Any other folder camera shooters here?

[Donald Qualls]

Well, my Speed Graphic and Zeiss Ideal are genuinely "folding" cameras, despite large format. Front standard retracts inside the body and is covered/protected by the folded bed...

 

[Huss]

More from the White Russian:

 

[Huss]

Zeiss Ikon Nettar, Fuji Superia 400

 

[russell_w_b]

Lovely pics!

Thanks, Huss. I was particularly impressed with the colour rendition of the pics taken on my1938 Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2 with its uncoated lens. Here're a couple more from the same camera: a lab-developed one on Portra 400 and a home-developed one on HP5+ in HC-110 'B'.

I like that 'White Russian' of yours! How old is it?

McMullen Headstone by Russell W Barnes, on Flickr

Ignitron by Russell W Barnes, on Flickr

 

[Disconnekt]

So far, I have 3:

Kodak Special Six-20 with a Kodak Anastigmat Special f4.5 100mm lens & Compur Rapid shutter.
Kodak Special Six-16 with a Kodak Anastigmat Special f4.5 127mm lens & Compur Rapid shutter.
Kodak 3A Series III with a Kodak Anastigmat 170mm f6.3 lens & Kodak No. 2 Kodamatic shutter (pretty much the only lens/shutter combo/option it came with)

The 620 & 616 I sent out to get cla'ed & new bellows installed, so I haven't gotten a chance to shoot em yet. The 3A Series III I just got recently, will eventually sent it out to get cla & new bellow installed.

 

[John Wiegerink]

So far, I have 3:

Kodak Special Six-20 with a Kodak Anastigmat Special f4.5 100mm lens & Compur Rapid shutter.
Kodak Special Six-16 with a Kodak Anastigmat Special f4.5 127mm lens & Compur Rapid shutter.
Kodak 3A Series III with a Kodak Anastigmat 170mm f6.3 lens & Kodak No. 2 Kodamatic shutter (pretty much the only lens/shutter combo/option it came with)

The 620 & 616 I sent out to get cla'ed & new bellows installed, so I haven't gotten a chance to shoot em yet. The 3A Series III I just got recently, will eventually sent it out to get cla & new bellow installed.

Kodak made some mighty fine cameras back then. As good as any German folders. I have probably six folding Super Ikontas and many folding Netter and plain Jane Ikonta cameras, and they are all very good optically. Still, I would put my trusty Kodak Monitor Six-20 w/ the red "SPECIAL" lens up against any of them. One area where the Kodak folding cameras of the late 40's early 50's suffered compared to their German counterparts was in the bellows material. The German folders certainly aged better than the Kodaks or Ansco cameras of the same period. I had to replace the bellows on my Kodak Monitor Six-20, but it was definitely worth it to me. I just wish I could get roll film for my Kodak Monitor Six-16 w/ the Special lens. You're talking getting close to 4X5 size negs out of a folder.

 

[Disconnekt]

Kodak made some mighty fine cameras back then. As good as any German folders. I have probably six folding Super Ikontas and many folding Netter and plain Jane Ikonta cameras, and they are all very good optically. Still, I would put my trusty Kodak Monitor Six-20 w/ the red "SPECIAL" lens up against any of them. One area where the Kodak folding cameras of the late 40's early 50's suffered compared to their German counterparts was in the bellows material. The German folders certainly aged better than the Kodaks or Ansco cameras of the same period. I had to replace the bellows on my Kodak Monitor Six-20, but it was definitely worth it to me. I just wish I could get roll film for my Kodak Monitor Six-16 w/ the Special lens. You're talking getting close to 4X5 size negs out of a folder.

Yeah, one of the main reasons I got them with the "Special" on them was because I read that even though they were uncoated (up until the mid 40's), they were very top notch lenses.

Feel the same way, especially with the Kodak 3A since it takes 122 film, which is 3.25X5.50. Too bad the 122 rolls I've see on evilbay are very expired and expensive.

 

[RolleiCO]

I recently purchased a Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 6x9 folder. It is in beautiful condition and, other than the nearly useless pop-up viewfinder, I am loving it. I am pretty married to tripods, so relearning how to shoot effectively hand-held remains a work in process. Worth the effort.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Kodak made some mighty fine cameras back then. As good as any German folders.

Some of the better Kodak folders effectively were German folders -- they bought out Nagel Werk in the 1930s and sold several models of the Kodak Vollenda folder in various formats (from half-frame 127 to 6x9 120), and kept a lot of the design philosophy behind the Nagel cameras even for folders made in Rochester after the War -- because Mr. Nagel was still designing those cameras.

 

[BrianShaw]

Duo 620, also. My favorite German folder.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Some of the better Kodak folders effectively were German folders -- they bought out Nagel Werk in the 1930s and sold several models of the Kodak Vollenda folder in various formats (from half-frame 127 to 6x9 120), and kept a lot of the design philosophy behind the Nagel cameras even for folders made in Rochester after the War -- because Mr. Nagel was still designing those cameras.

You're right Don and who can fault the Kodak Retina and Kodak Recomar cameras. Both first-rate folding cameras.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Duo 620, also. My favorite German folder.

Yes, I have two, one working and the other for parts. If I could find the rangefinder version reasonable, I'd buy it. There's one well used on the big auction site for $750.00, which is way over my budget.

 

[BHuij]

I went through a phase where was buying Agfa Isolettes on eBay for cheap because they were untested or "for parts." 99% of the time they just need a thorough flush job through the shutter with denatured alcohol, and for the front focusing cell threads to be unstuck, cleaned, and re-lubed with something that isn't Agfa's famous green long-cure cement.

Well, to be fair most of them also need bellows repair or replacement.

Then a quick focus re-collimation and I had a beautiful little 6x6 folder that could fit in my pocket. At least that was the theory. In practice, I can't make a decent image with a folding camera to save my life. I've seen lovely work from other people using them. Everything I've ever put through any of my Isolettes comes out distinctly uninspired.

I did recently cannibalize the 85mm Solinar lens in Prontor SVS shutter that was on one of my restored folders. I use it on my Goodman Zone camera now. Turns out with TTL composing and focusing, it's a really excellent lens. Who knew?

 

[Donald Qualls]

I've got a 105 mm f/4.5 Agnar from an Agfa folder that I use on my Graphic View or Speed Graphic on occasion. Sharper than a triplet has any right to be, just barely covers 4x5 at f/16 and hyperfocal or closer.

That's not exactly on-label use, though.

 

[BHuij]

...

That's not exactly on-label use, though.

A lens is a lens is a lens. If it puts an image where you want it and you're happy with that image, then what else matters?

With all my "collecting," I actually have a good copy of each of the 85mms that came on the 6x6 Isolettes: Agnar, Apotar, and Solinar. The Agnar and Apotars are triplets and the Solinar is a Tessar-type. Went with the Solinar to use on my Goodman Zone since it's the obvious best of the three, at least on paper.

But I've had this idea kicking around in my head for a while to design and 3D print an EF adapter that would allow me to shoot off some test frames on my 5D2 to look at center-of-image-circle and edge-of-image-circle performance for all three. Would be so fascinating to find out how good the other two are compared to the Solinar.

 

[Donald Qualls]

design and 3D print an EF adapter that would allow me to shoot off some test frames on my 5D2

Why not just design and print a simple "box camera" while you're at it, to put the full image circle (or almost all of it) on a 4x5 sheet of film?

 

[Chuck1]

Has Anyone actually used the(forget the camera model) Kodak angenieux 100/3.5, is it worth it?

 

[BHuij]

Why not just design and print a simple "box camera" while you're at it, to put the full image circle (or almost all of it) on a 4x5 sheet of film?

I could mount it on my 4x5 and do that, but then I'd be burning expensive 4x5 film to satisfy a curiosity. The EF adapter would cost $0.50 worth of filament and then my tests are free from that point forward.

I also don't have a very good way to compare sharpness on film. I'm not set up to scan well since I don't really use a hybrid workflow. When I want to digitize something I shot on film, I scan an 8x10 print.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yes! I just got my hands on my Mamiya Six folder that had been sitting in Japan for the past three years. My wife was just over there visiting family, and brought it back for me. There is a video on my youtube channel playing with it for the first time. Such a little beauty!

 

[Donald Qualls]

Mamiya Six folder

Yep, those are nice. Mine is very sharp, and the dual format with captive masks is a nice touch. With the auto frame counter (which mine doesn't have) it'd be even better.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yep, those are nice. Mine is very sharp, and the dual format with captive masks is a nice touch. With the auto frame counter (which mine doesn't have) it'd be even better.

Yes, it has the frame counter.

 

[wjlapier]

Mine is a Zeiss Super Ikonta 530. Jurgen Kreckel CLA’d it recently. The lens is a Tessar and it pretty sharp for a 1930’s camera.



Here it is next to a Mamiya c33. It’s tiny.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Nice. Half frame with coupled RF (albeit dual window). Does it have a frame counter or is it dual red window?

 

[wjlapier]

It’s a dual window. Surprisingly, no light leaks with that method.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Beauty! Just had a look at several on the auction site.... not cheap!