I have the opportunity to experiment with this vintage camera, the Voigtlander Vito BL. What a change from digital! And I have only owned a digital camera for two years. The Voigtlander really takes you back to camera basics. No automatic settings, no way to visibly focus a shot; I was initially going on blind faith. The Voigtlander camera is totally manual and it’s so ‘old’ it doesn’t even need a battery.
I have to get film processed!
How old is this camera?
The camera belongs to my father. He bought it second-hand (from his future brother-in-law) way back in 1959 when he was 15 years old.
Not a lot of information is available online about this camera but I found that the Voigtlander Vito BL is camera was first produced around 1956-7.
Camera description
This vintage camera is in good condition, a rust spot or two, but I don’t think it will affect the performance. It still has the original brown leather case with hand strap. The case has a small bolt on the bottom right hand side which screws into the camera itself and holds it firmly inside the case. It means you can flip open the top half of the case and shoot a photo without taking it all the way out of its housing. Quite handy. And it adds to the stylishness of the piece.
Thanks to my father’s interest in history the manual has also survived – a bit of sticky tape here and there, but a very useful introduction all the same. And some great images.
Using the Voigtlander Vito BL
The camera is quite weighty but not too heavy, it feels very solid or secure, somehow, in your hands. It’s fun to use. Every action is manual. The lever to wind on the film to the next frame is fabulous. Even rewinding the film requires a separate button to be pressed, which pops up another button (in the image below) on top of the camera with which you wind off the film.
Being accustomed to a digital camera, and before that a simple point and shoot, means this will be a bit of a learning curve for me. I think it’s going to be quite an experience learning more about photography with the Voigtlander. I’d love to know what your impressions of using ‘old-fashioned’ cameras are and any tips you may have.
This image shows the Light Exposure Meter. Using the graph you set the meter to the film speed (so for instance an ASA reading of 200 indicates you set the meter to “F”). The manual includes a more detailed table to help you set the exposure. As you point the camera towards your subject, the needle moves along the black and white segments of the window and the final reading is what you set the light scale ring to. Sounds complicated, huh?
Let’s see how the pictures turn out…
A search for “Voigtlander” on eBay turns up more than a few results!
Looking for a camera manual for the Vito BL?
I’m more than happy to scan the camera manual for the Voigtlander Vito BL if you need a copy (no doubt the copyright has well and truly expired). Use the contact form to drop me a line.
