Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/05

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Subject: [Leica] Visoflex III fixed
From: shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka)
Date: Sun Nov 5 10:25:09 2006
References: <20061104133301.FZEQ10262.tomts22-srv.bellnexxia.net@vickko1> <002001c7004b$46408850$6500a8c0@klus>

the oubio is indeed what you need to get a 200 on a viso III.

i have accumulated a modest collection of viso and viso-related 
equipment over the years, an endeavor which cannot be remotely
justified on any rational basis.

but what is so terifically fun is the incredible versatility of the 
system as well as the very obscuity of some of the many adapters.

i got a viso II and III which work on the M's, and an LTM II for the
IIIf.  the 200 and 280 on an oubio work with any of these.  a focorapid
mounts the 200 for fast focusing on the viso, and via adapter also 
takes the 280 (as well as certain other  lenses).  the focorapid 
is unique in that you can use the thumb to focus quickly by "pushing
and pulling" but the tab is also geared for precise focusing.

the 280 can also via a different adapter mount on the televit, an alternate
quick focus system which normally takes 400 and 560 f5.6.  i beleive 
there's also yet another adapter that set the 400 f/5 on the televit
(the 400 f/5 i don't happen to own).  

there's also much lighter 6.8 versions of the 400 and 560 which mount on 
a dedicated "trombone-style" focusing system rather than the televit's
geared thumbwheel.  i personally find this setup much easier for 
shoulder shooting (especially with the 400) than the televit.

what makes the viso game even more fun is that many of the older RF lenses
have detatchable optical units.  i tend to like the faster glass.
the 135 elmarit (the one with the "eyes") can be used on M cameras, but
the head can also be mounted on a "short mount" and then on the viso II and 
III.  the older 90 summicron (pre-gen III) can also similarly be mounted 
via short mount onto a viso II or III.

finally, anything that can be mounted on a viso and be put on an R or SL
via a viso to R adapter.

the king of lenses for sheer flexibility has to be the LTM 90mm summicron 
(2nd gen).   it can mount directly on the IIIf, and via M adapter onto the 
M3, 
6's and MP. via short-mount, it can go onto the viso II or III which can in 
turn 
be used with M or LTM bodies. and it can also be used on SLs and Rs via the 
viso to
R adapter.  as such, this lens can be used as a rangefinder on 2 systems, and
an slr lens on 3 systems.  it's the fastest glass usable on a viso, and 2nd
shortest, after the 65 elmar.

i find the viso a sort of cross between collecting and using.  as far as
collecting goes, most of the gear is not very expensive; the trick is finding
some of the obscure peieces.  and for using, without auto diaphrams it's 
just 
not as handy as most SLR lenses, and being older and less sophisticated, 
don't 
have some of the speed or optical correction.  but wide open, you don't need
an auto diaphram, and as others on this list have proven time and time again,
they can still make a nice picture.

-rei

On Nov04 12:56, Rose Scollard wrote:
> On the subject of Visoflexes [Visoflexi??] - I'm hoping I could get some 
> advice from the Group.  I picked up a Visoflex III and a Telyt 200 a while 
> back, but have not been able to make them work together.  I can use the 
> Visoflex with regular M-bodied lenses (Summicron 50, Tele-Elmarit 90, 
> etc.) 
> without problems (limited, of course, to close focus), but the Telyt won't 
> focus at any distance.  Is there a special adaptor needed for this 
> purpose? 
> Disconnected pieces of info that I've been able to pick up suggest that 
> the 
> OUBIO adaptor serves this purpose, but I'm really just guessing.
> 
> More information would be greatly appreciated.  Tnx, David
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Vick Ko" <vick.ko@sympatico.ca>
> To: "'Leica Users Group'" <lug@leica-users.org>
> Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 6:33 AM
> Subject: [Leica] Visoflex III fixed
> 
> 
> >The culprit was the mirror tension spring had popped off its stud.
> >
> >I took the side plate off (very difficult as the screw heads were either
> >overpainted, or aged), found the spring and restored it to its proper
> >location.
> >
> >Now it sits with a bellows; still don't own a lens to use with it but it
> >looks nice.
> >
> >Thanks all.
> >
> >Vick
> >
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Leica Users Group.
> >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information

-- 
Rei Shinozuka shino@panix.com
Ridgewood, New Jersey


Replies: Reply from editor at frontenachouse.com (Rose Scollard) ([Leica] Visoflex III fixed)
In reply to: Message from vick.ko at sympatico.ca (Vick Ko) ([Leica] Visoflex III fixed)
Message from editor at frontenachouse.com (Rose Scollard) ([Leica] Visoflex III fixed)