The Vito Automatic I first
appears in Great Britain in the early 1960's.
It is fitted with an f/2.8 Lanthar lens in a synchronised,
steplessly variable Prontor Lux shutter (1/30-1/500, B), and has a
1:1 brightline finder, lever wind, accessory shoe and a cable release
socket. There is a three-zone rapid-focusing scale. A green/red signal
in the viewfinder indicates whether an exposure is possible, and the
aperture is selected automatically to suit the shutter speed set.
If the indicator shows red, the shutter is not locked so that the
photographer may choose to make the exposure, even if the light conditions
are not good. A frame counter is fitted in the base of the camera.
It cost about £32.
In about 1964 the camera specification
was changed and later models have a Prontormatic 125
(1/30, 1/60, 1/125, B, X-sync) shutter which permits the
automatic facility to be disconnected. The selected
aperture is displayed in the viewfinder.
In about 1965 the lens was changed to
the 50 mm. f/2.8 Color Lanthar 3-element lens, in the
Prontormatic 125 shutter. This specification appears to
remain constant until about 1968, when the camera appears
to have been discontinued.
1964
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