I wasn’t in the market for this camera nor did I know anything about it prior to seeing a local ad for one on Facebook Marketplace. I did some research and decided I’d snatch it up. The seller was asking $175. A quick check of eBay showed this model was selling for $250 to $300. After I talked him down to $150, I took it home.

My research showed the Voigtlander Vito III was manufactured by Voigtländer Braunschweig in Germany in 1950. It was considered a high end camera in its day. It’s a 35mm rangefinder. A folder. I’m partial to those.

My choice for its first roll of film (shot by me) was a roll of Ilford HP5+ rated at box speed of 400. I developed it in Diafine.

When I started to scan the negatives, it didn’t take long to realize that the camera has a light leak (or that a light source got to the film prior to development). A pinhole(s) in the bellows could also be the culprit. A swath of overexposure can be seen in the center of almost every frame. I managed to salvage some of the shots, though.

I’m not disappointed by this camera, nor am I blown away. I’ll replace its light seals, seal up in holes in the bellows and give it another chance to shine at some point.