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Stereoly and VOTRA revisited


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In my modest incursion into the stereo world : the Stereoly 

You can see the Stereoly with 2 different arms the one on the left is for the Leica Standard model there is just a mask in front of the viewfinder

this one is a pre 1932 model black paint and not folding mask.
and the one on the right is for the Leica II, III, IIIa. with a Leica type viewfinder and nickel arm.
There are different models and code word for this Stereo items.

The VOTRA from 1931  in its case for viewing stereo transparencies, eye-pieces separately adjustable, nickel plate.

Thanks for looking

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And here is my contribution to the stereo world (today limited to the VOTRA-STEREOLY, the Stemar being for later).

The Stereoly attachment is coded VORSA, but in the USA the coded varied : VOROD or VOSTN. The nickel plated viewer is the VOTRA. I couldn't find a codeword for the leather case.

 

 

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This stereo gear is incredible and I would love o spend some time correctly viewing these slides. My uncle was an engineer with NASA and used a Realist. The slides were breathtaking my (idiot) cousin threw them ALL away in a binge of attic cleaning BTW....I often wonder why Apple doesn't put a camera at Both ends of the phone. You've got the perfect distance for digital stereo. Hmmmm iPhone 8 ?

Edited by Ambro51
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  • 1 year later...

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this is for the stereo-experts :)

 

so far as I know, we have three diferrent types:

  • Steroly V1 - VORSA for Leica I (Standard) (with more differences: V1 black arm Schwarz, V2 nickel arm)
  • Stereoly V2 - VOSTN VORSA for Leica II, III ...
  • VOROD (Leitz NY)

these are shown by J.C.

 

 

In my collection I have the following stereoly. For me it loos like something in between V1 and V2. It fits perfectly on Leica II or Leica III. Still able to focus. Maybe it is a reconversion by Leitz? Lager writes there were different arms ..

 

Anybody seen something like that before? Thank you very much :).

 

OLAF

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Edited by Dr. No
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It seems there were quite a few variations of the Stereoly attachment.  Lager has a good review in the accessories book, p. 270. Introduced before the model D rangefinder camera was available, the early arms are low profile for the A and C cameras. Some were all black and some had a fixed frame window, see Lager or JCB photo above.In subsequent units the frame finder folded forward. The lowest serial prism I have is 293, but some units were likely unserialized.

With the model D camera and later rangefinder cameras, a new style bracket was needed to accommodate the extra height of the rangefinder. Most are nickle with some black paint parts such as the finder. I have a few that are in chrome plate, which may have been produced quite late.

There are from one to four notches in the bracket to position the prism over the camera lens.  I believe the single notch is quite rare.  Here is a photo of my collection of 25.

 

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I have one bracket that is all black paint and has a slip-on thin metal mask at the front of the finder. Perhaps it is original, or maybe a craftsman attempted to copy a bracket and had to use a finder from a Model A,C, or E that would have required such a mask. See next photo.

 

 

As to your ( Dr. No)  bracket, I have never seen anything similar. One possibility is that someone had a bracket for the moodel A, or C and needed to modify it to fit a camera with rangefinder, just skipped adding a glass viewer and attached an accessory shoe for use of a separate finder like VISOR or even VIDOM. But they would not be masked correctly for stereo.

The threaded screw does not look Lietz to me, but nothing with Leitz is ever for sure.  Accessory shoe is square, later than the round ones.  Sorry, wish I knew more. Some units may have been modified to fit the IIIB, again Lager shows a possibility.  The latest serial I have recorded  out of about 110 entries is 3118, so maybe about 3000 were produced.

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Alan for your response and the PM.

 

 

 

someone had a bracket for the model A, or C and needed to modify it to fit a camera with rangefinder, just skipped adding a glass viewer and attached an accessory shoe for use of a separate finder like VISOR or even VIDOM. But they would not be masked correctly for stereo.

 

Yes that is what I think too, or some kind of prototyping ... ? the wohole thing looks really professional to me.

 

On the right side (picture 1 #7) there is a half circle so you are able to focus the lens. On the otherside (#12) the viewfinder is half way blocked by the bracket.

The whole Stereoly works without the need of a separat viewfinder as seen by the regular ones.

 

It's still gonna be interesting :)

 

Thanks for your comment, OLAF

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  • 3 years later...

I just got this Stereoly, it has a all black paint on brass bracket that I did not see elsewhere?

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Here are some close up of the black paint.. Is it original?

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2 hours ago, romanus53 said:

At least I don't see anything like that on #15 and the quality of the finish of that painitng doesn't look "up to Leica's standard" to my eyes - so I think it was applied later.

I hear you, and the collection on #15 do not have any like mine that clearly is made of brass and is painted black. I just do not know any Leica items that are made to have a raw brass look?

I know the paint quality is not good, except for the viewfinder that is very smooth.  but it is a well worn 1933 item.

Here is a better photo of the brass and black paint.

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