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Stupid question, but.... What in the world is this thing?


ryan1938

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Long story, but I ended up with a lot of vintage Leica stuff that I didn't intend to end up with while scoring an M3. I don't have it all yet and only have a picture of this "thing," but curiosity is killing me. What in the world is this thing? Some kind of an early attempt at macro or?

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The PLOOT was the first incarnation of the Visoflex, built from 1935 to 1951, it was redesigned as the Visoflex built until 1962, later called Visoflex I. At it's time the Leitz names for the Visoflex I were OZUPO, OZYXO etc.; I think your's is a OZXOM with M-bayonet. Leitz introduced the PLOOT in 1935 as a mirror housing to use lenses beyond the usual range. At it's time when there were practically no SLR-bodies, it was the most useful device for tele lenses. Many professional and scientific photographers worked with a PLOOT. I am not quite sure which lens your photo shows, I think it's the 4.5/200 Telyt.

 

Some people say that the image it gave in the magnifier (the large round vertical thing) was never surpassed by any later SLR as far as size and clearness are concerned. I don't know if this is true, as I never looked through one. There is also a 45-degree magnifier, which gave a right way image.

 

For macro you needed a bellows, today called "Balgen I", at it's time the Leitz name was UXOOR. There was even RIFLE, made by Leitz N.Y., which is one of the rarest and most expensive of all Leitz devices.

 

If the whole device really has the good condition it seems to have if one looks at the photo, you should try to use it. Any Visoflex and especially the PLOOT is so much different from what we are used with modern devices that the fun alone is worth the labour.

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Sometimes, I would like to meet the person at Leica, who comes up with the catalogue names for the accessories... :)

 

Stefan

 

I'd love to meet the person who made up all those names. I am almost sure it was a very well humored elderly lady with a strong love for egyptology, old american languages and modern american comics.

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This is a Visoflex I, made in the mid-late 1950s. It is post PLOOT, which bore a family resemblance but was unmistakably different.

 

The lens might be a 200mm f4, or possibly a 280mm (it may be too long for a 200mm). I do not believe it is a 200mmm f4.5 (the original 200mm). It is too fat, and as I remember the old lens had no chrome rings at the back - it was all black.

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Hello Everybody,

 

The Visoflex I is a useful device on either a sturdy table tripod w/ a large ballhead or on a strong conventional tripod w/ appropriate head.

 

On the side opposite from that shown is a release button which allows the M to be rotated w/ the Visoflex I itself remaining in place. An often useful option.

 

There is also a mirror lock designed into the mirror lift button which can be used w/ a double cable release or w/ the single cable release designed for the Visoflex I made for screwmount models.

 

The oversize accesssory shoe shown is for a sportsfinder. Either SFTOO for a 200mm lens or SQTOO for a 400mm lens.

 

For either of these to be attached the camera has to be placed in the vertical position on the Visoflex I or the sportsfinder will not fit in the shoe. Typical Leitz failsafe. This insures proper orientation between sportsfinder and film format.

 

The original Visoflex I Bellows is called "Bellows I". I think the "Balgen I" bellows mentioned might be a compatable aftermarket bellows from Novoflex.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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The original Visoflex I Bellows is called "Bellows I". I think the Balgen I bellows mentioned might be ...

 

"Balgen" is just the German word for "Bellows". I think it quite possible that they sold the Balgen as "Bellows" to the Brits.

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It's a PLOOT.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

No, no! it's definitely not a PLOOT, but a very simple Visoflex I. And I thought this forum was for Leica lovers and conoisseurs.... To be complete, this very classical and common set is Visoflex plus Telyt 20 cm.

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No, no! it's definitely not a PLOOT, but a very simple Visoflex I. And I thought this forum was for Leica lovers and conoisseurs.... To be complete, this very classical and common set is Visoflex plus Telyt 20 cm.

 

It depends on which way the thread starts and develops... :)... if the RIGHT people enters at the RIGHT moment, such answers are "cleared" in 2 max 3 posts... :p;

of course you're right... Visoflex I (with LVFOO vertical finder) and Telyt 200 f 4,5 (with TNGOO hood but no TNOOZ cap) ... fine but nothing esoteric apart the codes... :D

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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No, no! it's definitely not a PLOOT, but a very simple Visoflex I. And I thought this forum was for Leica lovers and conoisseurs.... To be complete, this very classical and common set is Visoflex plus Telyt 20 cm.
It depends on which way the thread starts and develops... :)... if the RIGHT people enters at the RIGHT moment, such answers are "cleared" in 2 max 3 posts... :p;

of course you're right... Visoflex I (with LVFOO vertical finder) and Telyt 200 f 4,5 (with TNGOO hood but no TNOOZ cap) ... fine but nothing esoteric apart the codes... :D

 

I agree Gentlemen...

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