Certo Six and Mamiya Six - has anyone tried both?

Grim Tuesday · May 2, 2020

Thanks for all the advice - I ended up deciding that with so many positive recommendations for the lens (even in absence for recommendations for the rest of the camera...) I had to try out a Certo. It will let me answer a question I've had for a while, which is can I ever be satisfied with the lens quality on a folding camera. When I am satisfied with picture quality, I am usually willing to overlook other issues in a camera. Previously I've been disappointed by a Color Skopar on a Perkeo II and a Tessar on one of the non-rangefinder ikontas. But of course, neither of those were very precise to focus, so who is to know if that was the problem, or the lens? I nabbed the Certo on eBay for $250 with a working rangefinder spot and it looks otherwise well cared for. I suspect if it has a working spot, it must have been CLA'd recently. I am looking forward to shooting a roll and will update the thread when I do!

Helge · May 2, 2020

Don’t trust a rangefinder blindly. It might be off slightly, or it’s not really that precise to begin with. The surest way to to get really accurate focus, especially up close, is bringing a tape measure, or having an external quality rangefinder, that you can take apart, clean and most importantly adjust.

xya · May 2, 2020

Grim Tuesday said:
... I nabbed the Certo on eBay for $250 with a working rangefinder spot and it looks otherwise well cared for. I suspect if it has a working spot, it must have been CLA'd recently. I am looking forward to shooting a roll and will update the thread when I do!

congratulations! we look forward to the update. and please don't forget:

do not force the shutter release. never ever! If it doesn't move, it's blocked by the double exposure prevention. there is a lever to unlock it.

the camera will not fold with the shutter cocked. the shutter lever will hit the housing if cocked.

good luck!

P C Headland · May 11, 2020

There was another folder that focused by moving the film plane - the Ensign Commando.

bunip · May 11, 2020

"can I ever be satisfied with the lens quality on a folding camera?"

I think you could until you'll compare it to a newer design lens. I own many many folding cameras, all bought researching the best performer. After purchasing more than 100 I realized that is much bigger the difference between each sample than between models and brands. In my experience the best performing four elements lenses are: Solinar 75 on the Super Isolette, Color Skopar 105 on the Bessa, Solinar 75 on the Isolette and Solinar 105 on the Record II,Tessar on the Ikonta, Color skopar 75 on the Perkeo, etc. But everytime I look at transparecy with a 8x loop the difference between say 3 agfa isolette with solinar 75 lens are wider than difference between other lenses. It all depends on the lense's story, being 60-70 year old.

bunip · May 11, 2020

when you compare those lenses to a zeiss planar you'll see a world of difference, especially if you print bigger than 30x30 cm

Grim Tuesday · May 11, 2020

bunip said:
"can I ever be satisfied with the lens quality on a folding camera?"

I think you could until you'll compare it to a newer design lens. I own many many folding cameras, all bought researching the best performer. After purchasing more than 100 I realized that is much bigger the difference between each sample than between models and brands. In my experience the best performing four elements lenses are: Solinar 75 on the Super Isolette, Color Skopar 105 on the Bessa, Solinar 75 on the Isolette and Solinar 105 on the Record II,Tessar on the Ikonta, Color skopar 75 on the Perkeo, etc. But everytime I look at transparecy with a 8x loop the difference between say 3 agfa isolette with solinar 75 lens are wider than difference between other lenses. It all depends on the lense's story, being 60-70 year old.

Wow, more than 100 folding cameras! Your observation is an interesting one and probably an important one when thinking about all old cameras from this era, and also when reading anecdotes on the internet about "the sharpest folder". By the way, in your search for the best folder, did you try out the two that prompted the title to this thread?

Radost · Jul 2, 2021

Does certo six focus past infinity?

RoboRepublic · Aug 24, 2022

Grim Tuesday said:
Thanks for all the advice - I ended up deciding that with so many positive recommendations for the lens (even in absence for recommendations for the rest of the camera...) I had to try out a Certo. It will let me answer a question I've had for a while, which is can I ever be satisfied with the lens quality on a folding camera. When I am satisfied with picture quality, I am usually willing to overlook other issues in a camera. Previously I've been disappointed by a Color Skopar on a Perkeo II and a Tessar on one of the non-rangefinder ikontas. But of course, neither of those were very precise to focus, so who is to know if that was the problem, or the lens? I nabbed the Certo on eBay for $250 with a working rangefinder spot and it looks otherwise well cared for. I suspect if it has a working spot, it must have been CLA'd recently. I am looking forward to shooting a roll and will update the thread when I do!

Hi, I find my myself curious about the certo-6 and was wondering if you had any thoughts on the matter now that you've had it a while?

bunip · Sep 8, 2022

did you try out the two that prompted the title to this thread?

none of them

Certo Six and Mamiya Six - has anyone tried both?

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