Voigtländer Vito

The first Vito cameras are identified with Roman numerals to distinguish the different models. The Vito [I] was released in 1940 with a Compur leaf shutter and Skopar lens, which was derived from the Zeiss Tessar.[2][3]^: 88 Few examples were made as World War II began absorbing German production. A new version of the Vito [I] was issued in 1947 with a Prontor shutter, after the war.

• Voigtländer Vito (Roman numeral) viewfinder cameras
• 
  Vito II (1950)
• 
  Vito IIa (1955)

These were succeeded by the Vito II (1950), Vito III (1951), and Vito IIa (1955).

The II can be distinguished by a larger top cover, which lacks the viewfinder protrusion; it was initially released without an accessory shoe, but one was later integrated into the top plate. The post-war lens, a 50 mm f/3.5, was given the Color-Skopar designation. Versions are available with a Prontor (minimum shutter speed of 1⁄300 s) or Synchro-Compur (1⁄500 s) shutter.[4]

The III uses a drop-down bed for the folding mechanism, while earlier Vito cameras use a side-hinged mechanism; it also includes an integrated, coupled rangefinder and a faster 50 mm f/2.0 Ultron lens, shared with the Vitessa and Prominent (135);[4] controls and handling are similar to the Prominent.[5]

The IIa has one top-deck knob (the other Vito cameras with Roman numerals have two) and can be identified by its enlarged viewfinder window; it shares the Color-Skopar lens with the earlier II. It has a similar appearance to the contemporary (lettered) Vito models.[6]

The Vito name was revived in the 1980s for a line of plastic-bodied point-and-shoot cameras (P&S) similar in appearance and functionality to the Minox 35 line, with a fold-down lens cover. The P&S Vito was built by Balda. Unlike the earlier folding Vito line, the P&S Vito used wider-than-normal lenses, branded either Color Voigtar (P&S Vito, 38 mm f/5.6) or Color Skopar (P&S Vito C and Vito CS, 38 mm f/2.8).[7]

The Minox 35 was developed by Karl-Heinz Lange while Minox was owned by Rollei; when Rollei sold the Voigtländer brand in 1981, Lange moved to Balda, where he designed the P&S Vito,[8] which also was sold under additional brand names, including the Balda CA 35 and Revue 35XE.[9] These are zone-focus cameras with program autoexposure.[10] A side-mounted flash is available for these cameras.[9]

P&S Vito (Balda) models[7]

Years	Model	Light meter	Rangefinder	Lens	Image	Notes
1981	C	Yes, CdS	No	Color Skopar 38 mm f/2.8		Also sold as Balda CA 35 with Baldanon lens and Revue 35XE with Revuenon lens
1982–84	CS	Yes, CdS	No			Adds self-timer; also sold as Balda CE 35
1983–85	—	Yes, CdS	No	Color Voigtar 38 mm f/5.6

Bottom plate of Vito B, showing hinged section for film access

The lettered Vito camera models eschewed the folding mechanism in favor of a rigid, fixed lens, trading some portability for simplified operation. The earlier Vito B line (1954–58) uses a novel base plate design for film loading,[6] while the succeeding Vito C line (1959–68) uses a standard swing-open back. The B was equipped with one of two Color-Skopar 50 mm lenses (either f/2.8 or f/3.5) and the Pronto or Prontor SVS shutter had a minimum shutter speed of 1⁄200 or 1⁄300, respectively.[6][11] C models were equipped with Lanthar or Color-Skopar lenses (both 50 mm f/2.8); there are some variations in the color of the bezel around the meter, rangefinder, and viewfinder window.[12]

Multiple variants of the lettered Vito cameras were made with and without light meters and/or rangefinders.

Vito (lettered) models[12]

Years	Model	Light meter	Rangefinder	Image
1954–58	B	No	No
	BL	Yes	No
	BR	No	Yes
1959–68	C	No	No
	CD	Yes, uncoupled selenium	No
	CL	Yes, coupled selenium	No
	CLR	Yes, coupled selenium	Yes
	CS	Yes, coupled CdS	No
	CSR	Yes, coupled CdS	Yes

• Voigtländer VF compact rangefinder cameras and antecedents
• 
  Zeiss Ikon S 312 (1971)
• 
  VF 101 (1974)
• 
  Rollei XF35 (1974)
• 
  VF 135 (1976)

In the 1970s, Rollei acquired the Voigtländer brand from Zeiss and released several compact rangefinder cameras under the VF series, some of which also were sold as Rollei-branded cameras. The first model in the VF series was the VF 101 (1974), a close copy of the Zeiss Ikon/Contessa S 312 (1971), one of the last cameras that had been developed and sold by Zeiss.[13][14] The next model was VF 135 (1976), a slightly modified version of the earlier Rollei XF35 (1974).[15][16] The final model was developed by Rollei and sold as the VF 35 F (1981) with an integrated, pop-up electronic flash unit.[17]

Vitomatic IIa with Ultron lens

Towards the end of Vito B production, Voigtländer began releasing the Vitomatic line, which simplified the controls by adding match-needle metering with a combined shutter speed/aperture selector ring and scale focusing,[18] although manual aperture, shutter speed, and focusing distance selection are still possible.[19] These were made in three sub-generations:[20]

1. I/II and Ia/IIa
2. Ib/IIb/IIIb
3. ICS/IICS/IIICS

Vitomatic models[20]

Years	Model	Light meter	Rangefinder	Lens	Image	Notes
1957	I	Yes, selenium	No	Color-Skopar 50 mm f/2.8
1958	II	Yes, selenium	Yes
1960	Ia	Yes, selenium	No
	IIa	Yes, selenium	Yes
1961	IIa			Ultron 50 mm f/2.0
1965	Ib	Yes, selenium	No	Color-Skopar 50 mm f/2.8
	IIb	Yes, selenium	Yes
	IIIb	Yes, selenium	Yes	Ultron 50 mm f/2.0
1966	ICS	Yes, CdS	No	Color-Skopar 50 mm f/2.8
	IICS	Yes, CdS	Yes
	IIICS	Yes, CdS	Yes	Ultron 50 mm f/2.0

In general, Vitomatic I cameras had a viewfinder, while the corresponding Vitomatic II models added a coupled rangefinder,[21] and Vitomatic III cameras were similar to the II with the addition of the faster Ultron lens. Early Vitomatic (I/II) cameras were equipped with a Prontor SLK-V leaf shutter (minimum speed 1⁄300 s) and the 50 mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar lens;[22] the improved Ia/IIa shortened the minimum speed to 1⁄500 s. In addition, the IIa was optionally available with the Ultron, and as previously noted, the IIIb and IIICS were fitted with the Ultron as standard.[20]

The Vito automatic line used a simplified exposure setting system in which the shutter speed was fixed according to the film speed, and the aperture was set automatically based on the coupled meter.[23]

The original automatic was released in 1960. It was succeeded by the automatic II (1961), automatic R (1962), and automatic I (1963); cosmetically, they resembled the contemporaneous first-generation Vitomatic (I/II and Ia/IIa), but carried lenses branded Lanthar rather than Color-Skopar.[24]

Vito automatic models[24]

Years	Model	Light meter	Rangefinder	Lens	Image	Notes
1960	—	Yes	No	Lanthar 50 mm f/2.8		Simple green/red exposure signal in viewfinder
1961	II	Yes	No			Selenium meter surrounding lens; match-needle metering window on top deck
1962	R	Yes	Yes			Adds coupled rangefinder to original automatic
1963	I	Yes	No	Color-Lanthar 50 mm f/2.8		Reissue of original automatic

The Vitoret line includes manual-exposure viewfinder and rangefinder cameras[25] with a limited range of selectable shutter speeds (in some cases, 1⁄125, 1⁄60, or 1⁄30 sec + B;[26] later models added a 1⁄300 s setting)[27] and scale focusing marks.[26] Multiple variants of the Vitoret cameras were made with and without light meters and/or rangefinders. Most are equipped with Lanthar or Color-Lanthar 50 mm f/2.8 lenses;[25] the Vitoret (no suffix) cameras have Vaskar lenses with the same focal length and maximum aperture.[26] Later production cameras (starting from approximately 1966) have squared-off right and left sides, while earlier cameras have rounded sides.[25]

Vitoret models[25]

Years	Model	Light meter	Rangefinder	Image	Notes
1962	—	No	No		Early Vitorets had rounded ends, later Vitorets had squared-off ends starting from approximately 1966/67
	D	Yes, uncoupled selenium	No		Available in "Rapid" variant, which uses a film cartridge take-up spool and omits the rewind crank
1963	F	No	No		Includes flashbulb socket under accessory shoe
	R	No	Yes		Early production models have a square rangefinder window; later versions have a diamond-shaped window
1964	L	Yes, coupled selenium	No
1965	DR	Yes, uncoupled selenium	Yes
1967	LR	Yes, coupled selenium	Yes
1970	S	No	No		Faster shutter, export model

Vitoret 110 EL with matching electronic flash

After Zeiss Ikon ceased camera production in 1971, the Voigtländer brand was acquired by Rollei, who produced a line of 110 film cameras as the Vitoret 110 and Vitoret 110 EL in Singapore. The camera was available with (EL) and without a matching Easy Light System electronic flash unit.[28]

The Vito, Vitessa, and Vitomatic names were revived in the 1990s for a line of automatic focus point-and-shoot cameras, many with zoom lenses. These were manufactured by Samsung, which had acquired the Rollei brand, and identical cameras were sold under the Rollei and Samsung brands.[29] Cameras include: