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Visoflex

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Vivek

Guest
I will be getting my visoflex soon to use with my MM. I already have numerous accessories but given the history of Leica, they are minuscule compared to all they made.

Anyone using Visoflexes here? Would you kindly post how you use them and for what purposes- mine will be mainly for closeups and macros.

Sample images (gear/output) would be swell. :)
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
It has been many many years ... I inherited my father's Leica IIIf with Visoflex and bellows, 135mm Hektor in short mount back in 1971. He used it to document his dental surgery practice back in the day. I used it for a short time but, in any way that mattered to me at the time, my Nikon F with Micro-Nikkors did a better job of close up work.

I do remember my Leica IIc and IIf more fondly than the IIIf. I think I'd like another Leica II, they're very handy, but I wonder about buying one as I already have more cameras than I have time to use. :-\
 
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Vivek

Guest
Not useful, Godfrey. I am glad that this post helped jog your memories.

Any current users with actual experience?
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Not useful, Godfrey. I am glad that this post helped jog your memories.

Any current users with actual experience?
LOL Sorry, bit of a ramble. :)

If you're intent on a Visoflex with MM in mind, you'll likely want some of the long Leica lenses with Visoflex mountings to get the most out of it. I seem to remember a lovely 240mm.

Good luck with it!
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Hi there Vivek,

I'm using Visoflex-3 and Bellows-2 for many years now.
Not only for Macro&Close-up, but also did a bit of tele with the v280/4.8
But what is it exactly that you want to know ?

Kind regards.
 
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Vivek

Guest
Hi Bart, When I visit you next time, we will exchange a few things on the Viso use and keep it a secret. :D
 

dmabry2010

New member
Hi Vivek,

I have used the Visflex III with telephotos. The results improved when I changed out the focus screen. Photos came out ok. But! back then I only had old glass and
did not have any R lenses. Now, with some nice R APO's, getting ready for the M, I guess I should give it another try.

I will try to post some photos.

Dmabry2010
 

fotoism

Member
Vivek:
I have acquired quite a few Visoflex related gear over the years for macro- and tele-photography, mostly Leica but also other brands, such as my no-name tilt-shift-bellows. Here are a few pictures:
Two full body (about 55mm tall) shots of a teddy bear focusing along the body head-to-toe and along the calendar, and a head shot of same.
There was no retouching other than resizing. Shot with Elmar 65/3.5.
The last one is my daughter playing goalie on varsity team, had some PP done to correct the horrible lighting in the arena. IIRC this was shot on a Telyt 560/6.8.
Although the operational speed is nowhere near today's DSLR big guns with auto-everything the fun is still there with the Visoflex set-up.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Vivek,

as your pictures are likely going to be b/w :p, here are a few samples to give you an idea what you could expect (but then much better of course ... ).





All the best.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Hi Vivek,

The results improved when I changed out the focus screen.

I will try to post some photos.

Dmabry2010
Thank you! :) That (focus screen) is one thing I will have to watch out for.

Look forward to your pics.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Vivek:
I have acquired quite a few Visoflex related gear over the years for macro- and tele-photography, mostly Leica but also other brands, such as my no-name tilt-shift-bellows. Here are a few pictures:
Two full body (about 55mm tall) shots of a teddy bear focusing along the body head-to-toe and along the calendar, and a head shot of same.
There was no retouching other than resizing. Shot with Elmar 65/3.5.
The last one is my daughter playing goalie on varsity team, had some PP done to correct the horrible lighting in the arena. IIRC this was shot on a Telyt 560/6.8.
Although the operational speed is nowhere near today's DSLR big guns with auto-everything the fun is still there with the Visoflex set-up.
Phil, Thank you! :)

Now, this is really helpful! I do have a some T/S doodahs and now I will think about adapting them for Viso use.

I know exactly what you refer to as the fun in using a Visoflex. I have handled >12 (yeah) over the years but never owned one!
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Vivek,

as your pictures are likely going to be b/w :p, here are a few samples to give you an idea what you could expect (but then much better of course ... ).





All the best.
Bart! Now how am I supposed to live up those? :bugeyes:

Brilliant captures! Thanks for sharing! :)
 

dmabry2010

New member
Here are a few photos I did with the VisoFlex III - 1 in macro and the others with telephotos.

The first the photo of the flower is with a 90mm.

The outdoor photo of the squirrel is with Jaapv's Novoflex 400mm. I had much better performance than the Leica 400mm f6.8 I was first using in was used in the upcoming pier photo.

The third photo is at Clearwater Beach and is of Pier 60. I just used a 50mm to the camera (no VisoFlex) for perspective.

The following is a cropped photo with the Leica 400mm 6.8 of the pier. The Leica 400mm f6.8 did not have the same performance of the the NovoFlex.

The final is a cropped photo at the National Cigarette (Cigar?) Boat races held at Clearwater Beach. This photo was with the NovoFlex.

Thank you,

dmabry2010
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
I will be getting my visoflex soon to use with my MM. I already have numerous accessories but given the history of Leica, they are minuscule compared to all they made.

Anyone using Visoflexes here? Would you kindly post how you use them and for what purposes- mine will be mainly for closeups and macros.

Sample images (gear/output) would be swell. :)

Hi Vivek,

I have used my Visoflexes III and Bellows II quite a bit.
Especially for the Bellows there are all sorts of rings...
Then there are short focus mounts for various lens heads from 65 to 135 mm.
The old TE 135/4 lens head is among the very best, if not the best lens head you could use on the Viso.
Of course, there are the Telyt-Vs from 200 to 800 mm.
Unfortunately they are only achromatic not apochromatic.

BTW, you can use your NEX-7 with adapter instead of an MM or M9 to check up whether your Visoflex III is properly adjusted focus wise. If not, Will van Manen and Cathy Cuiper are doing an excellent job calibrating the Viso. I accepted their excellent advice and left the original ground glass in it, beats plastic anytime.

Good luck, cheers, K-H.
 

fotoism

Member
...... I accepted their excellent advice and left the original ground glass in it, beats plastic anytime.......
So true.

I experimented with microprism centered screen, split-center screen with microprism collar....etc, and eventually went back to the original ground glass.
 

Shac

Active member
I use the Visoflex II occasionally with the Nex-5N and Nex 6 (as well as film M's). I like the Viso II b/c it has a built in adjustable diopter (old eyes) - a feature dropped on the next version.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
That mid bit (Viso + 5X loupe+ the focus mount) is what I would have very soon (plus >12 accs. I already have plus a hundred odd lenses..), K-H. (The folks you mentioned do not know a hole from the ground. My Canon 50/0.95 is a constant reminder of that.)

I am not sure how accurate the NEX trick would be. Already there are differences between my NEX6 and 7- tolerance issues.

Thanks for your post! :)
 
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