Voigtlander Prominent instruction manual, user manual

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To Second Section

Most Important

Please read these instructions carefully before you take any pictures or examine how everything works. Practice the various operations as described in section I, first without a film in the camera. When you are familiar with those, read the rest of the booklet. Then you can load the first film.
Remember that the PROMINENT is a high-class precision instrument, which wants expert and careful treatment. It will well repay the trouble taken by endless numbers of fine and wonderfully sharp pictures.
VOIGTLANDER A.G. BRAUNSCHWEIG


CONTENTS:		page;
0peration	Changing lenses	6
	Aperture - Shutter speeds - Winding knob .	7- 8
	Rangefinder - Snapshot focusing	9
	Exposure - Self-timer	10-11
Loading and Unloading	Opening and closing the camera back . . .	12-13
	Inserting the film - Setting the film counter .	14-15
	Rewinding the film
		16
	Changing partly exposed films	16
Accessories	Flash equipment	17-19
	Close-up lenses - Filters	20-23
	Lens hood - Frame Finder . . ."KONTUR"	24
	Ever-ready case	25
Technical Hints	Aperture and depth of field	26
	Film speeds	27
	Care of camera and lenses	28
	The camera number - Customs seal . . . .	29

1 Aperture ring to set the iris diaphragm
2 Shutter speed ring to set the shutter speeds
3 Jaws to hold the reflex housing
4 Back lock
5 Synchronising-lever to set the flash contact
6 Flash socket to connect to flash equipment
7 Shutter lever to tension the self-timer
8 Rewind key to rewind the film
9 Peg to hold the detachable accessory shoe
10 Body release
11 Rewind button

12 Cable release socket

13 Winding knob to tension the shutter and wind the film

14 Rotating outer ring of rangefinder knob

15 Distance scale
with zone focusing settings

16 Depth of field indicator

17 View- and rangefinder eyepiece

18 Film counter

19 Film release to release the film lock when loading or changing partly exposed films

20 Tripod bush

21 Film indicator

22 Drilled pin to take customs seal when crossing frontiers

The Interchangeable Lenses

of the PROMINENT all belong to the new series of Voigtlander high-class anastigmats.
These instructions for changing lenses - as well as the sections on focusing, depth of field, etc. - apply only to the standard 50 mm. lenses, i.e. the ULTRON f/2 and the NOKTON f/1.5.
The TELOMAR f/5.5 telephoto lens and the ULTRAGON f1:5.8 wide angle lens - both with reflex housing -are supplied with special instruction booklets.

Changing the Lenses
The quick-change mount allows specially rapid changing of all lenses. To remove the lens, simply pull the catch of the bayonet lock forward (left), turn the lens through about 45" to the left or right, and lilt out of the shutter. To insert the lens, push it into the shutter and turn until the catch engages with a click. With the lens correctly in position, the catch must be underneath the lens. When changing lenses, proceed gently; never use force!

Stops and Shutter Speeds

The aperture (or stop) off the iris diaphragm controls the amount of light falling on the film, and thus the exposure. If also controls the depth of field (see p. 26).

The stated speed of the lens (e. g. f/2 with the ULTRON, f/1.5 on the NOKTON), is always the largest lens aperture. Each successive setting on the aperture scale approximately halves the light transmitted by the lens.

Therefore every aperture number requires double or half the exposure of the preceding or following aperture respectively. For instance:

Aperture f/	1.5	2	2.8	4	5.6	8	11	16
Corresponding exposure	1/500	1/250	1/100	1/50	1/25	1/10	1/5	1/2	sec.

Setting the Aperture
Turn the aperture ring until the selected stop is opposite the index line. The whole of the scale is clearly visible of a glance from above.

Setting the Shutter Speeds

Turn the shutter speed ring until the selected speed is opposite the index line on the lens mount. The figure 1 stands for 1 second, all other figures are fractions of a second. The shutter can be set to any intermediate speeds, except between 1/10 and 1/25, or between 1/250 and 1/500 second. All speeds other than 1/500 second can be set after tensioning the shutter.
For time exposures over 1 second, set the shutter to B. Press the release, and the shutter will stay open as long as the release is pressed down.

Focusing with the Rangefinder

The combined view- and rangefinder is coupled with the lens. On looking through it, you will see a bright circle in the centre of the view.

When the rangefinder is not correctly focused the subject appears as a double image within this circle. Turn the focusing knob of the rangefinder until the two images coincide. The lens is then accurately focused on the subject. Alternatively, set the distance by the scale on the focusing knob.

The Winding Knob does three jobs. Turning it through a full turn as far as it will go in the direction of the arrow tensions the shutter, advances the film by one frame, and also advances the film counter to the next number.
Note: When the Compur shutter is set to 1/500 second, an additional tension spring comes into action, which makes the winding knob a little harder to turn. It is therefore advisable at this speed to tension the shutter directly with the tensioning lever. Push the lever to the left towards the red dot with your finger as far as it will go. But remember also to wind the winding knob through a full turn as far as it will go. You will feel a slight resistance while doing so.

Snapshots at f/8
These are easy even without the rangefinder. Simply use the two point settings on the focusing knob:
Set to = 11 'feet, and everything between 8 1/4 and 16 1/2 feet will be sharp (see above).
Set to 0 = 33 feet, and everything will be sharp from 161/2 feet to infinity.

Instantaneous Exposures (webmaster: this is what they call shots without the need of a tripod)

When taking the picture, hold the camera as shown above. Press it firmly against the face and tuck your arms well into the body, to avoid any camera shake during the exposure. Keep the eye close behind the eyepiece of the view- and rangefinder so that you can see all four corners of the image at once.
Hold your breath while exposing, and gently press the release down as far as if will go. Take care not to jerk it.

Slow Speeds
To make hand-held exposures at speeds slower than 1/25 second, e. g. 1/10, 1/5, 1/2, and possibly even 1 second, you need a very steady hand, or some support for the arms and body.
A useful trick to reduce the risk of camera shake with shots of static subjects, e. g. inferiors, is to use the self-timer which normally serves for taking pictures of yourself. Tension the shutter in the usual way, set the shutter speed, and start the self-timer as described on the next page. After about 10 seconds the shutter will release itself without any shake. But do not move the camera until you have heard the shutter close with an audible click.