6x9 camera with Pre-Tessar lens?

Dan Daniel and Paul Howell -- I appreciate your considerations, but most definitely, I will NOT be respooling any film anytime soon. I should add, the main reason being, I don't have a proper darkroom. I use a changing bag to load my film reels for processing, but to find a totally dark area big enough to respool film would be very difficult for me.

I have an inherited Kodak Brownie Target Six-16 (designed for the 616 film format). I briefly considered fixing that one up, and getting some adapters so I could shoot 120 film, but I decided I would rather explore other options first.

So for the reality is, if I cannot put 120 film in a camera and read the correct frame numbers in the red window, then that camera is not going to make my list.

JPD said:

The Goerz, and later Zeiss Ikon, Box Tengor, has a Goerz Frontar achromat lens, three apertures and three distance settings (low power diopter lenses that swing in front of the lens). One of the best box cameras, and they don't cost much.

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Yes, I agree that a late-model Zeiss Tengor box camera might satisfy your requirements ... and you can pick up one in good condition for a very modest outlay.

runswithsizzers said:

No, the Rolleisoft attachments were not on my radar. Thanks! I will defineitely be looking for it(?) / them(?) -- is there more than one version?

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There are two versions, Rolleisoft 0 and 1. The earlier ones are called DUTO 0 and 1, but those are uncoated. No exposure compensation required, but it's best to used them with larger apertures (3,5 - 8), and you can use color filters on top. Snow and flowers will glow in the sun and skin will look smoother.

runswithsizzers said:

Sounds great! The Zeiss Ikon Box Tengor goes to the top of my list. I had come across a reference to the Box Tengor that inspired me to look for one for sale. But searching for only the very cool looking latest model, so far I've only seen one for sale in the USA.

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If you get one with the distance settings in Meters, just think that 1 Meter = 1 Yard. It's a box camera so it relies a lot on the depth of field.

retina_restoration said:

Voigtlander Bessa with am f3.5 Skopar lens

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The Voigtlander Bessa with f/4.5 Voigtar is a triplet. It's soft until f/11.

This is f/8 with it, check out the corners. Focus is around that point near the center where the sunlight hits that railing.



Most people do not desire Bessas with these lenses: mine was 85 dollars. Zone focus, popup finder. But they might have put this lens on the RF as well, I don't know.

loccdor said:

The Voigtlander Bessa with f/4.5 Voigtar is a triplet. It's soft until f/11.

Most people do not desire Bessas with these lenses: mine was 85 dollars. Zone focus, popup finder. But they might have put this lens on the RF as well, I don't know.

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Very nice photo.

The RF- or E-Bessa had the unit focusing Helomar 3,5/105, and the later Bessa I the scale focusing Vaskar 4,5/105 (coated). Both presumably a little better than the Voigtar.

loccdor said:

The Voigtlander Bessa with f/4.5 Voigtar is a triplet. It's soft until f/11.

This is f/8 with it, check out the corners. Focus is around that point near the center where the sunlight hits that railing.

View attachment 416970

Most people do not desire Bessas with these lenses: mine was 85 dollars. Zone focus, popup finder. But they might have put this lens on the RF as well, I don't know.

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The problem with the later triplets like the Voigtar, Vaskar, Apotar and Novar lenses is that even wide-open they are to darn sharp for what the OP wants. Yes, not as good as a well designed Tessar, but sharper than what the OP is looking for. I've shot with cameras like the Kodak No. 1 Jr. using 120 film and it's pretty sharp in the center, but sharpness trails off as you move from the center of the frame. Typical of meniscus or achromat lenses. Even stopping down the aperture for greater depth of field still renders soft in the outer frame. Cooke triplets and rapid rectilinear lenses can get pretty darn sharp stopping down for better depth of field.