Busch Pressman Vue-Focus Rangefinder

If you have a Pressman D 4x5 you know it's something special, sort of

what a Graflex would be if it grew partly into a Linhof Technika:

finely machined aluminum body, close tolerances, solidly-built etc.

The problem with these is that to upgrade to a modern lens you will

find your rangefinder is off. The excellent Graflex.org has

instructions for adjusting the Kalart Rangefinder, but information on

the (better, IMO) Bolex Vue-Focus Rangefinder is nearly impossible to

find. After a bit of looking I have found the manual, which includes

adjusting the rangefinder for the original lens, readjusting for a

new lens, and also info on the focusing light. I've owned and used a

Pressman D for six years, and now I can finally use the rangefinder

with my 135mm Sironar-N. If you are in a similar situation, I'll

mail you a xerox of the manual for $4. Just Paypal me. It tells

which screws NOT to mess with, has diagrams, etc. I hope this will

help other Pressman users. Just be warned: you'll have to work at

the adjusting process a bit (infinity, 6 feet, infinity again, etc.),

and it may not work for very short or long lenses. Eyeballing it I'm

guessing 90mm-210mm may be the range of the brass focus linkage. I

CAN say that at f/16 the original 127mm Ektar has been spot on for

handheld work, so theoretically the rangefinder should be capable of

fair accuracy, and it's a heck of a lot easier than finding Tech

III/IV cams that work with new lenses.

Hi! I'm really interested in the manual... But how much specific is about the Vue-Focus rangefinder system? I own a Buch Pressman generic camera manual and doesn't tell very much about it. I'm from Italy - have you got the scans of the manual? It would be cheaper and faster than mailing it. Thank you very much!

One of my Pressman's has the Vue-Focus RF/VF, and I think that it was a step backwards from the Kalart. And just like the Graphic it's only good for horizontal pictures.

Dear Paul,

 

if your offer, to send a manual for the adjustment of the vue-focus

rangefinder, is still valid, I?ll be very pleased to get a copy.

Please let me know how we can work it out.

tim@brakemeier.info

 

regards

 

Tim

Paul, I am interested in a copy of the manual if it is still available. If you have a scanned copy it would be better for me since I live in Thailand. Otherwise you could ship it to my US address and it can be forwarded from there.

If this offer is still valid, I could use a copy of the manual. contact me at tadhg333@hotmail.com. thanks millions, i have been looking for one of these for ages.