Folder MADNESS!!!

bobfowler · Aug 12, 2005

This afternoon, I dusted off my Zeiss 521/16 and shot a roll of J&C Pro 100 at my favorite film/camera testing haunt - the local fishing marina. I just souped the negs in Diafine - WOW!!! I had forgotten how great this little beastie really is!

This evening, Liz and I are off to Sandy hook with my new-to-me Zenobia C1 folder (a 645). I'll be posting pix soon!

Rock Poper · Aug 12, 2005

I was given a 1939 Kodak 620 Brownie 6x9 folder a few months back, after a quick tamper to get it using 120 I now use it more often than my Holga ... If I have the time I will often take multiple pic's of the same scene with each my formats, on occasion I appreciate the Kodak 6x9 more than the mamiya RZ version (;

they are cheap as chips and its great using something after so long having probably ended up in the back of a drawer or in dusty storage box somewhere ...

Donald Qualls · Aug 12, 2005

You betcha! My two most commonly grabbed cameras when I'm leaving the house are my 1928 Voigtlander Rollfilmkamera (6x9, with Skopar), and my Wirgin Auta 6.3 (6x9 with 6x4.5 mask installed, Gewironar triplet). The Skopar lives up to the legend, but I shoot the Wirgin more...

Tom Hoskinson · Aug 13, 2005

Oh Yeah!

I just picked up my 620 Kodak Monitor from Carol Flutot this afternoon. Carol did a CLA on the lens and shutter and it sure looks and works nice! It has a coated 101mm Kodak Anastigmat Special in Kodak Flash Supermatic Shutter. There was some fungus on the rear lens element, but Carol cleaned it off.

I picked the camera up on eBay for about $20.00, including shipping.

Tomorrow I'll try it out with a roll of J&C (trimmed 120 spool) Fuji Acros.

joeyk49 · Aug 13, 2005

Alas, my only folder (yet...) is in LF...my Crown Graphic. I've been admiring, in a longing sort of way, the shots posted by the owners of these really neat cameras. They look like a lot of fun!

But, I'm patient...someone will eventually be unaware of what they've got and post it in the classifieds, or garage sale (very little hope of finding one at my price on ebay) and I'll swoop in! Till then, I ask that the rest of you keep shooting with them and post the great results...

Ole · Aug 13, 2005

I have several... A 645 Zeiss Ikon, 6x6 and 6x9 Voigtländers, a 645 Zenobia, several plate cameras, a 35mm Welta... Great fun, easy-to-use and even easier to bring

richard littlewood · Aug 13, 2005

I've just got back home after taking out my Ensign Selfix 820 on its maiden outing, loaded with HP5. I went out to a rather dramatic rocky area near Saddleworth in the Pennines. Initially the weather looked good - lowish cloud and lots of atmosphere, but after about 20 mins the cloud came really low, the rain started and I thought **** this!. Came back without a shot!

bobfowler · Aug 13, 2005

Ole said:
I have several... A 645 Zeiss Ikon, 6x6 and 6x9 Voigtländers, a 645 Zenobia, several plate cameras, a 35mm Welta... Great fun, easy-to-use and even easier to bring

We wound up going to the Atlantic Highlands marina last night instead of Sandy Hook. I took the 645 Zenobia - as planned - and shot a roll of J&C Classic 400. It was getting late when we got home so I didn't soup the film last night, and it's just too damn hot to do it now...

We ran into a couple who had a 10 week old King Charles Spaniel puppy. I got a few shots of Liz playing with the dog while it happily pulled and tugged on the laces of her sneakers. We were interested in their dog, they were facinated by the Zenobia!

Dan Fromm · Aug 13, 2005

AnalogWolverine said:
<snip>
Surrender to the MADNESS!

These days when I feel it coming on, I lie down until it passes. For me, if not for thee, accumulating gear gets in the way of taking pictures.

MikeS · Aug 13, 2005

Ole said:
I have several... A 645 Zeiss Ikon, 6x6 and 6x9 Voigtländers, a 645 Zenobia, several plate cameras, a 35mm Welta... Great fun, easy-to-use and even easier to bring

Ole:

I just today picked up a 645 Zenobia! Do you have any tips / tricks, or other info about it? The bellows seems a bit dry, but I don't know if it's leather, or paper, so I don't want to put leather creme on it, only to find out it's paper, and the stuff destroys the bellows!

-Mike

Ole · Aug 13, 2005

I haven't had any problems with my Zenobia - or any other MF folder for that matter. They're all very capable little things, and tend to l-a-s-t long and work well. My one 35mm folder (Welta Welti) has a problem with the film advance after 50 years of heavy use, and the rollfilm back for my 6.5x9cm plate camera has serious light leaks.

Don't worry about the bellows if they're tight.

But the Zenobia? Picked it up, loaded a film, shot, developed, and all was fine.

Donald Qualls · Aug 13, 2005

Dan Fromm said:
These days when I feel it coming on, I lie down until it passes. For me, if not for thee, accumulating gear gets in the way of taking pictures.

Not for me. Accumulating gear increases the likelihood that *at least one* of these ancient junkers and former classics will be working and loaded when the aliens land in my front yard...

bobfowler · Aug 14, 2005

Donald Qualls said:
Not for me. Accumulating gear increases the likelihood that *at least one* of these ancient junkers and former classics will be working and loaded when the aliens land in my front yard...

That's a damn good excu....err... reason, yeah, that's it... a damn good REASON to keep buying more stuff!

Thanks for the line I can use on SWMBO!

Dan Fromm · Aug 14, 2005

Lessee now, Bob.

You live in NJ. NJ is infested with aliens, some of them illegal. Many are Mexicans working on farms and for lawn services. Do you photograph them?

Glenn Mathison · Aug 14, 2005

I have 3 folders, An Ensign Selfix 820 that needs a shutter CLA,
a Ziess Ercona that does 6x6 & 6x9 (Can't recall the model number) and an Agfa Super Solinette II 35mm. The last two work great and they are such *fun* to use.

They are so cheap on the used market here in OZ that I'd never pass one up that worked. I do see quite a few that are hopelessly knackered, but the working ones often go for 5-20 USD...

Love those folders . . .

bobfowler · Aug 15, 2005

Dan Fromm said:
Lessee now, Bob.

You live in NJ. NJ is infested with aliens, some of them illegal. Many are Mexicans working on farms and for lawn services. Do you photograph them?

I beg to differ...

Most of the aliens around here (at least this time of year), are those from the five boroughs of NYC who invade the NJ Shore via the Garden State Parkway.

hehehe

lulalake · Aug 15, 2005

bobfowler said:
This afternoon, I dusted off my Zeiss 521/16 and shot a roll of J&C Pro 100 at my favorite film/camera testing haunt - the local fishing marina. I just souped the negs in Diafine - WOW!!! I had forgotten how great this little beastie really is!

This evening, Liz and I are off to Sandy hook with my new-to-me Zenobia C1 folder (a 645). I'll be posting pix soon!

Oh Yeah, I have a Balda Super Pontura, 6X9/645, A Franka Solida III 6x6, several older Kodaks but my joy is a 1917 Kodak 116 format that I tweaked enough to use 120. It's a 6x12 Yikes!

Here's a recent shot I took of my mom (a work in progress), it's a crop from the Balda, taken with Pan-F. This is kind of cool because she has been a photo retoucher all her working life, waaaaay before PS. In fact she had a chance to learn PS but she passed on it preferring oil, watercolor, and pencils.

I thought it was neat to shoot her with a Camera made in 1938. She may have, and probably did, work on negs from a Balda back then.

Cheers

Jules

Jon King · Aug 16, 2005

bobfowler said:
I beg to differ...

Most of the aliens around here (at least this time of year), are those from the five boroughs of NYC who invade the NJ Shore via the Garden State Parkway.

hehehe

Don't forget the southern invasion from Philly. Doesn't leave much shore left for NJ folk

The Zeiss 521/16 was my first 'serious' camera - my father picked it up in Italy in 1948. When the instamatic didn't cut it anymore, it became mine. It doesn't get much better than zone focus and sunny f/16! It's a great little camera.

Jim_in_Kyiv · Aug 16, 2005

jking said:
Don't forget the southern invasion from Philly. Doesn't leave much shore left for NJ folk

(The former Delawarean pipes up) The Delaware beaches are cleaner and you don't have to pay to go on them, but they don't have all that 'Eddie and the Cruisers' and Brruuuuce atmosphere. We ended up with 'taurriss' from Baltimore and DC. Worse than black flies in New Hampshire. However, in the off season, the coast from Lewes/ Cape Henlopen all the way down through Maryland was my favorite haunt with a camera.

I had a Voigtlander Bessa I (?) - can't remember the lens, but it was a post-war model. Absolutely loved Ilford SFX through it - red filter or not. It had the 6x 4.5 mask, but I never used it.

Funny, it just reminded me - I brought a couple of rolls of 120 SFX with me, and they've been sitting in a box undisturbed for two years. I'll have to put them through the mighty Zeiss 207/1 with the roll film adapter. Or buy another Bessa.

Jon King · Aug 16, 2005

JiminKyiv said:
jking said:

Don't forget the southern invasion from Philly. Doesn't leave much shore left for NJ folk

(The former Delawarean pipes up) The Delaware beaches are cleaner and you don't have to pay to go on them, but they don't have all that 'Eddie and the Cruisers' and Brruuuuce atmosphere. We ended up with 'taurriss' from Baltimore and DC. Worse than black flies in New Hampshire. However, in the off season, the coast from Lewes/ Cape Henlopen all the way down through Maryland was my favorite haunt with a camera.

Click to expand...

Despite having spent my teenage years careening down the GSP in poor excuses for cars, cranking Bruuuce, going to the 'shore', I have to agree that the Deleware beaches are also wonderful. First time my kids realized that oceans could be warm was at Rehoboth Beach (N of Cape Cod, the ocean gets cold!) Further south, the lower outer banks is not too shabby either.

One of the great things about going to the ocean with my family is the ability to get out early with camera and tripod, and try to capture some of the glory of a sunrise on the beach.

Back to folders, any recommendations for someone who does a good job overhauling folders? My favorite Ikonta B has bellows leaks, and the shutter is extermely sticky. I'd love to get it in shooting shape again.

Jim_in_Kyiv · Aug 16, 2005

Jonathan,

Funny, but I fell in love with the New England coast when I lived in Nashua and Hudson in the '90s. RI was nice, but life seemed to begin at York Harbor. Lobster rolls - haven't had one in years. Still, Rye Beach isn't quite the same as Sea Isle City for cruising. I know Rehoboth Beach pretty well, but preferred Cape Henlopen State Park - there's a 30' sand dune with a paved road on it! On a clear day, you can see New Jersey (sounds like a song), and it has to be the highest point for 20 miles.

Wish I knew someone in NNE who could work on the folder for you.

Tom Hoskinson · Aug 16, 2005

jking said:
JiminKyiv said:

...Back to folders, any recommendations for someone who does a good job overhauling folders? My favorite Ikonta B has bellows leaks, and the shutter is extermely sticky. I'd love to get it in shooting shape again.

Click to expand...

Try Jurgen Kreckel at: http://www.certo6.com/

Jurgen can replace the bellows and CLA the shutter, etc. on your Ikonta B. He does excellent work.

Lee L · Aug 16, 2005

Another vote for Jurgen Kreckel, aka certo6. I've had three folders in to him for shutter and general CLA, and two of them got new bellows. Fine work, fast turn around, and very reasonable prices. He can also fancy it up for you with colors on the bellows and replacement cover leather, but I wouldn't do that to an Ikonta B.

Lee

Jon King · Aug 16, 2005

Tom Hoskinson said:
jking said:

Try Jurgen Kreckel at: http://www.certo6.com/

Jurgen can replace the bellows and CLA the shutter, etc. on your Ikonta B. He does excellent work.

Click to expand...

Thanks Tom. I checked out his site and will get in contact with him.

Jon

k_jupiter · Aug 16, 2005

jking said:
Don't forget the southern invasion from Philly. Doesn't leave much shore left for NJ folk

You guys get the chemical swamps of Bayonne and Jersy City.

I prefer the beaches of Southern Delaware myself. Rehobeth on south to the Maryland line is an awfully nice place. And the seafood is much better.

tim in san jose

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