Best Folder under $100

[doomtroll]

I am on a shoestring budget, and would like to get into medium format using a non-toy camera. Folders seam to give the most bang for the buck in the low end. I don't mind it its a without a rangefinder, that is not important.

 

[ntenny]

There are a lot of generally similar, inexpensive folders out there with triplets---Nettars, for instance, are cheap and plentiful, and as long as you're willing to work within the limitations of a triplet (stop down or expect vignetting, and so on) they can produce quite nice results. A Nettar with a Novar lens would probably be my first choice (I think they're at their best in 6x6, but your taste in frame sizes may vary.)

It's worth looking for a cheap accessory rangefinder, too. Mine cost $9.99 on eBay, I believe, and it's been a tremendous help with my scale-focussing cameras.

-NT

 

[Ian Grant]

Beware, the Novar lenses can go slightly cloudy over time, and unless made after the war & coated can be very low in contrast. I have a very clean Novar on a Nettar and while the lens has no scratches or cleaning marks the internal flare drops the contrast considerably.

Ian

 

[Chrisk99]

Have you considered a MF SLR?? If you're very lucky you may find a pentacon 6 or the Kiev 6C/60 copy for a good price (I got my Kiev for $30 with lens). They are good cameras (though the Kievs are badly calibrated and may have frame spacing issues but you can work round this) and if you decide to spend money in the futue have some very good lenses available.

 

[mgb74]

The Agfa Isolette is about as shoestring as you'll get. Generally, if not always, a Novar lens IIRC. Bellows condition can be a problem and lenses focus ring lube hardens requiring disassembly and repair (a reasonable DIY job).

Best be might be a lower end Zeiss Nettar 6x6 folder as ntenny suggests.

 

[sv@diycamerakit.com]

Moskva5. Great (coated) lens, rangefinder, can be had for less then 100 shipped (generally from Russia).

 

[DBP]

Moskva 5 is the best lens for the money, and likely to be in decent shape. Ergonomically it is really awful though. Adding a soft release helps a little. The Isolettes and Speedexes are the cheapest, but bellows are a crap shoot.

As long as you are in red-window film advance land, I highly recommend the CiroFlex TLRs, which usually have good triplet lenses and are easy to work on if anything is wrong. Prices are usually well under $50, except for an occasional F model (Tessar type four element lens) going for more.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Wirelessly posted (BBBold: BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

German post-war Wirgin Deluxe. 6x6 folder. Mine had a Wollensak f/4.5 - f/22 and it had basic times including B. Just a bullet hole finder on top of the body but very lightwieght and didn't take up much space. The lens on mine broke after a tumble so I made mine into a 6x6 pinhole camera. But it is a great camera series. No great shakes but it was my intro to MF as well.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I bought a circa 1935 Certo Dolly Supersport with a clear and sharp Zeiss lens for $75 in an APUG classified ad.

Steve

 

[cknapp1961]

I have made some great 11x14 prints from Fuji Acros 100 using Franka Rolfix cameras (priced around $50 on Ev!lb@y), with the Schneider-Kreuznach Radionar F4.5 lens. In my opinion, good center sharpness at F4.5 with a nice looking softness in the corners, which do get better around F8. Even found some Series VI filters to control contrast.

 

[Jim_in_Kyiv]

A third vote for the Moskva 5. I won't complain about the ergonomics; not a problem for me. Quality control is another story; ones from 1959-60, from what I understand, had better build quality to begin with. Look for serial numbers starting with 59 or 60. If you can get it from someone already in the US, then all the better, as any problems can be resolved more easily.

The camera can handle 6x9 or 6x6; there's a lever for the different windows used for counting frames. Don't be surprised if the 6x6 mask isn't there - usually it isn't. You can make one without too much effort. I prefer the big negs.

 

[doomtroll]

The Moskva 5 seams to be harder to find for sale online then the others mentioned, and the ones I did find were well over $100.

but after seaing this I may be off hunting for one.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445866

 

[DBP]

The Moskva 5 seams to be harder to find for sale online then the others mentioned, and the ones I did find were well over $100.

but after seaing this I may be off hunting for one.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445866

This is also from a Moskva 5 (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Jim Chinn]

Awhile back I was seduced by the folder mania on APUG. To dip my toe in the water I bought a Rolfix Franka at a camera show for $20. Bellows had a couple of pinholes which a patched with a flexible fabric paint and the shutter does not operate at speeds slower than 1/2 second but is "predictable" at faster speeds. Mine was missing the film mask for 6x6 so I made one but usually just let it rip at 6x9.
The lens has good sharpness but goes a little soft at the edges wide open which is kind of a nice option. Contrast is less than a modern lens similar to the contrast provided by a holga. It does have some kind of violet coating. Comapct enough to fit in a jacket pocket, it is alot of fun to shoot with.

No rangefinder, so you estimate distances, but I found that with 400 speed film at F8-F16 everthing medium distance to infinity is sharp. For closer in I am pretty good a determining distance.

Now that the folderphiles have set the hook in me, I am beginning to sneak peaks at the folders that Jurgen has at certo6. maybe a refurbed rangefinder would be nice?

 

[elekm]

The Agfa Isolette is about as shoestring as you'll get. Generally, if not always, a Novar lens IIRC. Bellows condition can be a problem and lenses focus ring lube hardens requiring disassembly and repair (a reasonable DIY job).

Best be might be a lower end Zeiss Nettar 6x6 folder as ntenny suggests.

The Isolette would have either an Agnar, Apotar or Solinar with the Solinar being the premium lens.

The Novar name was a trademark of Zeiss Ikon and was used exclusively on Zeiss Ikon cameras. If you ever see a Novar on a non-Zeiss Ikon camera, then it's not the original lens.

I agree that the Nettar is a good choice, as is the folding Ikonta.

One note about the Agfa cameras: Their usual problems are frozen helicals (lens won't rotate to focus) and plastic bellows that develop pinholes. Some older Agfa models use leather bellows, and that's the camera that you want.

It's very uncommon for a Zeiss Ikon camera to have a problem with the bellows.

Nearly all of the leaf shutters used in folding cameras will benefit from routine service.

As to coated vs. uncoated lenses, either will be OK, although a coated lens will give better contrast. I've gotten excellent results from an uncoated 1937 Tessar mounted on a Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 520/2. See the two ZOOMIFY samples.

 

[elekm]

Also, a coated lens should give better results with color film, although I've used uncoated lenses with color film without any problems. A lens hood is always helpful, but it's not essential, if you're mindful of the sun and other light sources.

 

[doomtroll]

I found an Agfa Isolette V today for $20 bucks, upon inspecting it when I brought it home, I found that the focusing ring has seized. By the mighty power of google I will fix it and run film through it soon.

 

[Robert Budding]

Here's a shot that I took with a Zeiss Ercona II. It's zone focus, but the tessar lens is really sharp.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45489297@N00/2853554159/sizes/o/

And a 100% crop:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45489297@N00/2853554085/in/photostream/

 

[Anastigmatic]

Welta Weltax from the 50's with coated Tessar are one of the best value for money folders. exceptional build quality, bellows are quality leather and usually still in good usable condition, usually they dont have the problem with dried grease seizing the lens focus either (which makes them better value than the isolette IMO), has parallax finder (non rangefinder camera), post war commonly available with prontor shutter (rare with c/rapid) and coated tessar and are often in very good condition (work on arrival), later models have the east german shutters (even more common) that seem to work without problems as well. pre-war models can have compur (rapid) shutters (no flash sync) and uncoated lenses but are still very good performers...many have the triplet lenses as well which still produce acceptable/good results, but obviously the Tessar lens are choice

 

[mgb74]

I found an Agfa Isolette V today for $20 bucks, upon inspecting it when I brought it home, I found that the focusing ring has seized. By the mighty power of google I will fix it and run film through it soon.

Here's a couple of links to good info:

http://www.rolandandcaroline.co.uk/repair/frozenfix.html

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[doomtroll]

Thanks for the info.

 

[sanking]

The Moskva 5 seams to be harder to find for sale online then the others mentioned, and the ones I did find were well over $100.

but after seaing this I may be off hunting for one.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445866

Try a Moskva 4 instead. I have used both the 4 and 5 and they appear to be of about the same quality.

Sandy King

 

[pschauss]

You should also look at the Moskva 2. The larger popup viewfinder is a bit easier to use if you have glasses than the tiny peep hole on the Moskva 5.

I have also had good luck with an Agifold. It takes a 6x6 negative and has an uncoupled rangefinder. I found one for about $30 including shipping from the UK to the US. The slow speeds don't work, but since I usually don't use the ones below 1/100 it is not a problem for me.

 

[P C Headland]

A Mess Ikonta (524/16) with a Novar lens is a good option. Uncoupled RF with good build quality, decent bellows, and usually reliable. If you want a larger version the 524/2 does 6x9.

As Peter mentions, the Agifolds are quite an interesting option, especially the later versions (with the 1/350th shutter). Again, uncoupled RF, these also have an extinction meter. Nice to use wide open, and the lens sharpens up pretty well when stopped down.

 

[picker77]

I can vouch for the Franka Rolfix 6x9... This was shot with my near-mint version a few days ago on APX-100, on a blindingly bright summer afternoon. Pardon the subject, but that's my favorite tractor. I have not found edge-to-edge sharpness to be anything less than excellent with this lens, as long as I do my job. The camera also has a 6x6 mask, but I love the look and feel of 6x9 so much I almost never use it. I don't much care for the cheesy flip-up viewfinder, other than that it's a great 6x9/6x6 shooter, and is somewhat of a low-cost sleeper in the old folder market.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/picker77/3760448370/sizes/l/