Notes on the new Voigtlander Vito B

I believe the new (old) camera I bought today is a 1955 version of the Vito B.

It has the Prontor SVS shutter with the same matching shutter speeds: 300. 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2, 1, and B. Other Vito B's will have 125 instead of 100.

However a very nice website cataloging versions of the Vito B's suggests that because my Vito B has lugs with concentric circles on the camera's strap lugs, it may be from 1956.

Perhaps it is a transition camera.

I would like to warn the Vito B-curious that a wikiHow post says never set the synchronizing lever (the thing that says "V, X, M" - labeled as 5 in yellow at the left) on "V".

Apparently it's the self-timer with a weak spring. If it breaks the shutter won't fire.

Other good pointers are at Matt's Classic Cameras.

*****The best tip I have found online regarding the Vito B is often potential buyers will think the camera doesn't work because the shutter won't cock.

What they don't know is the Vito B needs film in the camera to reset the shutter. The lever moves the film uptake, the film advances against the sprocket, the sprocket cocks the shutter.  To find out if a Vito B has a working shutter, open the camera chamber and advance the sprocket with your thumb.