Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-12-14)

mber 2019I w p g p I

thatfit tothefrontof thecamera
lens.Nextuptherearea couple
of proximeters.A proximeterconsistsof
a conventionalcircularclose-uplens
thatfits tothecameralensand,above
that,a rectangularlensthatstandsin
frontof theviewfinderandrangefinder
windows.Thisdeflectslight,
convertingtherangefinderforusedown
totheclose-focusinglimitof the
close-uplens,at thesametime
correctingparallax.
Forcloserphotography,thereis a
macrooutfit thatcanbeusedin different
ways.First,it’sa standwithitsown
specialColor-Skopar105mmf/3.5lens
fitted.A retainingringis usedto screw
thislensto thecamera’s100mm
Dynaronlensfor1:1life-sizeimages.
Second,forgreater2:1magnification,
thestandis usedwiththecamera’s
50mmstandardlensfittedand,using
anotherretainingring,thisis then
connectedbackto frontto the100mm
lensonthecamera.A microattachment
ring,microscopeeyepieceandviewing
unitalsoenabletheProminentto be
coupledto a microscope.
Acopyingoutfit completesthe
close-up accessories. This consists of a

tripodheadfittedwithitsown50mm

Repro-Skoparlens.Theheadis

equippedwiththreedifferentlengths

of legstoachievevarious

magnifications,accordingtothesizeof

thesubjectmatter.A groundglass

screenwitha 5xfocusingmagnifieris

fittedtotheassemblytofocusonthe

subject.Thenthescreenandmagnifier

areremovedandreplacedbythe

camerabody,viaa specialadapter.

TheProminentasareflex

TheProminentis anextremely

versatilerangefindercamera.Butit

hasonemoretrick:it canbe

convertedintoa 35mmSLRwiththe

additionof a housingthatbayonets

ontothebody.Thisincorporatesitsown

Telomar100mmf/5.5medium

telephotolens,whichreflectsitsimage

viaa 45-degreemirroruptoa

focusingscreenontop.A lever

protrudingfromthebackhoversover

thecamera’sshutterbutton.

Pressingtheleverflipsthemirrorout

of thelightpath,thenactivatesthe

shutterrelease.

A fittingontopof thehousingcanbe

usedasa waist-levelreflextolook

downontothescreen,orflippedaside

andusedasa directvisioneyelevel

viewfi nder in the same way as the

Testbench VOIGTLÄNDER PROMINENT

Above:Thereflex

housingonthe

camerawith(leftto

right),eye-level

reflexattachment,

waist-levelreflex

attachmentand

Konturstyle

viewfinderforuse

at eye level

Kontur.Thistopassemblycanalsobe

replacedwithanotherattachmentfor

viewingthescreenat eyelevel,just like

a conventional35mmSLR.

Andafunnyflashgun

Finally,theProminenthasitsownrather

weirdflashgunbuiltintothefrontof the

camera’sever-readycase.Asthecase

is openedforshooting,theflashgunis

readyforactionbeneaththebody.Back

in the1950swhenuserscomplained

thisplacedtheflashgunbelowthelens,

leadingtouglyshadowsona subject’s

face,Voigtländersuggestedthatthe

problemcouldbesolvedbyusing the

cameraupsidedown.

Whetheryouarea useror

collector,you’dneedtogoa longway

tofindanothercameradesigned

anythingquitelikethe

Voigtländer Prominent.

Left:Twowaysof

usingthemacro

stand– withits

own105mm

Color-Skopar

connectedtothe

100mmDynaron

cameralens(left)

andusinga

standard50mm

lensconnectedto

the100mm on the

camera

Right:The

Prominent’s

flashgunbuilt

intoan

ever-ready case