Visoflex on CLE?

[james_cooke]

Has anyone used a Visoflex on the CLE? If so which model would work

best? Is there a double cable release system offered with them?

[ronald_moravec1]

Viso I is designed for a double cable release, cup on one end to raise the mirror and plunger for the shutter. 125 or 135 are the shortest lenses that will go to infinity on a I. There is also a cable release link that is flexible and goes from the shutter to mirror release but there is little or no flexibility and it may be for screw mount cup shutters only.

 

Viso 1, 11, 11A, 111 all have provision for a manual mirror lock up and you can release the shutter in the normal fashion. 11,11a,111 all have a plunger cable release socket for mirror up. But you need a cable with a long plunger throw to make it work. Cheap cable releases will not work. Now you still need to release the shutter unless you can find a double cable with long enough throw for the mirror.

 

Viso`s are great and generate no vibration except the 11 or 111 in the quick mode and then it is so small I have never spoiled a pic. 1, 11a and 111 have a slow progressive mirror up mode that will not shake the camera one little bit.

 

The only problem is finding all the coupling and adapter for different lenses as they have been out of production for some time.

[james_cooke]

Thanks Ronald, What the difference between the 2 and the 2a?

[will_wright1]

Viso III works well on a CL, but an arm had to be fabricated out of

brass or the like to compensate for the different shutter button

positions. Don't know if this applies to CLE...there was an article

with diagrams in early LHSA Viewfinders if you can find the

archive DVD someone has.

[ronald_moravec1]

11 works only in one mode or manual lock up. The mirror is spring loaded to go up when the arm/shutter are released and remains up until it is lowered with a nice ergonometric finger lever on the right side. Use your shutter finger.

 

The rare 11A mirror goes up slowly as the arm/shutter is depressed and automatically comes down as pressure is released. My opinion is this is the best of the bunch. The inline eyepiece is vision adjustable and has a rubber protector for glasses which is probably decomposed by now.

 

Viso 111 has the two above modes built in and they are user selectable. There is a higher arm and longer adjusting screw to accomodate the taller M5 body. The longer screw is necessary to make it backwards compatable with the M1,2,3,4 models. The taller arm is not as comfortable to use. But you need not remove the prism to install on a camera. The eyepiece is not adjustable and you need to use dioper correction for an SL. Good luck finding these if you need them. 11,11A and 111 eyepieces are interchangeable.

 

11 and 11A cannot be used on an M5 as they are not tall enough.

 

http://elshaw.tripod.com/Visoflex/Visoflex.html

 

or google visoflex pages to get to the same place.

 

Bellows are not part of the visoflex and are purchased separately. They are required only for close work. Focus mounts and close up extension tubes for the 65, 90`s of various kinds, 135`s of various kinds are separate. 200 and 280 and longer can also be accomodated with their own focus mounts or the heads can be put on the bellows just like the 90/135 heads. The 65 has no focus mount, but need the universal focus mount or bellows to focus at all. The black ones are harder to find and superior to chrome.