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Voigtlander Brillant S (41/4) |
 Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1938 to (Before) 1952.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 6852
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Voigtlander
The Voigtlander Brillant was introduced in 1932. Heavily inspired by the 1929 Rolleiflex, it is not, however, a true reflex camera, as its two lenses are not coupled, and there is no focusing verification in the viewfinder. Consequently, its selling price is much more reasonable than that of the Rollei.
The initial models used the lens/shutter block from the early Bessa models. The Brillant had a long lifespan and underwent several successive modifications, the most significant being the transition from using metal to bakelite for the camera body. There are numerous variations, as various shutters and lenses were used.
Depending on the lens, the focus setting is achieved by selecting a marker: Portraits, Groups, or Landscapes, or by following a graduated scale. In the early models, the front lens is fixed, and you have to adjust an index. Later on, the front lens itself needs to be turned.
The camera features an image counter (initially underneath the camera, later on the back) and protection against double exposures.
The camera can take 12 shots of 6 x 6 on a 6 x 9 film roll (120 format).
In 1937, Voigtlander introduced a new model called the Brillant V6. Apart from being made of bakelite, it introduced several new features such as a sports viewfinder, automatic film stop, and a filter compartment. Simultaneously, another model, the Brillant S, positioned itself at the top of the range with coupled lenses, providing a true reflex view. In the center of the viewfinder image, there is a ground glass circle for fine-tuning sharpness. It has a direct vision finder in the cap, as well as a magnifier. A light meter is included with this model.
| Years (c.) | TLR | Shutter | Lens | Focusing | |||
| Body made of metal | |||||||
| Brillant |  |
1932-38 | No | Voigtlander (1/25, 1/50, B, T) | Voigtar 7.7/75 mm | Focus using markers French version |
No |
| Brillant |  |
1932-38 | No | Voigtlander | Voigtar 7.7/75 mm | Focus using markers French version |
No |
| Brillant |  |
1932-38 | No | Voigtlander | Voigtar 7.7/75 mm | Focus using markers Polish version |
No |
| Brillant |  |
1932-38 | No | AGC Embezet (1/25, 1/50, 1/100, B, T + Timer) | Voigtar 6.3/75 mm (3 lentilles) | Focus using markers British version |
No |
| Brillant |  |
1933-38 | No | AGC Embezet | Voigtar 6.3/75 mm | Focus using markers French version |
Yes |
| Brillant |  |
1933-38 | No | F. Deckel Compur (1/300) | Skopar 4.5/75 mm (4 lentilles) | Graduated scale | Yes |
| Brillant |  |
1933-38 | No | F. Deckel Compur-Rapid (1/500) | Skopar 4.5/75 mm | Graduated scale | Yes |
| Body made of bakelite | |||||||
| Brillant V6 | 1937-51 | No | AGC Singlo (Timer) | Voigtar 6.3/75 mm | |||
| Brillant V6 | 1938-40 | No | AGC Singlo (Timer) | Voigtar 7.7/75 mm | |||
| Brillant V6 |  |
1938-40 | No | AGC Prontor II (Timer) | Voigtar 4.5/75 mm | ||
| Brillant V6 |  |
1937- 38 | No | F. Deckel Compur | Skopar 4.5/75 mm | ||
| Brillant V6 | 1938-40 | No | F. Deckel Compur-Rapid | Voigtar 4.5/75 mm | |||
| Brillant V6 |  |
1938-40 | No | F. Deckel Compur-Rapid | Voigtar 3.5/75 mm | ||
| Brillant V6 | 1950-52 | No | AGC Prontor II (timer) | Vaskar 4.5/75 mm | |||
| Brillant S | 1938 | Yes | F. Deckel Compur | Voigtar 4.5/75 mm | |||
| Brillant S | 1938 | Yes | F. Deckel Compur | Voigtar 3.5/75 mm | |||
| Brillant S |  |
1938-? | Yes | F. Deckel Compur | Skopar 3.5/75 mm | ||
| Brillant S |  |
1938-? | Yes | F. Deckel Compur-Rapid | Heliar 3.5/75 mm | ||
| Brillant S | 1938-? | Yes | F. Deckel Compur-Rapid | Skopar 3.5/75 mm | |||
In 1933, Photo-Porst catalogs mention a Voigtar 9/75 mm lens. In some English-speaking markets, the name "Brillant" is often referred to as "Brilliant."
Even after the production of the Brillant ceased, it continued to exist in the form of the Lubitel, a faithful Soviet copy, and many other similar cameras. __________
This is the most advanced and expensive version of the Brillant. In the 1939 catalog, it was priced at 2400 francs, while the base model was 620 francs. 1938 wasn't the best time to launch a new camera model, so its distribution was likely limited, but it continued to be manufactured until 1948 with several variations.
The specimen being offered predates 1945 because the top cover is matte, while the later ones are glossy black.
The name "Brillant" comes from the clear viewfinder, which has only a central frosted spot to ensure focus. The two lenses are coupled through their serrated rings. It's this frosted spot (and the lens coupling) that enables focus control and gives the camera the "S" designation (which stands for "Scharfeinstellung" or focus). In addition to the reflex viewfinder, the camera has a built-in sports viewfinder on the top cover, formed by a folding Galilean viewfinder. A small magnifying glass pivots in the viewfinder well to fine-tune focus.
The presented specimen has a flash synchronization feature, which was not available on earlier models (Compur-Rapid Shutter No. 5 931 457). The flash connection (3 mm coaxial) is directly on the shutter, and the shoe is on the door of a small compartment housing a yellow filter and an unusual "exposure meter."
The book "Voigtländer - Report 2" by Claus Prochnow indicates a production of 32,000 Brillant S cameras, across all versions, including 6 lens/shutter combinations, matte or glossy cover, wide or narrow logo, and with or without flash synchronization. According to the same source, the Voigtländer serial number for the presented model was 41/4.
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