I've got a Visoflex. Now what the hell do I do with it????

Tim · 03-09-2006

Yaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!

I go away for a little while, and look what happens! An LTM category!!!!

Anyway, yeh, I found a Visoflex 1 going real cheap. And I can't resist period bits of crap for the IIIf. So now I have a Visoflex 1, 45 deg 4x finder, close up bellows, and a couple of lens adapters for the close up attachment. Oh, and a collimeter (sp?) thingy.

But.....
my 135/4.5 Hektor isn't the model that fits into the 'flex, and I don't have the double cable release. (yet)
What was I thinking??????????

Does anyone use one of these things? What bits should I be looking for????
Am I beyond hope? Is there a Leica A in my future? Am I turning into a sad Leica collector who will scour the world for obscure Leica accessories, and who will be able to conduct whole conversations in 5-letter catalogue codes with other Sad Old Farts????

Brian Sweeney · 03-09-2006

Buy a copy of Morgan and Lester, "The Leica Manual". Turn to the chapter on long lenses. Check Ebay. Note the price. Open up display cabinet, put Viso-Flex into it.

jaapv · 03-09-2006

Get a ticket to Kenia and a 400/6.8 Telyt...

Tim · 03-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Sweeney

Buy a copy of Morgan and Lester, "The Leica Manual". Turn to the chapter on long lenses. Check Ebay. Note the price. Open up display cabinet, put Viso-Flex into it.

LOL!!!

Tim · 03-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaapv

Get a ticket to Kenia and a 400/6.8 Telyt...

Hell, why stop there? Get one of the ultra rare (6?) Leica Rifles!!!

Went to Kenya 18 months ago, yes the Leica went for environmental shots, but so did the EOS and the big image stabilised lens......

Horses for Courses........

jaapv · 03-09-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim

Hell, why stop there? Get one of the ultra rare (6?) Leica Rifles!!!

Went to Kenya 18 months ago, yes the Leica went for environmental shots, but so did the EOS and the big image stabilised lens......

Horses for Courses........

That is approx my safari-combo as well Eos DSLR + 100-400, only I leave the M at home and take the Digilux2. But I used the visoflex/400 a few times for safari and wildlife work in the early nineties, deep into the SLR age

, and the photo's it took were not bad at all.

Tim · 03-09-2006

damn, gotta find a telyt 400 now........

Ronald M · 03-09-2006

There is a short focus mount for the head from your 135. Do not use the bellows with it. Same focus range as the long mount.

The bellows normally came with an adapter to take the 135 head directly. Goes infinity to 1:1.

Happy hunting.

laptoprob · 03-09-2006

I think I can get you a 200 and 400mm Telyt, Tim. I saw one around recently. Not sure about the price though...

There is a 125mm on Ebay now, seen that? Or is it already over?

cheers, Rob

FPjohn · 03-09-2006

Hello:

Novoflex (used) for adapters and Kilfitt for glass from 40mm to 600mm-double cable releases can be had for as little as $40 on the auction site: kilfitt lenses sometimes have mottled coatings so be choosey.

The old NikonF cable release fits the mirror rise collar if you accept a two step approach to mirror lift and shutter release.

best of light and fun
Frank

jaapv · 03-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim

damn, gotta find a telyt 400 now........

That series of lenses, the 6.3 400, 6.3 560 and 8.0 800 are amazing. Not tele lenses, but long lenses of totally simplistic design, just two lenses kitted (three for the 800) together to form one achromat element in a long metal tube. They are so brilliant that they can be rated half a stop faster that the mathematical aperture, the correction is close to apochromatic. Leica only succeeded in bettering the results with the current series of apochromatic tele's. They have three drawbacks: they are not very fast, they are very long and the high level of optical correction has resulted in curved field aberration. The last is of course unimportant, even an advantage when shooting three-dimensional objects, but it makes them unsuitable for astromical photography. I would say that, unless one is willing to pay a surprising number of $$$$ for apo Leica glass or maybe the most expensive fixed focus Nikons or Canons, these lenses render the best result for wildlife. Maybe I should start getting a Visoflex and the 400 for my furture M8dig

GAS attack coming

Tim · 03-10-2006

well, thanks for all your responses!

today i found a twin cable release for AUD$45

next on the list is a telyt 400!

I'm not really interested in using the bellows for close up, that doesn't really interest me, it's too bulky and anyway, I have a NOOKY-HESUM for my Summarit.......

jaapv · 03-10-2006

Make sure the banjonet/thread fit your visoflex. You might need the earlier 5.6 version.

bob cole · 03-10-2006

Tim, the thing about the Visoflex is that getting the reflex housing is just the start to a long search for all the parts...If, say, you have a 135mm, you need a special adapter to attach the lens to the housing...The same goes for all the lenses you have or want to use...There are several models and since you mentioned the dual shutter release, you have the earliest model...I had the latest one, the Visoflex III, which is still very old and does not use the dual shutter release...All it is is a way for Leica -- in the early days -- to come out with an SLR solution before it had an SLR to compete again the Nikon ...Unless you want to spend years hunting for parts, play with what you have but don't invest heavy money into expanding the system...just my two cents...regards, bob

bob cole · 03-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim

Yaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!

I go away for a little while, and look what happens! An LTM category!!!!

Anyway, yeh, I found a Visoflex 1 going real cheap. And I can't resist period bits of crap for the IIIf. So now I have a Visoflex 1, 45 deg 4x finder, close up bellows, and a couple of lens adapters for the close up attachment. Oh, and a collimeter (sp?) thingy.

But.....
my 135/4.5 Hektor isn't the model that fits into the 'flex, and I don't have the double cable release. (yet)
What was I thinking??????????

Does anyone use one of these things? What bits should I be looking for????
Am I beyond hope? Is there a Leica A in my future? Am I turning into a sad Leica collector who will scour the world for obscure Leica accessories, and who will be able to conduct whole conversations in 5-letter catalogue codes with other Sad Old Farts????

Tim, on re-reading your post, you mention a 135 Hektor...some of these Hektors could be taken apart...you hold the lens in your left hand and, with your right hand, you twist the top inch and a half counter-clockwise and the lens head twists off...You then attach the adapter to the lens that allows you to screw the lens head onto the Visoflex...If you already have the right adapter, it will focus...I hope that helps...regards, bob

SteveM(PA) · 03-10-2006

I think the parts search is kind of fun, and that's what it's all about. BTW anybody know the name for the adapter to accept my DR Summicron head?

The viso is good also for 1) those who absolutely don't want to dabble in other lens systems, 2) finishing off a roll when no rangefinder-worthy subjects are around, 3) enjoying some really nice build quality. And it (the viso 1 anyway) works on the R-D1 so you don't need that dslr after all.

Mine was new old stock, and came in a beautiful little wooden suitcase that still smells fresh. I've seen others like it too on the bay, I think a lot of these things were never used, and I fear that a lot of odd parts probably just got thrown away by frustrated owners. I have a few shots in my gallery that are pretty easy to spot, nothing earth shattering. I bought a Hektor head for $7, and one of my adapters works with it on the bellows. I also just screw my lenses right into the viso, with no proper focusing mounts, for some macro fun...just move your minitripod/subject to get focus (I actually handheld my marble shots).

bob cole · 03-10-2006

Tim, assuming you want to go crazy hunting for adapters, here are some of leica's five-letter names for some of them: OTZFO...OTRPO...OTSRO...OUFRO...OUAGO..OTQNO..ZOOE P...
I found the code names in a 1960 Leica Cataloque...The easiest to find on Ebay is the OUAGO, a short focusing mount for the lens unit of the 90mm/f4 Elmar with a serial number over 1,572,401...I bought one years ago for $50...The OTZFO is the adapter for your Hektor with the Visoflex II...If you want more, just ask off line...regards, bob

bob cole · 03-10-2006

anybody know the name for the adapter to accept my DR Summicron head?

Langdon, if you tell me which Visoflex and which Summicron you have I will look it up...I don't know what you mean by DR...regards, bob

SteveM(PA) · 03-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob cole

anybody know the name for the adapter to accept my DR Summicron head?

Langdon, if you tell me which Visoflex and which Summicron you have I will look it up...I don't know what you mean by DR...regards, bob

Hey Bob, I have the Viso 1, and I was talking about the M-mount Dual Range Summicron. Frank (FPjohn) mentioned using the head once as an excellent macro lens. I've got this lens just sitting around with no M-mount camera, so I wants to use it

bob cole · 03-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by langdon auger

Hey Bob, I have the Viso 1, and I was talking about the M-mount Dual Range Summicron. Frank (FPjohn) mentioned using the head once as an excellent macro lens. I've got this lens just sitting around with no M-mount camera, so I wants to use it

First of all, Langdon...the Viso I is a screw mount...second, the Summicron is a bayone mount lens, meaning you first will need a sm to bm adapter, which costs from about $20 or so for a generic to about $40 or more for a Leitz adapter...The Leitz adapters are made special for each short-focus and long-focus lens so that the lens can activate the finder in the M-series cameras, but any sm adapter will work for your purpose...The Visoflex is intended for lenses started at 65mm but you can use your 50mm for macro work as Frank said...I hope that helps...regards, bob

Memnon · 03-10-2006

... Use it as a spare leg for an IKEA salon table, if you have one that is, because one of the original legs is bound to break at some stage ...

FPjohn · 03-10-2006

Hello:

The Viso I has the original box depth that requires additional bits to achieve on later models. The head of a DR/Hecktor/some Elmars comes off for bellows work. 17672 adapter is required for your DR.

The Kilfitt lenses generally fit directly to the Viso I and their distance scales are slightly off without it being a problem. A very short spacer was required which never seems to appear.

The Viso is great for Macro, static telephoto and nature photography.

yours
Frank

SteveM(PA) · 03-10-2006

Frank and Bob, thanks for your helpful replies. Yeah, I just want to get the unscrewed DR head onto my Bellows 1. I'll be on the lookout for 17672.

Tim · 03-29-2006

Well.........

Here's where we are now....

On the way from the States, thanks to eBay and Google (evil things that they are) are a 200/4.5 post war telyt in supposedly mint nick, and a OZXVO sports release.

I have been doing a lot of reading on the Visoflex system, looks like it's going to be fun! But my whole IIIf kit is for fun, so this fits right in.

Next on the list: a ZOOAN focussing mount for my 135/4.5 Hektor (yes the head does unscrew, but it's not the short mount model

) and a 90/4 Elmar (which was on my "must get" list anyway) with a detachable head.

Fun!

Tim · 03-29-2006

Oh, and an SFTOO 200 mm viewfinder!