Help finding the right plate holder

[HerocamerasNL]

I've recently found a few ICA 721/6 holders and made a foam insert to use it with the foma 9x12 film. I also bought a Zeiss iKON onito 9x12 plate camera as I thought the ICA and Zeiss were compatible, however the holders don't fit in the camera. Only thing I've found one about the onito camera is that it takes Zeiss 665/7 holders I believe. From what I can see online the holders seem identical, both double lips with the groove not going all the way to the top. Problem is finding plates ATM is quite expensive and if these Zeiss plate holders also don't fit I'd have to buy another camera, and they are even more expensive. It looks like the metal groove on the camera is too thick for the holders, should I just file it down a bit? I've even considered trying to 3d design plate holders for the camera but this was supposed to be a cool thrift store find that I could use to shoot large format and it's turning into a huge project like this. Any help is appreciated!

 

[Ian Grant]

Welcome to Photrio. This page will help you a little. The problem is the companies that became Zeiss Ikon often used different edged holders.

The way these plate holders are made means filing the edges down can destroy the holders. It should be possible to find a set of the correct holders for a reasonable price. I bought 3 boxes of metal plate holders some years ago, but I don't think I've any that would fit your camera left. I'll check later.

Ian

 

[HerocamerasNL]

Hll

Welcome to Photrio. This page will help you a little. The problem is the companies that became Zeiss Ikon often used different edged holders.

The way these plate holders are made means filing the edges down can destroy the holders. It should be possible to find a set of the correct holders for a reasonable price. I bought 3 boxes of metal plate holders some years ago, but I don't think I've any that would fit your camera left. I'll check later.

Ian

Hello Ian,

thanks for the reply! Is is maybe possible to file down the metal piece on the camera, not in width but in thickness so it can slide in the holder? Thanks for checking it out for me!

 

[Ian Grant]

No luck, I've very few spare 9x12 plate holders left.

Ian

 

[HerocamerasNL]

No worries, thanks for looking! I'm still curious about what plate holder should fit. After some research I think it takes contessa nettel holders. Since the onito was taken over from contessa by Zeiss this would make sense. So unless I can find some contessa nettel 657 holders I might have to sell this old beauty and look for another one. Does the ICA maximar take the double lipped ICA 721/6 plate holders?

 

[lobitar]

No worries, thanks for looking! I'm still curious about what plate holder should fit. After some research I think it takes contessa nettel holders. Since the onito was taken over from contessa by Zeiss this would make sense. So unless I can find some contessa nettel 657 holders I might have to sell this old beauty and look for another one. Does the ICA maximar take the double lipped ICA 721/6 plate holders?

Sure, the Maximar should take them no problem. But are you sure the holder(s) aren't the problem? The one pictured seem to be badly mangled on the part shown (nearest to the viewer). I have worked a lot with type of holders, and I off-hand I don't think it's necessarily repairable.

So perhaps the plan should be to secure a intact holder before giving up on the Onito?

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Yes a 665/7 holder would do the trick.