Voigtlander Superb and Brilliant TLRs

I recently acquired my first TLR, having long thought about what nice,

quiet inconspicuous cameras they are for street shooting. I thought

about a Rolleiflex, but when I saw that Voigtlander made one with my

favorite lens, I knew that was the one--the Voigtlander Superb

(1933-38) with 7.5cm/f:3.5 Heliar taking lens.

 

There are a few good websites with info on Voigtlander TLRs, but in

summary, they made a lower-end model, the Brilliant, and a fancier

model, the Superb, which came with a choice of two lenses, the

4-element Skopar (Tessar type) or 5-element Heliar. The Skopar

version sold for about $100 USD in 1933, and the Heliar version was a

luxury model.

 

The Superb had a number of mechanical innovations:

 

--Accurate parallax correction that worked by tilting the entire

viewfinder assembly (lens, mirror, and focusing screen) inside the camera.

 

--Horizontal film travel with a racheting lever instead of a crank and

a frame counter that works by a feeler wheel, so it works perfectly

with modern films. The red window is only used to line up frame 1.

 

--Prism and reverse printed shutter speeds and aperture controlled by

a knob on the camera body, so that aperture, shutter speed (through

the prism on the shutter dial), and focusing distance are all visible

from above.

 

--Compur shutter goes from 1 to 1/400 sec, no flash sync though.

 

The uncoated lens is prone to flare, so I'm going to need to work out

a shade for it. I should probably also send it for a general CLA,

since the shutter speeds seem a little unreliable, but not bad for a

circa 1935 camera.<div></div>

Correction: Top speed is 1/250 sec. on the Superb shutter.

I've been curious about these cameras. Looks like you have found one with some great features.

<br><br>

Regarding the price of the "low end" Skopar model, $100 in 1933 translates to $1400 today -- not exactly a bargain basement item.

Of course, how the lens measures up is another issue. The magnificent Color Skopar did not show up until the '50s, I think. I don't recall seeing any reviews of the Skopar ancestor.

Yes, the Superb with Skopar was still pretty fancy, as it had all the same mechanical features as the Heliar version. The Brilliant was the more "budget" version, kind of like the Rolleicord was to the Rolleiflex. I don't think the Brilliant had the parallax correction.

 

The main difference between the "Color" versions of the Skopar and Heliar and the earlier versions was that the later ones were coated.

Here are a few links with pictures and descriptions of the Brilliant and the Superb:<P>

 

Brief descriptions of the Brilliant and Superb--<a href="http://sgio.tripod.com/photo/vc/c120_TLR_Voigt.html">http://sgio.tripod.com/photo/vc/c120_TLR_Voigt.html</a><P>

Brilliant page--<a href="http://www.cosmonet.org/camera/brilia_e.htm">http://www.cosmonet.org/camera/brilia_e.htm</a><P>

Superb page--<a href="http://www.cosmonet.org/camera/sperb_e.htm">http://www.cosmonet.org/camera/sperb_e.htm</a><P>

Superb page--<a href="http://www.mediajoy.com/en/cla_came/superb/">http://www.mediajoy.com/en/cla_came/superb/</a><P>

A brochure for the Superb--<a href="http://www.marriottworld.com/advertising/superb/index_page.htm">http://www.marriottworld.com/advertising/superb/index_page.htm</a><P>

 

Here are some exotic Voigtlander TLR (and other) prototypes--<a href="http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/6607/vproto.htm">http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Museum/6607/vproto.htm</a><P>

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I have two of the low-cost, early Brilliant models. Both are scale focusing with no coupling to the lens. The viewfinder is just for viewing, not focusing. Very similar to later Kodak Duaflex cameras. Both have three shutter speeds, B, 1/25th and 1/50th and Waterhouse aperture systems.

 

One is actually labeled "Brillant" with no second i. Its distance scale is marked in meters down to 1m with the verbage in German. It has a 7.5cm Voigtar lens with apertures of f/9, 11 and 22. Inside the back is an ad label for B2, 6x9 Voigtländer film at 23° sch. Its red window for frame numbers is on the bottom of the camera.

 

The one labeled "Brilliant" is similar except it has a Voigtar 7.5cm f/7.7 lens with apertures of f/7.7, 11 and 22. Its distances are marked in feet down to 3ft and the verbage is in English. There's no film ad label inside and the red window is on the lower left corner of the back.

 

They're all metal and really pretty small cameras for being 6x6 TLRs. Never run film through either one. Maybe this winter sometime.

David, congratulations on your new acquisition specially with the Heliar lens. The Superb (1933) was the answer to the popular Rolleiflex without infringing F&H patent. Interesting that the Rolleiflex of that era, did not have parallax correction that was introduced on the Art Deco Rolleicord of 1933.

Excuse me, why do you call the Billant TLR? To me it seems to be a affordable shutterbug camera given TLR shape to impress neighbours. Like thes ugly Canomatic wanna be AF SLRS today.

There were different models of the Brilliant: Some had a non-focusing viewfinder like the Kodak Duaflexes (I guess that's where the "Brillinat" name came from), but there was also a version with geared viewing and taking lenses and a full groundglass screen, making it a true TLR. The Argoflex and Lubitel, and to a lesser extent the Kodak Reflex, were copies of the focusing Brilliant.

 

:)=

I just got my Superb back from Frank Marshman who did a thorough overhaul, including replacement of the flaking mirror and upgrade of the focusing screen with a modern fresnel screen, shutter cleaning, repair, and adjustment, and disassembly and cleaning of haze from both lenses. The result is really nice. Contrast is much improved since the lenses have been cleaned, and the focus is much better. The uncoated Heliar is a bit flare prone, so I've ordered a hood for it, but it's really improved since the cleaning. Here are a couple of test shots I made this morning.<div></div>

I have one of this same subject on my website, but in 35mm (Canon F-1N, FD 35/2.0 on Double-X cine stock processed in Dektol 1+3). I think I like this one better.<div></div>

Here's a detail from the original 1000 dpi scan (Nikon LS-4500AF).<div></div>

My lens shade just arrived and fits perfectly. If anyone needs to know, the Heliar on the Superb takes 27mm screw-in accessories. The shade I found was a new-old-stock Zeiss Ikon/Voigtlander Elastic Sonnenblende 20.0713 S 27. I got it from Henry's in Toronto, and I think they may have more of them.

More info on filters/shades for the Superb--

 

I just managed to locate a bunch of filters in 27mm thread, apparently made for the Contaflex, as was the shade. There are also some modern filters and shades made in 27mm for some video camera or other.