One more Vitomatic thread...

J

johnwood

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I've read pretty much every post on Vitomatics; particularly the known 'dim rangefinder' issue. I played around with the tape/dot, and that works well...but I was wondering if anyone has experiences to share about opening it up and cleaning the mirrors/glass. I ask because I was lucky enough to find a Vitomatic III that it quite likely NoS, or close to it. So the gold wouldn't have fell away from years of use and swinging around shoulders, etc. Or, does the material naturally dissipate with time?
I guess, the basic question is: would having someone clean the rangefinder surfaces make more of a difference than the black-dot approach...especially when, being such a clean model, it's unlikely there's much grime to clean off anyway.
Might this just be a case where the only internal improvement would be a mirror replacement...(and good luck, I know, finding that...)? I know camerarepair and/or essex might have materials...I gotta send them an email.
In the meantime, thanks for any experience shared with cleaning vs. black tape, etc. If I knew this were a dust-filled attic-dweller, I'd go straight for a clean first...but it being in rather pristine shape, I don't know the payback of popping the top off vs. living with a work-around.
 
when i first got my two Vitomatic IIIb, the rangefinder (ie. the double image) were almost "non-exist", i could see that they were dust-filled inside hence darken the yellow-glass hole
i didn't dare touch them so i just send them to a pro to have them clean. They are working like gold now.
i might try to clean it myself if i have the chance of owning a third. ;)

my Vitessa also has dim rangefinder, i asked earlier here (and at Kyphoto site) but got no answer at all.
so i send it out to the pro too.
and now it is also heavenly!

i believe these Voigtlander classic deserve a pro's CLA.
 
oh i read from some mainland chinese site that someone would use reflective sticker (the same material that uses on glass window) to improve the aged mirrors in the rangefinder. (well that's just what i heard / read)
 
Hi,

in my experience, cleaning the mirror, will bring up the rangefinder image again.

I will make you some photos and how-to later this weekend. No time right now, sorry.

Jan.
 
Thank you all for the responses...and it's especially nice to see they are all in agreement! Off to Essex these go unless I am brave enough to follow Jan's advice. (Thank you for offering a guide, that is very kind of you...).
Also, it makes sense: try to deal with the core problem first, then go to the work-around if not successful. The image really is dull, and I'd love to see a snappy double image.
Thanks for all your time and thought...
 
Forgot to thank you for such a good tutorial. I may try again, but on my first attempt I chickened out somewhere around the 'remove meter' step. The CdS meter looked slightly different than the selenium, and I didn't want to undo the wrong screw, etc.
 
Ah, you have a IIICS?

Maybe post some pics of the inside and maybe I or somebody else can help then.
I don't want to open up my IIICS right now.
 
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