First Medium Format Folder

Prest_400 · Sep 29, 2025

albireo said:
A tatty Super Isolette for 1100 euro? A rickety Mamiya 6s for 400 euros? Super Ikontas Tessar with mouldy lenses for 600 euro?

What are these people smoking. I wonder if sellers are jacking up prices to try recoup what they're losing from the American customers due to the tariffs.

Please Pentax do a compact 6x4.5 camera next.

Or Cosina, if something like the Bessa III/GF670 but similar to the GS645 being a folder.
I've jumped into the Crapshoot getting ok Folders and not in those crazy prices. Perhaps is a trickle down from the aforementioned models as well as Mamiya 6, 7 (modern RFs) etc. Of course the issue are volumes, but a modern compact 645-66 camera niche is being quite valued.

Having come to medium format through a Fuji 6x9, infact I notice that Tessar type do have character but are not as sharp as double gauss more modern lenses plus the rest of possible problematic issues due to age and all.
The sellers probably are smoking the same thing as peope in the expired film market locally. Old Portra going at, or more than fresh prices for example.

The Super Isolette is also a nice camera but another member acknowledged in some other thread that the going prices are too much.

loccdor · Sep 29, 2025

I've been well-satisfied with the two Voigtlander folders I have. The build quality is very good, which is important for old folding cameras with so many moving parts.

The 6x9 Bessa with guess-focus was only like $70 a couple years back... with a Voigtar f/4.5 lens that needs to be stopped down to f/16 for landscape. 1/100 max shutter on mine so just barely hand-holdable.

The 6x9 Bessa RF was over $300, for a lens you can use at f/11 for landscape and a coupled, but dim, rangefinder, along with 1/400 speed.

They were made around 1938. Both of them can fit in my shorts pocket but the non-RF fits a little better. They also made some good 6x6 models. And yes, expect image quality to be a little lower than a good TLR even when stopped down. Even if you get one with a very good lens, the lens is likely not exactly in the right place. But good luck trying to fit a TLR in a shorts pocket. Folders are great cameras for hiking.

albireo · Sep 29, 2025

loccdor said:
But good luck trying to fit a TLR in a shorts pocket. Folders are great cameras for hiking.

Oh yeah definitely. I keep hoping one day I will stumble on one of those "time capsule" folder finds, one careful owner since the fifties... Say a perfect Perkeo II Color Skopar with case and hood..Or a NOS Super Ikonta 524... and then proceed to give that baby more shutter clicks and film turns it has seen in its long life. Think the Buena Vista Social club members happily retired and watering their orchards in Havana only to then be carted around the world for sold out concerts in their 80s

xya · Sep 30, 2025

I'm still using folders these days. Zeiss Super Ikontas are beyond doubt, if you can live without a rangefinder, a Perkeo II is wonderful. I love my Iskras as well and for the older ones a Certo Super Sport Dolly with rangefinder is a marvel. If 4.5x6 is an option, a Pearl III could be THE pocketable solution. Have a look at my comparison page https://www.120folder.com/compa.htm if you want...

Sam21 · Oct 24, 2025

Just a quick followup, I ended up picking up an Agfa Isolette with a Solinar from the seller Certo6 on eBay. Everything seems to be in great condition and the bellows are brand new. I shot my first roll and the shots themselves look well exposed and focused, but I've got these strange blue dots across most of the frames. They're not in the same locations from shot to shot--honestly have no clue what they could be. I've cropped in and screenshotted one of the frames to show you what I'm referring to.

Any idea what these could be? I did develop another roll along with the same chemistry in this session and it came out perfectly fine, but when I went to develop this roll the tank was leaking after the initial pre-rinse so I had to go back into a light tight bag and fix the seal on the tank. It meant that the film sat wet in the tank for a bit while I fixed that. Not sure if that could play a role.

GregY · Oct 24, 2025

Ron789 said:
I bought a Super Ikonta with coupled rangefinder a while back for €100, the film transport sometimes skips a frame but other than that it's a really nice camera, pocket size, great lens. Here is a photo I made in Patagonia early this year

Very nice. photo!

Andrew O'Neill · Oct 24, 2025

I quite like my Mamiya-Six folder. the internal focussing at the film plane, is neat. The lens is quite sharp. I've taken some nice photos with it.

Andrew O'Neill · Oct 24, 2025

...nevermind. I see you went with the Agfa. Enjoy!

Donald Qualls · Oct 24, 2025

Those blue dots probably are not from sitting in a pre-soak while you fixed the tank seal; more likely, they're due to something along the lines of static electricity sparks from either loading or in-camera. I wouldn't expect an Isolette to move the film fast enough to generate sparks (though I won't say it's impossible, either), but unrolling the film in the bag rapidly to separate film from backing might possibly have done so (especially if you were in low humidity conditions when you loaded the film).

Sam21 · Oct 25, 2025

Donald Qualls said:
Those blue dots probably are not from sitting in a pre-soak while you fixed the tank seal; more likely, they're due to something along the lines of static electricity sparks from either loading or in-camera. I wouldn't expect an Isolette to move the film fast enough to generate sparks (though I won't say it's impossible, either), but unrolling the film in the bag rapidly to separate film from backing might possibly have done so (especially if you were in low humidity conditions when you loaded the film).

That does check out. It was dry although the other roll was totally fine. The one “out of the norm” thing was for this roll I forgot a plastic take up reel when loading the Isolette so had to use this old wooden Agfa one that was sitting in my car. It has metal ends and a wooden center. Wonder if the change in materials played a part—was most prevalent in the first 4 frames.

Sam21 · Oct 25, 2025

Andrew O'Neill said:
...nevermind. I see you went with the Agfa. Enjoy!

The Mamiya 6 was the camera I was most looking for, but finding one that didn’t have an absolute trashed front element seemed nearly impossible. Likely will still keep my eyes out for one.

Sirius Glass · Oct 25, 2025

Sam21 said:
Just a quick followup, I ended up picking up an Agfa Isolette with a Solinar from the seller Certo6 on eBay. Everything seems to be in great condition and the bellows are brand new. I shot my first roll and the shots themselves look well exposed and focused, but I've got these strange blue dots across most of the frames. They're not in the same locations from shot to shot--honestly have no clue what they could be. I've cropped in and screenshotted one of the frames to show you what I'm referring to.

Any idea what these could be? I did develop another roll along with the same chemistry in this session and it came out perfectly fine, but when I went to develop this roll the tank was leaking after the initial pre-rinse so I had to go back into a light tight bag and fix the seal on the tank. It meant that the film sat wet in the tank for a bit while I fixed that. Not sure if that could play a role.

Enjoy your new to you camera.

Ray Van Nes · Oct 28, 2025

Sam21 said:
Hi all, I've been shooting medium format for a long while now and recently have wanted to pick up a folder, but have been absolutely overwhelmed by the options and information that is out there. I'm looking primarily at 6x6 with a coupled rangefinder. Zeiss Super Ikontas were recommended to me, as were Agfa Isolette IIIs (I know their RF is uncoupled), but wanted to see if folks here had any other recommendations. I did find a shop that has a Super Ikonta B with a 3 month warranty and it's clean aside from minor haze behind the front element.

Any recommendations for the best place to look? Given the age of these folders, I know that most of them require service, so wasn't sure if there are any sellers that are usually trustworthy sources for working or recently serviced folders. I appreciate any thoughts to cut through the noise!

Sam

Hello. Have not read all responses but just a couple of thoughts. The Agfa Isolette III is the lightest and best performer I have come across. Something important to keep in mind , is being able to change the bellows. The challenge with some cameras is how the film gate , which holds the bellows in, is attached. The Isolette or most Agfas, have four little screws which makes changing the bellows easy. Zeiss, at leas the prewar Zeiss, part of the body is folded over to hold it in. This means you likely have to cut it off and then find a way to hold it in. I was lucky, a friend who is very handy with such things, drilled and installed screws for me. Either the Apotar or Solinar are great performers. I also have the Record III with an Apotar and I cannot see much difference. I will attach an image so you can see how it performs.

Sam21 · Oct 28, 2025

Ray Van Nes said:
Hello. Have not read all responses but just a couple of thoughts. The Agfa Isolette III is the lightest and best performer I have come across. Something important to keep in mind , is being able to change the bellows. The challenge with some cameras is how the film gate , which holds the bellows in, is attached. The Isolette or most Agfas, have four little screws which makes changing the bellows easy. Zeiss, at leas the prewar Zeiss, part of the body is folded over to hold it in. This means you likely have to cut it off and then find a way to hold it in. I was lucky, a friend who is very handy with such things, drilled and installed screws for me. Either the Apotar or Solinar are great performers. I also have the Record III with an Apotar and I cannot see much difference. I will attach an image so you can see how it performs.

I ended up with an Isolette III and am really impressed with the solinar! The first roll turned out great.

Melvin J Bramley · Oct 28, 2025

Andrew O'Neill said:
I quite like my Mamiya-Six folder. the internal focussing at the film plane, is neat. The lens is quite sharp. I've taken some nice photos with it.

My Mamiya 6 folder is now purring along with decent image quality.
When I consider the amount of dollars I spent having it repaired it was an investment in patience not common sense!
I say this as I bundle up a Minolta Autocord, Nikon FE and a Nikon FM for servicing.
Owning older cameras has a 'negative ' effect on your wallet..

blee1996 · Oct 29, 2025

Sam21 said:
I ended up with an Isolette III and am really impressed with the solinar! The first roll turned out great.

Congratulations! Your photo is excellent!

baachitraka · Oct 29, 2025

Sam21 said:
I ended up with an Isolette III and am really impressed with the solinar! The first roll turned out great.

Solinar is really a good lens. I have 2 Isolette III, one with uncoupled RF and other plain VF.

Unfortunately, both stay stuck and I wish I could send to someone in Europe to fix everything and change new bellows.

P C Headland · Oct 29, 2025

baachitraka said:
Solinar is really a good lens. I have 2 Isolette III, one with uncoupled RF and other plain VF.

Unfortunately, both stay stuck and I wish I could send to someone in Europe to fix everything and change new bellows.

You could ask @Alex Varas

albireo · Oct 29, 2025

P C Headland said:
You could ask @Alex Varas

+1 on Alex, many great experiences with him!

Alex Varas · Oct 29, 2025

baachitraka said:
Solinar is really a good lens. I have 2 Isolette III, one with uncoupled RF and other plain VF.

Unfortunately, both stay stuck and I wish I could send to someone in Europe to fix everything and change new bellows.

Here I’m!
Thank you for the support!!

yes, Agfa green grease is not nice, only heat does the job or at least makes it faster than soak the lens into whatever chems others do, this advice I got it from Sandeha Lynch, my bellows-to-go for Agfa folders.

baachitraka · Oct 29, 2025

Alex Varas said:
Here I’m!
Thank you for the support!!

yes, Agfa green grease is not nice, only heat does the job or at least makes it faster than soak the lens into whatever chems others do, this advice I got it from Sandeha Lynch, my bellows-to-go for Agfa folders.

I have botched one camera in the past and decided never do the repairs of my own. One thing, I have noticed is the coating on the lens can be damaged easily and need a special care.

Alex Varas · Oct 30, 2025

Old coating? is damaged easily by skin grease... I mean you touch the lens and don't clean it... after some time the fingerprint will remain, lens is toast, lost of sharpness.

Sirius Glass · Oct 30, 2025

Sam21 said:
I ended up with an Isolette III and am really impressed with the solinar! The first roll turned out great.

Enjoy and shoot more film.

RezaLoghme · Nov 3, 2025

bernard_L said:
You are going to pay a premium for this requirement. Possibly most of the pictures you take will be at distances >=2m, and f-stops 8 and higher, conditions where you can safely rely on estimated distance (and will get better with practice). And when you need to take a close-up shot, take from your pocket the accessory RF, Watameter or similar.

Make sure the 3 month warranty includes a right to return "no questions asked". Or you will find out that your shadow areas are veiled and the seller will tell you that you were aware of the haze and therefore it is not covered by the warranty. Given what I can imagine what a Super Ikonta from a dealer might cost, I would reject a copy with an obvious deficiency.

When I need critical focusing and framing I take my Rolleicord Vb. With a Rolleinar 1 Bay 1 in the pocket, I'm all set for accurate close-ups down to 50cm. When I want to go lighter, I take a Perkeo (Skopar) and an accessory rangefinder.

My 2¢

What is your exact use case for this type of camera

bernard_L · Nov 3, 2025

RezaLoghme said:
What is your exact use case for this type of camera

Is that a question to the OP (moot since he bought an Isolette) or to me? If the latter, answer is: travel, hiking, having the capability to capture the pictures opportunities as they show up (or not). Long answer: look at my signature, pictures in square format (some with C220, however, quite another use case).

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