hector_jorge Posted December 2, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 2, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Yesterday I bought a Leica VIDOM viewfinder in near mint condition with its original Leica red case. It is a very nice piece made with the traditional Leica quality.I don`t know if I will use it on one of my Leicas, but it is beautifull and that is enought for me. I will like to know more about it, when was it made and any other useful information, because is the first time I have this kind of viewfinder. Last month I bought anoter viewfinder, an old silver one for 35mm, with its original case too, in very good condition. I`m afraid that is the begining of a new branch of my Leica collection... Regards to all the Leica Forum friends. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 Hi hector_jorge, Take a look here VIDOM Viewfinder. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jc_braconi Posted December 2, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 2, 2009 Hello, Please post a pict of your VIDOM, because there are different models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted December 2, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 2, 2009 There are, I estimate, no less than 50 Leitz viewfinders (excluding the ones listed nowadays) so you can start a good collection... ; and the above number is a rough estimate of product codes... as JC says, many of them have big or little variants within the same code... VIDOM and VIOOH in particular have many variants in finishing, shape, engravings etc... My VIDOM is all chrome, but it exists also in black/nickel and black/chrome... and the conical front "nose" can or cannot have a collar where it's fitted to the main body (see pic - courtesy James Lager) ... standard focal lenghts engraved ought to be 3,5 5 7,3 9 10,5 13,5 but seems some variation can be found also in this.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lagrassa Posted December 3, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 3, 2009 I have one, not sure of the type, but the conical section is all chrome and the 'body' is black, which also has a shoe attachment on top. The markings for the focal length settings are 3.5 5 8.5 9 and 13.5 It's the 8.5 that puzzles me?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hiles Posted December 3, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 3, 2009 I have one, not sure of the type, but the conical section is all chrome and the 'body' is black, which also has a shoe attachment on top. The markings for the focal length settings are 3.5 5 8.5 9 and 13.5 It's the 8.5 that puzzles me?? The 8.5 was for the 85mm Summarex. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted December 3, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 3, 2009 I have one, not sure of the type, but the conical section is all chrome and the 'body' is black, which also has a shoe attachment on top. The markings for the focal length settings are 3.5 5 8.5 9 and 13.5 It's the 8.5 that puzzles me?? 8,5 and chrome nose sound more like a VIOOH (whose most important improvement is the right-sided view) : [ATTACH]176312[/ATTACH] Which superseded the VIDOM around 1940 : the Hektor 7,3 was out of production or near, the Summarex 8,5 1,5 arrived just in war times, and the VIOOH was made for many years after... it has lot of variants in focals, included some with 12,7 cm, added for the Wollensak 12,7 cm made in US and listed by Leitz New York. VIOOH (from a certain variant) can also mount a 28 mm adapter on the front (TUVOO) : with this it becomes one of the most beautiful item in Leitz history ... I can't resist to add a pic of the combo... [ATTACH]176316[/ATTACH] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lagrassa Posted December 3, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 3, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Yes, Luigi, you are correct. Mine is a VIOOH. Thanks for the information, as I am still learning Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hector_jorge Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted December 4, 2009 Hello,Please post a pict of your VIDOM, because there are different models. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=176447&stc=1&d=1259895982http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=176447&stc=1&d=1259896147 This is my VIDOM. Would you tell me when was it made? Regards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted December 4, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 4, 2009 I think nothing more precise than "around 2nd half of '30s" can be said.... VIDOM entered the market in '33, first version are black with "flat" front surface (see my above pic of the two versions), the version with ring soon followed, so as the all-chrome, and it ended in 1939. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hector_jorge Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share #10 Posted December 4, 2009 Many thanks, Luigi for your information. I won`t belive that it was so old, because it is in very good condition with only a few minor scratches. A question more: It is easy to open it to clean the interior part of the ocular lens? The vision offered is not so bad, but I think it will be better with a lens cleaning. Kindest regards, Hector. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted December 5, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 5, 2009 It's a man-made item of the '30s... at that times, generally speaking, an item which was hand-assembled could be also hand-disassembled (with propoer tools, sometimes very special) : I think is a rather risky operation to do by yourself... too many moving parts and glass elements carefully fitted-maybe glued... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hector_jorge Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted December 6, 2009 Again many thanks Luigi for your advise. I will left my VIODOM in its actual condition, because it is quite usable as it is. Last month I bought a 35mm Leitz viewfinder, an old model too, so I don´t really need the VIDOM to take pictures with my M3 and the Summy ´35 (but it looks so nice on it...) Regards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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