Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-12-14)

52 14 December 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113

ALL PICTURES © JOHN WADE

Testbench VOIGTLÄNDER PROMINENT

T

he Voigtländer Prominent
was launched in 1951, a time
when 35mm coupled
rangefi nder cameras were at
their peak. Yet it anticipated the
approaching popularity of single lens
refl exes (SLRs) by offering a device that
converted it from rangefi nder to refl ex
use. And it surrounded itself with
interchangeable lenses, viewfi nders,
close-up attachments, fi lters and other
accessories that put it at the heart of a
system capable of tackling just about any
subject. Today the Prominent appeals to
fi lm enthusiasts who enjoy using older
cameras, as well as collectors who revel
in its eccentricities.
There are two models. Early versions
of the Prominent I lack an accessory
shoe and use a knob to wind the fi lm; a

later variation of that fi rst model adds a

shoe and a two-stroke lever wind. The

Prominent II, made in 1958, is similar

to the Prominent I but with an

extra-large, life-size viewfi nder

incorporating brightline frames

for wideangle, standard

and telephoto lenses. The

basic controls of all the

cameras are similar.

The lenses

Six lenses are available for the

Prominent: three 50mm standards

• f/1.5 Nokton, f/2 Ultron and f/3.5
  Color-Skopar – plus a 35mm f/3.5
  Skoparon wideangle, 100mm f/4.5
  Dynaron medium-tele and a 150mm
  f/4.5 Super-Dynaron telephoto.
  The standard lenses bayonet directly

F I L M S TA RS

Prominent

features

John Wade takes a detailed look at a very

versatile Voigtländer from the 1950s

Left: The second model of

the Prominent I with 50mm

f/2 Ultron. Right: the

Prominent II with 50mm

f/1.5 Nokton standard lenses

Prominent I with

50mm standard lens

and Proximeter, plus

Focar close-up lens

and mask used if the

Proximeter is fitted to

a 100mm lens