And don't forget the little foot stand at the lower corner of the door. Makes the camera go level. 🙂 ...oh! And I got the manual from Butkus and of course sent him a token of gratitude.
Wunderbar Video! I love Voigtländer cameras! We just moved back from Berlin about seven months ago, and we visited Cologne for our last Christmas! I didn’t make it to that camera store but I did go to the one in the back of the large Cathedral! It was awesome!
Oh yes! That’s Foto Lambertin at the cathedral. I still don’t get how they were able to put their store there, directly where the cathedral is! Many thanks for your comment and I hope you enjoyed your visit to Köln :)
Thanks for the great review. It triggered me to get a Perkeo II. By the way, due to the tight and very even spacing of the frames on the film, it is possible to get 13 frames: When putting in the film, make sure to make the "1" just barely visible in the red window. After shooting the 12th image, put the lever to the right side. This will reset the film counter. Put the lever to the left side again. Now you can wind to one more frame and take a picture. Don't forget to put the lever to the right side and wind the film to the take up spool now, all further frames would go to the backing paper ;-)
Great review! The camera reminds of its predecessor, the Baby Bessa (DeLuxe) with which it shares some features. The viefinders on these cameras just give you a rough estimation of what's in the picture, IMO. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your comment! Yes the viewfinders sort of spoil the experience a bit. On the other hand, you’re not expecting any great results (in terms of technical image quality) when using those old folders with their basic handling and flimsy viewfinders, but when you have the film in your hand you’re often in for a very positive surprise! I kind of like that effect - with more sophisticated cameras, sometimes the image looks fantastic in the viewfinder and later back home you realize it’s not that great :)
Nice video, thanks. I just bought one of these (for too many $$$, I'm afraid!) and I got hold of the little Voigtländer rangefinder accessory that sits in the cold shoe on the top of the camera - makes life MUCH easier!
If those external rangefinders are still calibrated well, they can help a lot, yes :) I wish you a lot of fun and great results with your Voigtländer Perkeo!
Great video! I love those 6x6 folders. A great way to deal with the vacuum problem of film flatness is to not advance the film after taking a picture. For the next picture, open the camera, advance the film, cock the shutter, and then set up the shot. Perfectly flat film! Thanks for all the pleasure you’ve given me this year! Wishing you a good 2022, Thomas.
I've had this camera for several years, coupled with a rangefinder on the cold shoe. Nice little camera! The Color Skopar is a great lens and renders images beautifully. (I think I have it on an Agfa, too.) You are making me want to get it out again and put in some film! Nice video with good info.
I have one. Great camera, excellent Scopar lens. The camera is the same size as my Kodak Retina IIa, which is a 35mm camera. Of course the Retina has a coupled rangefinder and a fast f2 lens.
Thanks for this very good review. I bought a Perkeo I a couple of months ago in really good condition. Quite a challenge to use, especially if you want to use it quickly, but I love it. I've produced some really great images from it. I bought a little soviet rangefinder that clips onto the cold shoe to aid focussing. What's wonderful about it is how small it is, literally fits into my top pocket when I'm wondering about which is quite something for 6x6 camera and definitely something I can't do with my Rollei!
I agree that the old folders are a bit fiddly to use. Maybe that's one of the main reasons they went out of fashion back then. But yes, the Perkeo is really special due to its super-small size! I really love that as well!
I have the Color Skopar version with the Prontor shutter. It has fewer shutter speeds, but this usually isn’t a problem. As you say the size, weight and image quality are the strong points. Thanks
Actually I kind of prefer the shutters with less rimes, in my experience they work better today and won't get sticky. If everything works, having a 1/500 top speed is of course nice, even though they basically never really shoot at 1/500 anyway ... :)
Good luck with your hunt! I read that the II's film counting mechanism is a bit fragile sometimes, but mine works perfectly. But when you're shopping for a Perkeo II, keep in mind to be careful there!
@@johnmoore901 Hi John, it's about the special mechanism that enables the film counter. Here's a video of Chris Sherlock who explains how to repair it - in case it is faulty: th-cam.com/video/i_WAFgcP6EM/w-d-xo.html
@@tomscameras I am a big fan of Chris Sherlock, he shows everything, warts and all, even if he makes the occasional mistake, he never edits it out, he is interesting to watch.
Stunning mighty wee folder great review thanks Tom. I’m a fan of folders just got a bessa 2 for a very reasonable price it works well other than sticky slow shutter I also have a Mess Ikonta 6x6 this thing is gorgeous the video of my first ever shoot with it is in my channel very soon. I think folders are a joy and so much fun to use and the images they produce speak for themselves. I have and use so many cameras but these folders are very special. Liked the vid subbed your channel regards Paul
Hi Paul! Many thanks for your comment! I'll watch your video as well when it's out. Always nice to share some experience about those great old cameras!
These cameras were desirable up to a couple years ago due to their reasonable prices. Not now, they have been pushed in price beyond logic or even greed. I bought a Franka Solida III with uncoupled rangefinder a few years ago, for about £40.00. Excellent condition all around. They are now asking over £150.00 for fair condition examples. A Voigtlander Bessa II retails anywhere from £400.00 to £900.00. Absolute madness.
I just picked up a bessa 2 in New Zealand for 483nzd about 250 quid which in todays crazy market is a good result even better apart from sticky shutter speeds below 1/25th it works flawlessly. There are bargains to be had just not many sadly
@@paultaylorphotography9499 Yes. Analog cameras bargains are harder and harder to find these days! Hope you'll enjoy your Bessa a lot! Greetings to NZ!
Hi Tom, one question for you and other Perkeo owners. I have a Perkeo I and I have a question about setting the aperture. What part of the "tab" do you align with the f-stop marking to set it? Is it the right part of the tab, or the left part, between the thumb tab and the square? I hope this makes sense. thank you
Hi Javier, butkus.org has the Perkeo user manual online. I hope that answers your questions! Here is the direct link: www.cameramanuals.org/voigtlander_pdf/voigtlander_perkeo_i.pdf
The video, as always, has a great logical structure, is full of the right information and has a great pace. My only remark is that the Color Skopar lens has different reviews and in this video the results of shooting with it do not impress with sharpness or plasticity. He looks to me like a not very successful Tessar clone
Thanks for your feedback. In hindsight, I have to admit that the scans that I used in this video were sub-par. I guess that is the reason why the images look not that great if you look too closely!
@@tomscamerasYes, maybe. But I also found mixed reviews about this lens on the Internet. Some write that it is quite sharp, while others write about a not very successful clone of Tessar
I have an Agfa Isolette, same thing, very compact. However, no auto frame counter so you have to use the little window, I use a bit of tape to cover it when not in use. I have 3 Voigtlander cameras, a BL, a Bessamatic and a Bessamatic Deluxe. All cameras are super build quality, great German engineering. I may try to find a Perkeo, I like the look of this camera.
I agree that many of those old folders are actually excellent cameras. They're maybe not the fastest to shoot, but if you get the hang of it, they're big fun and can give gorgeous results! I had an Agfa Isolette some time ago. It was the most upmarket version with built-in rangefinder and a very good 4-element lens. These are surprizing valuable today and I preferred the Perkeo, so I sold the Isolette. The only problem of all the Isolette cameras is the bellows unit, as this is made from some sort of a synthetic material and all samples I ever came across so far had several light leaks. I was at a local repair shop and he offered to install a brand-new bellows unit, which at least at the time (around 2021) was available from some specialist supplier in the UK. But how's the bellows of your Isolette?
Could well be! There are also some (very few, I believe) model years of Isolette cameras that don't have particular problems. Just for information, here's someone who offers replacement bellows today: www.sandehalynch.com/camerawork/bellows.php
@@tomscamerasJa, something with the audio was weird, it sounded like the sampling rate was moving from high to low & back; kinda like you were using a wireless transmitter that was struggling to lock into a good signal for the higher quality bit rate so it had to drop to a lower bit rate to keep the connection. You probably already know! Danke for the video!
Such a cool camera,..it’s kinda counterintuitive that it has a frame counter, but no visual focus aid like a rangefinder; it's easy to forget how small these ’50+ MP’ pictures were printed despite the huge quality potential and blurry pictures were considered ’great’😁 One thing; is it whole-lens focusing or just the front 2 elements move? P.S: Happy New Year and may this be a great one for you!!
Hey! I missed your comment for 7 days, sorry :) About your question: It's only front-element focusing. I think almost all these folders have that. So there might be some quality degradation at close focusing. But I find close focusing a bit of a struggle anyway without a rangefinder ... so if I have to do that, I try to use f/8 or f/11 anyway, and that maybe just "covers" the quality loss anyway ...
@@tomscameras Iskra, Agfa Super Isolette, Super Fujica-6 and Certo 6 (amongst others) focus by moving the entire lens assembly. Then you have the Ensign Commando and Mamiya 6 folders that focus by moving the film plane. The Certo even does parallax correction (it moves the lens).
Yes and there are Isolettes with a super-high quality shutter and a very good four-element lens. The only problem is that the bellows of Agfa cameras is a different material then almost any other bellows unit, and it is always broken today. (Unless repaired or, better, replaced!)
Ich meine, man braucht eine bessere Erklaerung bei Film loading, When loading the film, you rotate the little lever to the right of the viewfinder to 3 o'clock. Then, having opened the cover on the red window on the camera's back, you advance the film to 1. You then close the cover and rotate the lever back to 9 o'clock. Then you can advance the film to the next exposure without looking at the window. Diese Deutsche sind unheimlich clever!
Yes, I agree, your explanation is better! :) It's a peculiar mechanism ... most other cameras either have it fully automated or they are fully manual (red window used for every shot), and the Perkeo II sits right in-between. I am not sure how reliable the film advance is in general, but on my camera it works fantastically and the film spacing is super precise.
I'm grateful and watched most of your documentaries Tom. I'm novice oftentimes forgetful that this is an old gadget of older times. Thank you
Thanks for your video. I’m thinking about getting this camera and now I know which lens and shutter I want. Helpful.
Thanks a lot for your feedback! I wish you good luck finding a nice one!
And don't forget the little foot stand at the lower corner of the door. Makes the camera go level. 🙂
...oh! And I got the manual from Butkus and of course sent him a token of gratitude.
Yes, I'm always amazed by those beautiful and practical details like that little foot stand. And Butkus is an invaluable source of information!
Wunderbar Video! I love Voigtländer cameras! We just moved back from Berlin about seven months ago, and we visited Cologne for our last Christmas!
I didn’t make it to that camera store but I did go to the one in the back of the large Cathedral! It was awesome!
Oh yes! That’s Foto Lambertin at the cathedral. I still don’t get how they were able to put their store there, directly where the cathedral is! Many thanks for your comment and I hope you enjoyed your visit to Köln :)
Thanks for the great review. It triggered me to get a Perkeo II.
By the way, due to the tight and very even spacing of the frames on the film, it is possible to get 13 frames: When putting in the film, make sure to make the "1" just barely visible in the red window. After shooting the 12th image, put the lever to the right side. This will reset the film counter. Put the lever to the left side again. Now you can wind to one more frame and take a picture. Don't forget to put the lever to the right side and wind the film to the take up spool now, all further frames would go to the backing paper ;-)
Great review! The camera reminds of its predecessor, the Baby Bessa (DeLuxe) with which it shares some features. The viefinders on these cameras just give you a rough estimation of what's in the picture, IMO. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your comment! Yes the viewfinders sort of spoil the experience a bit. On the other hand, you’re not expecting any great results (in terms of technical image quality) when using those old folders with their basic handling and flimsy viewfinders, but when you have the film in your hand you’re often in for a very positive surprise! I kind of like that effect - with more sophisticated cameras, sometimes the image looks fantastic in the viewfinder and later back home you realize it’s not that great :)
@@tomscameras Yes, very true! The photo quality exceeds the finder quality a lot on these old cams. And with yours the lens is coated!
Nice video, thanks. I just bought one of these (for too many $$$, I'm afraid!) and I got hold of the little Voigtländer rangefinder accessory that sits in the cold shoe on the top of the camera - makes life MUCH easier!
If those external rangefinders are still calibrated well, they can help a lot, yes :) I wish you a lot of fun and great results with your Voigtländer Perkeo!
Great video! I love those 6x6 folders. A great way to deal with the vacuum problem of film flatness is to not advance the film after taking a picture. For the next picture, open the camera, advance the film, cock the shutter, and then set up the shot. Perfectly flat film! Thanks for all the pleasure you’ve given me this year! Wishing you a good 2022, Thomas.
Hi Donald! Many thanks for your comment and feedback! And also thanks for your tip, I should consider it next time I'm shooting a folder!
I've had this camera for several years, coupled with a rangefinder on the cold shoe. Nice little camera! The Color Skopar is a great lens and renders images beautifully. (I think I have it on an Agfa, too.) You are making me want to get it out again and put in some film! Nice video with good info.
I have one. Great camera, excellent Scopar lens. The camera is the same size as my Kodak Retina IIa, which is a 35mm camera. Of course the Retina has a coupled rangefinder and a fast f2 lens.
Oh yes, the Retina is also fantastic!
Thanks for this very good review. I bought a Perkeo I a couple of months ago in really good condition. Quite a challenge to use, especially if you want to use it quickly, but I love it. I've produced some really great images from it. I bought a little soviet rangefinder that clips onto the cold shoe to aid focussing. What's wonderful about it is how small it is, literally fits into my top pocket when I'm wondering about which is quite something for 6x6 camera and definitely something I can't do with my Rollei!
I agree that the old folders are a bit fiddly to use. Maybe that's one of the main reasons they went out of fashion back then. But yes, the Perkeo is really special due to its super-small size! I really love that as well!
I have the Color Skopar version with the Prontor shutter. It has fewer shutter speeds, but this usually isn’t a problem. As you say the size, weight and image quality are the strong points. Thanks
Actually I kind of prefer the shutters with less rimes, in my experience they work better today and won't get sticky. If everything works, having a 1/500 top speed is of course nice, even though they basically never really shoot at 1/500 anyway ... :)
Really enjoyed your video, I have a Perkeo 1, but must try and buy a 2. Regards John 👍💚
Good luck with your hunt! I read that the II's film counting mechanism is a bit fragile sometimes, but mine works perfectly. But when you're shopping for a Perkeo II, keep in mind to be careful there!
@@tomscameras careful, in which way, are there pitfalls?? Regards John ☘️
@@johnmoore901 Hi John, it's about the special mechanism that enables the film counter. Here's a video of Chris Sherlock who explains how to repair it - in case it is faulty:
th-cam.com/video/i_WAFgcP6EM/w-d-xo.html
@@tomscameras I am a big fan of Chris Sherlock, he shows everything, warts and all, even if he makes the occasional mistake, he never edits it out, he is interesting to watch.
Cool folder and great video! I love folders.
Oh yes, they are cool cameras! Thanks for your feedback!
Nice video. It looks like a very good copy of the camera you have.
Thanks for your feedback! I'm actually often amazed at how great these 1950s cameras still look and work today, even if they have not been serviced!
Stunning mighty wee folder great review thanks Tom. I’m a fan of folders just got a bessa 2 for a very reasonable price it works well other than sticky slow shutter I also have a Mess Ikonta 6x6 this thing is gorgeous the video of my first ever shoot with it is in my channel very soon. I think folders are a joy and so much fun to use and the images they produce speak for themselves. I have and use so many cameras but these folders are very special. Liked the vid subbed your channel regards Paul
Hi Paul! Many thanks for your comment! I'll watch your video as well when it's out. Always nice to share some experience about those great old cameras!
Hallo Thoma. Schönen Kanal hast du hier 🤗 hast du schonmal was über die Hapo 66 gemacht
Hallo! Nein, leider habe ich noch keine Hapo 66 in Händen gehalten bisher!
These cameras were desirable up to a couple years ago due to their reasonable prices. Not now, they have been pushed in price beyond logic or even greed. I bought a Franka Solida III with uncoupled rangefinder a few years ago, for about £40.00. Excellent condition all around. They are now asking over £150.00 for fair condition examples. A Voigtlander Bessa II retails anywhere from £400.00 to £900.00. Absolute madness.
It is madness. But that’s where the market is moving because (except Leica and Lomo) no new analog cameras are made anywhere anymore …
@@tomscameras I wasn't aware Leica still made film cameras.
I just picked up a bessa 2 in New Zealand for 483nzd about 250 quid which in todays crazy market is a good result even better apart from sticky shutter speeds below 1/25th it works flawlessly. There are bargains to be had just not many sadly
@@paultaylorphotography9499 Yes. Analog cameras bargains are harder and harder to find these days! Hope you'll enjoy your Bessa a lot! Greetings to NZ!
Beautiful...
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Hi Tom, one question for you and other Perkeo owners. I have a Perkeo I and I have a question about setting the aperture. What part of the "tab" do you align with the f-stop marking to set it? Is it the right part of the tab, or the left part, between the thumb tab and the square? I hope this makes sense. thank you
Hi Javier, butkus.org has the Perkeo user manual online. I hope that answers your questions! Here is the direct link:
www.cameramanuals.org/voigtlander_pdf/voigtlander_perkeo_i.pdf
The video, as always, has a great logical structure, is full of the right information and has a great pace. My only remark is that the Color Skopar lens has different reviews and in this video the results of shooting with it do not impress with sharpness or plasticity. He looks to me like a not very successful Tessar clone
Thanks for your feedback. In hindsight, I have to admit that the scans that I used in this video were sub-par. I guess that is the reason why the images look not that great if you look too closely!
@@tomscamerasYes, maybe. But I also found mixed reviews about this lens on the Internet. Some write that it is quite sharp, while others write about a not very successful clone of Tessar
The perfect camera for me, missing the 75mm for my Mamiya and a Voigtländer Perkeo II is much cheaper than that lens
Yes. If you're okay with using these old folders, than both the results and also the compact size of the Perkeo II are just unbeatable!
I have an Agfa Isolette, same thing, very compact. However, no auto frame counter so you have to use the little window, I use a bit of tape to cover it when not in use.
I have 3 Voigtlander cameras, a BL, a Bessamatic and a Bessamatic Deluxe. All cameras are super build quality, great German engineering.
I may try to find a Perkeo, I like the look of this camera.
I agree that many of those old folders are actually excellent cameras. They're maybe not the fastest to shoot, but if you get the hang of it, they're big fun and can give gorgeous results!
I had an Agfa Isolette some time ago. It was the most upmarket version with built-in rangefinder and a very good 4-element lens. These are surprizing valuable today and I preferred the Perkeo, so I sold the Isolette.
The only problem of all the Isolette cameras is the bellows unit, as this is made from some sort of a synthetic material and all samples I ever came across so far had several light leaks. I was at a local repair shop and he offered to install a brand-new bellows unit, which at least at the time (around 2021) was available from some specialist supplier in the UK.
But how's the bellows of your Isolette?
@@tomscameras Surprisingly good, Tom. The Agfa bellows on my camera appear to be leather, I wonder if they had been replaced before I got it?
Could well be! There are also some (very few, I believe) model years of Isolette cameras that don't have particular problems. Just for information, here's someone who offers replacement bellows today:
www.sandehalynch.com/camerawork/bellows.php
Good video but the mic sounds too blurry! But super video!🎉
We're working on the sound, I hope the more recent videos show some improvement there!
@@tomscamerasJa, something with the audio was weird, it sounded like the sampling rate was moving from high to low & back; kinda like you were using a wireless transmitter that was struggling to lock into a good signal for the higher quality bit rate so it had to drop to a lower bit rate to keep the connection. You probably already know! Danke for the video!
Such a cool camera,..it’s kinda counterintuitive that it has a frame counter, but no visual focus aid like a rangefinder; it's easy to forget how small these ’50+ MP’ pictures were printed despite the huge quality potential and blurry pictures were considered ’great’😁
One thing; is it whole-lens focusing or just the front 2 elements move?
P.S: Happy New Year and may this be a great one for you!!
Hey! I missed your comment for 7 days, sorry :) About your question: It's only front-element focusing. I think almost all these folders have that. So there might be some quality degradation at close focusing.
But I find close focusing a bit of a struggle anyway without a rangefinder ... so if I have to do that, I try to use f/8 or f/11 anyway, and that maybe just "covers" the quality loss anyway ...
@@tomscameras Iskra, Agfa Super Isolette, Super Fujica-6 and Certo 6 (amongst others) focus by moving the entire lens assembly. Then you have the Ensign Commando and Mamiya 6 folders that focus by moving the film plane. The Certo even does parallax correction (it moves the lens).
I have an Isolette ii which is pretty compact.
Yes and there are Isolettes with a super-high quality shutter and a very good four-element lens. The only problem is that the bellows of Agfa cameras is a different material then almost any other bellows unit, and it is always broken today. (Unless repaired or, better, replaced!)
Ich meine, man braucht eine bessere Erklaerung bei Film loading, When loading the film, you rotate the little lever to the right of the viewfinder to 3 o'clock. Then, having opened the cover on the red window on the camera's back, you advance the film to 1. You then close the cover and rotate the lever back to 9 o'clock. Then you can advance the film to the next exposure without looking at the window. Diese Deutsche sind unheimlich clever!
Yes, I agree, your explanation is better! :)
It's a peculiar mechanism ... most other cameras either have it fully automated or they are fully manual (red window used for every shot), and the Perkeo II sits right in-between. I am not sure how reliable the film advance is in general, but on my camera it works fantastically and the film spacing is super precise.
I don't need another folder. I don't need another folder. I don't need another folder.
Damn it - this isn't working. ;)
Haha! I know that feeling very well!
:)))))