Leica IIIf vs Voigtlander Vitessa (N or L)

[mark_erickson]

Anyone who has used both care to comment on the merits of a Vitessa

with an F2.8 or F3.5 Skopar as compared to a IIIf with, say, an Elmar

lens?

[vidom]

I own both a Vitessa (with Ultron) and a Leica IIIf. They are so different that it doesn't make much sense to compare them. Both are reliable high quality cameras capable of good results if in good condition. Obvious advantages of the Leica are exchangeable lenses, smaller size, less weight and bulk. The Vitessa is a bit faster in use, cheaper and you have flash sync up to 1/500, it also has a parallax corrected single window RF/VF and inserting film is more comfortable. You are more likely to encounter mechanical trouble with the Vitessa as it is quite a complicated design, but my one works perfectly. I end up using my IIIf much more, but that's because it's the smallest camera I own with interchangeable lenses. Both are good users.