For Sale FS: Zeiss Super Ikonta IV Tessar, Albada finder

[Dan Daniel]

This is the last folder Zeiss made, with the integrated rangefinder. It is in very very good condition. Very clean body, lens, shutter, bellows, etc. Meter needle responds but seems to be three stops slow. It' starting to give my Rolleiflex a run for usage so I need to get it out of my hands!

Model (embossed in covering)- 534/16 serial #D 90634
common name: Zeiss Super Ikonta IV
Lens- Tessar 1:3.5 f=75mm serial #1299521. CLEAN. No haze, no fungus, no scratches, etc.
Great rendering.
Alignment- lens board is aligned to film plane and focuses evenly.
Shutter- Synchro Compur, very smooth and accurate speeds throughout range; self-timer works
Bellows- no leaks
EVS system- working but adjusted for easy changes. I can adjust either way- more coupling or less
Rangefinder- accurate, coupled, not a Leica M3 but the spot is very visible and easy to focus
Film winding: a 3 inch piece of film paper at the beginning gets spacing between frames of ~3mm. You can
experiment to get more
Shutter release- smooth and consistent.

There is a sticker inside the back that says "SPTS calibrated J1998" I assume this helps explain the smooth shutter and clean alignment.

Zeiss Albada finder #433/16- This is probably the cleanest one of these I've seen. Meaning the aluminum frame. It shows little signs of use. The view is a bit low contrast, blue, with barely visible speckles all over the field. I assume that the coating has tarnished or such. It's nice in the field but I imagine that it was nicer decades ago.

All in all a great example of the end of a great line of cameras. The Tessar on this example is very crisp and clean. Think of the finder as primarily a toss-in extra.

Please ask any questions, request more photos, etc.

Price: $350 OBO (set of camera and finder only) Plus shipping $15 (US; others inquire)

 

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[gone]

I had one of these. They are built to a standard you just don't see anymore, and the Tessar lens is nice and sharp. Really fun camera to shoot. They fit your hands perfectly. Looks in excellent condition, and your price is considerably less than I paid for mine years ago. This is a great deal.

 

[Norkusa]

Just curious....what's the point of the Albada finder? This camera has a fixed lens and and rangefider focusing, so why do you need it? Is it to make composition easier?

BTW, I have this same camera and LOVE it. I picked up up dirt cheap at an antique store with the intention of flipping it for cash but decided to keep it after I got my first roll back. It's the only roll I've shot with it so far but it's so fun to use and so compact + great lens, I had to keep it.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Yep, momus, it's a nice camera, very well done. And the lens has impressed me. The first three shots here are from this camera-
https://www.flickr.com/photos/18067251@N04/

Norkusa, the Albada finder came with the camera. It does make framing easier when I want more precision. The bright edge and slight bit outside of the framing line is nice. But yes, moving from the integrated rangefinder window to the albada slows things down. And the sample I have here is tarnished and not very bright. It also makes the camera bigger and bulkier, but then again the finder is small enough to drop in a jacket pocket and pull out onl when I want.

Does your meter work, Norkusa? I wonder if I have something wrong because it appears to be consistently 3 stops off, not really varying over light levels.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Camera sold. Thanks!