera. Check out that cool camera bag...

VisualDarkness · 10-22-2014, 09:32 AM

Originally posted by Paul MaudDib

The Skoparex 35mm f/3.5 is reportedly the source of the design for the Pentax 35mm f/3.5. Supposedly the story is that Voightlander patented the design for leaf-shutter cameras, but neglected to do it for focal plane shutters...

Nice camera. I've always wanted to give a Vitessa a try...

that sounds possible, but I haven't heard it before. With so much licensing and copying during that time who knows where the designs comes from.
Vitessas looks nice indeed and I just struck out on a nice looking Voigtländer VITOMATIC II, would have been nice with a coupled rangefinder in a smaller package.

Originally posted by tuco

Heck with the camera. Check out that cool camera bag...

Haha, yes it's an elegant looker for sure. Though one of the seems broke and the treading seems weak in a couple of places so I will go through it with a sewing kit when I got the time and energy. It's not the most practical with the camera on the lid, the ones with the camera on the bottom and filters on the lid is probably better.

11-16-2013, 11:15 AM	#1
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439	My Voigtländer Prominent Some time ago I stumbled on a listing for a Voigtländer Prominent on the Swedish equivalent of Ebay and I just had to have it. Sadly it broke down in ess than a day but today I actually managed to fix it! I mist say that this camera blows my Spotmatic away when it comes to the exclusivity high end feel, but it's way way way more quirky to use. Slower shutter speeds are slightly slow, I had no soldering iron for the flash sync and the second shutter (only safe-guard for lightleaks) is having slight trouble closing completely but is workable. I got a badly scratched up Ultron 50mm F2 and a nice Skoparon 35mm F3.5 I also added some other stuff for it like bags and filters. I hope to add a lightmeter, a Voigtländer Turnit finder, a lens hood and maybe some more stuff soon.

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11-17-2013, 08:36 AM	#2
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	Some pics of my current kit in the bag:

11-17-2013, 10:48 PM	#3
qblade Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Edina, MN Posts: 258	Very nice!!

11-17-2013, 10:55 PM	#4
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	Originally posted by qblade Very nice!! It's really a wonderful piece of work!

11-18-2013, 10:12 AM	#5
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	Yes, very nice! That's what real cameras look like, not some precast molded chunk of plastic. I bet it feels great in your hands too. Someone should make an exact replica in digital, plain and simple, no video or fancy functions, it would sell well I am betting. You have fun with it, its a masterpiece itself! Regards!

11-18-2013, 10:14 AM	#6
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rupert Yes, very nice! That's what real cameras look like, not some precast molded chunk of plastic. I bet it feels great in your hands too. Someone should make an exact replica in digital, plain and simple, no video or fancy functions, it would sell well I am betting. You have fun with it, its a masterpiece itself! Regards! I bet focusing by a know would be even more weird to the modern crowd!

11-24-2013, 06:02 AM	#7
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	I got a second Voigtländer kit to get some lenses, accessories and a second body to sell and/or use for spare parts to trim up the first one. Excellent condition, no way. I need to clean the Dynaron somehow to get is into a better shape, probably usable though. I serviced the Turnit finder so it is nice now. The second body seems to have a better shutter I can steal for my first one but it got a viewfinder full of dust, hair and fungus. So this is how far I've come with the kit, shot some film and had two lockups. I will probable try switching the shutters after the whole roll is shot.

11-25-2013, 07:32 PM	#8
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	Wow where did you get those?

11-26-2013, 02:36 AM	#9
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	Ebaying and searching in Sweden! It's been disappointing when it comes to the condition of most of the stuff but a nice kit is starting to take place and I got a lot of spare parts now with all the doublets of stuff.

03-17-2014, 04:19 PM	#10
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	A bunch of shots from the last rolls before CLA. Shutter speeds are really wonky at best and it shows. The second roll development went really good except that the film got twisted. Who can explain this flare?

05-23-2014, 09:07 PM	#11
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	I got a new Voigtländer toy now, a Voigtländer Ultramatic CS! Waiting for the first negs to dry and after that I have to get my scanner back.

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10-22-2014, 04:55 AM	#12
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	I've developed another roll from my Voigtländer Ultramatic CS. It's a wonderful but heavy beast, people aways thinks it's a medium format camera when I show it to them. Voigtländer Ultramatic CS + Septon 50/2 Fomapan 200 (expired) (exposed as ISO100) D76 1+1 T-Max Fixer

10-22-2014, 06:54 AM	#13
Paul MaudDib Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 294	The Skoparex 35mm f/3.5 is reportedly the source of the design for the Pentax 35mm f/3.5. Supposedly the story is that Voightlander patented the design for leaf-shutter cameras, but neglected to do it for focal plane shutters... Nice camera. I've always wanted to give a Vitessa a try...

10-22-2014, 07:48 AM	#14
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,023	Heck with the camera. Check out that cool camera bag...

10-22-2014, 09:32 AM	#15
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439 Original Poster	Originally posted by Paul MaudDib The Skoparex 35mm f/3.5 is reportedly the source of the design for the Pentax 35mm f/3.5. Supposedly the story is that Voightlander patented the design for leaf-shutter cameras, but neglected to do it for focal plane shutters... Nice camera. I've always wanted to give a Vitessa a try... that sounds possible, but I haven't heard it before. With so much licensing and copying during that time who knows where the designs comes from. Vitessas looks nice indeed and I just struck out on a nice looking Voigtländer VITOMATIC II, would have been nice with a coupled rangefinder in a smaller package. Originally posted by tuco Heck with the camera. Check out that cool camera bag... Haha, yes it's an elegant looker for sure. Though one of the seems broke and the treading seems weak in a couple of places so I will go through it with a sewing kit when I got the time and energy. It's not the most practical with the camera on the lid, the ones with the camera on the bottom and filters on the lid is probably better.