Voigtlander Vito IIa
As I have written in the past, I truly love my Vito’s. I adore their remarkable engineering, stunning beauty, and the delightfully straightforward simplicity that comes with using a 35mm folder. Among them, the Vito IIa truly stands out as being impressively ahead of its time. While most folders, whether in 35mm or medium format, typically employ a winding knob to advance to the next shot and another winding knob to rewind, the Voigtlander Vito IIa distinguishes itself with an ingenious SLR-type advance lever. It ingeniously combines so much functionality into such a compact package, making it an absolute joy to use. This remarkable camera fits effortlessly in my pocket, allowing me to embark on a photowalk around town without the hassle of dragging along a bulky camera bag and heavy gear.
The only catch to having an advance lever is making absolutely certain you advance it all the way for optimal results. Otherwise, your photographs may overlap, or at the very least, end up touching each other, which can cause quite the headache when you're trying to print in the darkroom. This particular IIa comes equipped with a Prontor-SVS shutter that can go up to a speedy 1/300th of a second. On the other hand, the Compur-Rapid shutter goes even faster, allowing for exposures up to 1/500th of a second; however, the Color Skopar lens remains the same on both models, providing consistency in quality.
This little camera comes equipped with a brilliantly designed 50mm f/3.5 lens that provides just the right amount of contrast and is impressively tack sharp. It's sharp enough to capture stunning details and wide enough for most photographic occasions you may encounter. While you may not get those dreamy bokeh balls that some photographers adore with this lens and camera combination, you will still achieve a beautifully smooth out-of-focus area when shooting a portrait at f/3.5. For those who desire a larger lens, the Vito III offers a faster f/2 option along with a convenient built-in rangefinder, but keep in mind that it is a significantly bigger and heavier camera to carry around.
This camera may not boast all the bells and whistles typically found in a fancy SLR, yet it still offers an astonishing amount of capability in such a compact package. I often carry it to work right in my pocket, and surprisingly, no one seems to notice it at all throughout the entire day. As my vision continues to dim, I realize it will become increasingly challenging and eventually impossible to use this beloved camera, but I am determined to make the most of it until I can no longer do so. As my beautiful wife, Deana, thoughtfully noted in a previous post, my peripheral vision is indeed closing in. The Vitos, which have a small viewfinder, are actually my preferred choice for this very reason. I don’t have to look around, trying to catch sight of the entire scene. With such a compact viewfinder, I can clearly see the entire composition, and appreciation for that clarity brings me so much joy!
These little beauties, each with their unique charm, can be picked up for a price range of as little as $50 or, if you’re feeling a bit more extravagant, as much as $250, depending on the particular seller and the overall condition of the item. If you happen to come across one, do make sure to pick up a model featuring the Compur-Rapid shutter. The extra shutter speed it provides can certainly add an extra dash of flair to your photography, though it’s not strictly necessary for capturing breathtaking images.
