Sussex Photographer: Voiglander Vito First Test film

I love my Voigtlander Vito B!

I have just had my first test roll processed and scanned. I elected to try a roll of Ilford's XP2 as this was the only roll of 35mm i had left in the fridge!

Using the camera was a challenge but very refreshing. After trawling the internet, i found a few articles about how to use the stunning little Vito. Basically focusing seems to be a bit of educated guess work, but in the main the on-line advice regarding focusing distances and depth of field worked , when i added my experience to the show. I probably lost about 20% of the roll due to "poor focus guesses", but then i was expecting that as i tried a couple of ideas to prove/disprove the on-line advice.

The day i shot the film was cursed with very bland flat light but at the end of the day, it was more about a systems check.

The negatives seem to be a tad over exposed. I used the readings i took from my Sekonic L-358 meter but in the main its going to be nothing too much to worry about. The lens itself seems to be fine and considering the age of the camera, produces very pleasing tonality and sharpness.

I am sure with further experimentation i am going to have a lot of fun producing personal images from this little camera and i will share my favourites here from time to time.

OK. Here are a couple of shots from the first 24 exposures. Both images are from scans from my lab and have been processed in Photoshop using my own actions.

Eastbourne seafont on a very cold, bleak day.



Karen and Bertie

Sussex Photographer: New Camera

After a busy weekend, Monday morning was time off for us.

Whilst shopping, i decided to pop into Hailsham Camera Centre, a very old school camera shop that has been running longer than i care to remember.

At the back of the shop, there is a cabinet of vintage cameras for sale and i couldn't resist a little 35mm camera that dates back to the 1950s and seems to be in great working order. Only putting a film through it, will prove this of course and i can't wait to get started on a few personal film projects i have in mind.

My "new toy" is a Voigtlander Vito B and as it is the version with the smaller viewfinder it must have been made between 1954-57.

After 16 years as a professional wedding and portrait photographer, shooting on film and digital auto focus 35mm SLRs and medium format cameras, it will be challenging but refreshing to go back to the very basics with a beautifully made manual focus camera with no battery power, meter and of course LCD screen!. Better still it was a relative bargain and therefore i couldn't resist.

This other article should help me get up and running.

Assuming all works OK, i will be sharing a few images from the projects i will be setting myself and who knows i might even end up expanding on my "new old toys"!

Here a montage of the little Vito B. Its tiny so very portable!



I love old cameras and have a 1930s Reflex Korelle that was owned by my late Grandfather. I am intending on trying to get this serviced and up and running this year, although this has been a project for the past 10 years or so!