The viewfinder displays an extremely bright and clear rangefinder spot, and parallax compensation achieved by a moving mask. įocus is adjusted by a wheel with DOF indications set into the top deck in precisely the right position for the user's thumb, a feature shared by my beloved Fuji rangefinders. To close the camera, pressure is exerted by the thumbs on two half-moon symbols on the top and bottom of the shutter ring, the lens assembly retracts and the doors close, and the plunger is then depressed into the locked position. This feature apparently earned the camera a nick-name of "Lighthouse", in Germany. This is a one-action plunger that cocks the shutter and advances the film in one thrusting motion, quickly and smoothly. As the doors open a long shaft springs out from the top deck. The lens assembly pops out, concealing a tidy set of bellows and some very sophisticated linkages to the focus and shutter cocking and release mechanisms. Rather than create a conventional folding camera, the designers created what has become known as "Barn Doors" which spring open from the closed position with pressure on the shutter release plunger. For those of you unfamiliar with the Vitessa, here are a few of it's remarkable features: Despite needing a CLA to speed up the slow-range shutter speeds, and a poor meter connection, it's truly a magnificent camera. From the moment I handled it's beautiful leather case I knew this was going to be something special, and my limited experience with the camera has only served to enhance that initial sensation. It's a Vitessa L Version 1, serial number 3675640, manufactured in 1954 by by Voigtländer & Sohn AG, Braunschweig, West Germany. I was lucky to find this camera in such great condition.
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