HI, I get the call about once a year to do some macro close-up photos a year. Nothing too technical nor critical. I've often consdered the Visoflex as an alternative to have an SLR with special lens laying about. I have the chance to get a Visoflex II for about $150 in good condition. My questions- will this work with my M6 TTL and will my 50mm Summicron (latest model) work with it? I don't need to be ultra close smallest object I ever photograph being the size of a ring.

Thanks up front, W

-- Warren Allen (whatrix@home.com), January 07, 2002

Answers

The Visoflex II will work with an M6TTL *only* if you use either the prism from a Visoflex III, or the straight-up chimney finder. The eyelevel prism from the Viso II will not clear the top plate of the TTL, which is 2mm taller than older models.

Your current Summicron will work on the Visoflex, you will get to around 1:2 (half life-size) if memory serves me. The current 90/2.8 is the best, as it is extremely well-corrected in the close-up range (thanks to it being originally designed for the R)and quite flat- field; also lets you get a bit farther back from the subject so lighting isn't such a problem.

Lastly, $150 is steep for a Viso II in other than mint-boxed condition. They can be had for around $100, even less. That would give you some money to pick up the chimney finder (the Viso III prisms are pretty rare by themselves).

-- Jay (infinitydy@aol.com), January 07, 2002.

Warren:

I use a Viso III with an M6 non TTL and the bellows II. The Viso III is far easier to mount and dismount than the II or IIa. I am looking through the 50 Summicron on the Viso as I write and the MAXIMUM image size is 1.75" on the long side and the smallest is about 1.625". The 90 works very well on the viso for close-up work. The 90 Summicron gives maximum image length of 3" when focused on infinity and 2.375" when focused at 1 meter. I like the 90 Summicron or 90 Elmar head on the bellows II with the proper adapter. The 90 Elmar gives me from infinity to 1:1 on the bellows. When I use the lens head on the bellows, the lenses are the older versions with the removeable lens head. I prefer the viso to my R4.

-- M.A. Johnson (logical1@catholic.org), January 07, 2002.