Vitomatic IIa

[greg ma]

I have a vitomatic IIa and it works fine, one of those chrome age cameras

that even looks good sitting on my desk.

There is one problem and I am hoping someone can help. Looking through the

viewfinder all you see is a yellow fog. Pointing the camera at light sources

show lighter and darker, but that is all.

Am I reduced to zone focus and trying to slip an auxiliary 50mm finder into

the hot shoe or is it fixable ?

Any information would be appreciated. Thanks !!

[mike_gillespie]

Junk it, not worth fixing

[ian_tindale]

<p>I'm currently shooting on a Vitomatic II with broken rangefinder, using it on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iantindale/tags/vitomaticii,zonefocus/">zone focus</a>, often without even looking through the viewfinder. Or more accurately, in actual fact, I'm alternating between dismantling it and remantling it and going out and shooting with it.</p>

[Matthew Currie]

If your alternative is to junk it, I'd take the top off and see if something can be done. I've had a couple of these old Voigtlander rangefinders, and as Ian notes, you can often reclaim one as a zone focusing camera when the rangefinder goes bad.

 

The rangefinder elements are glued together and clamped down, and if something like an impact dislodges the range/viewfinder, it might just not be aimed right. If the glued together portions have separated, there's little hope of ever getting it back together right, but you can disable the rangefinder portion, and still retain a viewfinder.

 

On one of mine, the solution was simply to blank out the front window of the rangefinder, so that the yellow patch does not appear, and then re-aim the viewfinder (the left-hand glass block) without worrying about the other portion that had come adrift.

[classcamera]

I have a range finder/view finder assembly for this camera in parts. I am willing to let you have it for the cost of postage. Please keep in mind that having me do the work will not be economical, as my hourly rate will exceed the value of the camera.

 

Mark

[mike_gillespie]

You can buy these cameras on the big auction site for peanuts, why waste time fixing them, different if it has an ultron lens, but i think thats the vitomatic III, not sure

[richard_moore5]

That is true Mike... it bought two. One was iffy but I disassembled and reassembled it for the practice. Rangefinder adjustment is a bit fiddly. The other was in generally good condition including the meter and I used the experience gained for making some fine adjustments. Now it is one of my better shooters and the Color-Skopar is nice and sharp. Well worth the effort and I'd be inclined to take up Mark's offer Greg.

[Matthew Currie]

Even if more of these are available cheaply, I think it's worth looking inside. The tops come off of these cameras very easily, and the rangefinders are quite accessible, so for a few minutes' work you can take a crack at diagnosis and repair, and the worst result possible is that you will toss the camera in pieces rather than whole. Color-Skopars , while they may not be rare or precious, make nice pictures.