Ikon Ikonta 521/2c

Jon202 · Apr 20, 2014

Hi all

Just purchased an Ikon folding camera 6x9, 10.5cm F3.5 Novar lens with a Compur shutter 1/400 max speed plus B serial number G51773. Anyone out there tell me about this camera, age, any good etc. Also what filter and lens hood size?

Regards

Jon

Peltigera · Apr 21, 2014

Excellent cameras if the bellows are still light proof. It is a good idea to give the inside a good cleaning with a blower and expect your first film to come out with dust specks on it - winding the film causes a small amount of static to appear on the film and this will attract all the dust you leave in the film chamber. I find the second film comes out quite clean.

Pedantic note: it is a Zeiss Ikon Ikonta, rather than an Ikon Ikonta - Zeiss make lenses, Zeiss Ikon made cameras.

AgX · Apr 21, 2014

Zeiss Ikon was owned by Zeiss and included a optical works (Goertz).

fotch · Apr 21, 2014

Hello and welcome to APUG. Rather than a blower, I would use a vacuum with the suction reduced as blowing may just move the dust to a new location. Should be a really nice picture taking machine as long as the bellows, shutter, lens are in good shape. Good Luck.

Jon202 · Apr 21, 2014

Thanks guys, couple of useful tips, can anyone help re filter/hood size?

Regards

Jon

Sibben · Apr 22, 2014

The presence of a flash sync contact would indicate a later date. There are lists online that you can check against the lens serial number as well. Google it. Check bellow integrity and perhaps shutter speeds. The latter is not necessary and you can more or less assume that slower speeds are sticky. Mine are around 25% slower than marked. These are excellent cameras if in decent condition. You can't beat the portability nor the massive amount of charm it carries. I have a 3.5 Novar as well. Stopped down it's plenty sharp and wide open it has a lovely, swirly bokeh. The harder you press it with tricky conditions (i.e. poor light, shooting at the sun etc.) the more vintage your negs will come out. This can be good or bad depending on your artistic sensibilities.

Jon202 · Apr 23, 2014

Thanks Sibben,

Planning to put a roll of film through tomorrow to see how I g on with it.Do you use a lens hood or filters ? I've read online that you do need a hood and B+W better if you control contrast with suitable filters? Is this your experience?

Jon

pbromaghin · Apr 23, 2014

It's probably better that you don't use any filters for your first roll since you have no idea how accurate the shutter is. I'd wait to see how that roll turns out. There really isn't all that much need for filters, anyway. It will take very nice B&W as it is. For example, (there was a url link here which no longer exists) There are some color shots in my images, too. That being said however, I have found a sweet spot using tmax 400 with a red filter to get the speed down to my Ikota's max 1/250 speed.

It will use the old style "series" filters, which drop into an adapter ring which then is either inserted into a circular slot on the end of the lens, or slipped around the perimeter of the lens. I'm not exactly sure, but do believe that the 105mm uses Series VI (41.3mm diameter). It could be the next size, fittingly enough called Series VII (50.8). The diameter does NOT equate to the lens like a modern screw-on filter. What matters is the holder that fits into the little slot or around the lens. This adaptor can also work as a hood, which your uncoated lens will need. Or don't point it anywhere near the sun.

Oh, and have a lot of fun with that camera. These old folders are just wonderful.

pentaxuser · Apr 23, 2014

It has to be impossible to find the kind of portability and neg size in anything other than the old 6x9 folders. A neg that is just about big enough for respectable contact prints and will enlarge to not far short of a 5x4 unless the enlargement is way beyond what most users want to use.

pentaxuser

Peltigera · Apr 24, 2014

Jon202 said:
Thanks Sibben,

Planning to put a roll of film through tomorrow to see how I g on with it.Do you use a lens hood or filters ? I've read online that you do need a hood and B+W better if you control contrast with suitable filters? Is this your experience?

Jon

You need to remember the advice that my father gave my 50 years ago (and I have always ignored) "keep the sun behind you." Otherwise you will get flare. With the sun behind you you should get no flare and the contrast will be fine.

Sibben · Apr 25, 2014

The lack of modern coating on these old lenses does mean both low contrast and poor performance when shooting with the sun hitting the lens. Hoods and lenses do help with these things but they are by no means necessary. I actually use my hand sometimes. Try a few rolls first to get to see how the camera works first. Personally I like to go for 400 speed film so I have the latitude to stop down a few.

Jon202 · Apr 26, 2014

Hi all

Once again thanks for your advise, like the idea of Tmax and a red filter. Pbomaghin the pictures were impressive

Regards
Jon

Whiteymorange · Apr 27, 2014

Hi Jon

Check here for dates. The series filters that fit that camera are indeed Series VI. The size adapter you need will be a push-on that fits over the outside of the front element. Measure it and PM me. I may have one. That's a good camera for everyday use and the filter adapter can stay on for a hood or that orange filter that was suggested. The lens is probably coated, as the chart says that the camera was made in 1947. Nice rig. Have fun.

pbromaghin · Apr 28, 2014

Jon202 said:
Hi all

Once again thanks for your advise, like the idea of Tmax and a red filter. Pbomaghin the pictures were impressive

Regards
Jon

Thank you. But note that there are several square format pics taken with a Mamiya mixed in there. I hope you didn't confuse them with those taken with the Ikonta.

Jon202 · Apr 28, 2014

Hi Whiteymorange

Many thanks for the kind offer, I'm popping up to London next week to a dealer who specialises in old cameras. He thinks he might have what I need, if not I'll take you up on your offer. Btw really liked your gallery

Best wishes

Jon

Jon202 · Apr 28, 2014

Hi pbromaghin

Yes, saw that you were using a range of kit, did like the portrait of your sister-in-law and her husband, very atmospheric. Amazed at the sharpness of the image of a wheel in San Diego. Nothing to do with the Ikonta but hope that your friend and his family were pleased with the military funeral set, I thought that they really captured the essence of the occasion

Jon

pbromaghin · Apr 28, 2014

Jon202 said:
Hi pbromaghin

Yes, saw that you were using a range of kit, did like the portrait of your sister-in-law and her husband, very atmospheric. Amazed at the sharpness of the image of a wheel in San Diego. Nothing to do with the Ikonta but hope that your friend and his family were pleased with the military funeral set, I thought that they really captured the essence of the occasion

Jon

I made an inkjet set each for my friend, his mother, and his sister. When or if I ever get my darkroom set up they will be the first things to come out of it. He says they look at them occasionally and the meaning has changed over time. Not sure how. That set was a huge breakthrough for me. It was the first time I ever really documented an event. Other than a single stinker, all the shots were keepers and all them have been posted. After 4 years of trying, it was the first time photography really happened for me. Every time I look at the one of his mother receiving the flag, I am again a 15-year old standing next to my own mother.

elekm · Apr 29, 2014

Depending on the lens, you might be able to use a 40.5mm filter (same as the Zeiss Ikon Contax rangefinders) that is screwed on reverse. But it depends on which Novar. If you post a photo of the camera, you'll get a more accurate answer.

If you measure the outside diameter (not circumference) of the lens, you'll have a much better idea.

Actually, if you measure the circumference and divide by Pi, you should get the diameter. I think that is the correct calcuation.

Sibben · May 2, 2014

I have had/have three different Zeiss Ikon cameras and they all differ in regards to filters. My oldest Super Ikonta and Nettar both take push-on filters without threads. My 50s Super Ikonta has threads all over the lens and uses screw-on filters with threads on the inside of the filter as opposed to modern filters which have threads on the outside. It's a bit of a jungle.

Kyle M. · May 2, 2014

I also just purchased a Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 521/2 CLA'd by Certo6 on ebay. Mine has a 105 f4.5 novar in a prontor-s shutter with M and X sync. Should be here tomorrow or monday and I can't wait to try it out, I've been looking for a nice 6x9 folder for some time.

pbromaghin · May 2, 2014

Kyle M. said:
I also just purchased a Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 521/2 CLA'd by Certo6 on ebay. Mine has a 105 f4.5 novar in a prontor-s shutter with M and X sync. Should be here tomorrow or monday and I can't wait to try it out, I've been looking for a nice 6x9 folder for some time.

Kyle, please post what you think of that camera. I almost bid on it, too. I have a hankering for a zeiss 6x9 folder and have been watching his offerings for several months, but can't decide which one to get. Viewfinder, rangefinder, coupled, uncoupled, tessar, novar, prewar, postwar, rapid, synchro,,,,,. Just too many choices.

Kyle M. · May 2, 2014

pbromaghin said:
Kyle, please post what you think of that camera. I almost bid on it, too. I have a hankering for a zeiss 6x9 folder and have been watching his offerings for several months, but can't decide which one to get. Viewfinder, rangefinder, coupled, uncoupled, tessar, novar, prewar, postwar, rapid, synchro,,,,,. Just too many choices.

Will do, my main objective was to get something in 6x9. I almost exclusively shoot T-MAX 100, so I can live with the 1/250 top shutter speed of the Prontor-S. As far as the viewfinder vs. rangefinder I guess this will help me learn to judge distance better.

Kyle M. · May 5, 2014

Well I got my Ikonta saturday, and I've put 3 rolls of T-Max 100 through it since then. The shutter speeds are perfect, the self timer actually works and sounds healthy, and theres not a single light leak. I will definately be checking Certo6's ebay listings again if I'm ever in the market for another folder. Maybe a 6x6 voigtlander or agfa next.

pbromaghin · May 12, 2014

Kyle M. said:
Well I got my Ikonta saturday, and I've put 3 rolls of T-Max 100 through it since then. The shutter speeds are perfect, the self timer actually works and sounds healthy, and theres not a single light leak. I will definately be checking Certo6's ebay listings again if I'm ever in the market for another folder. Maybe a 6x6 voigtlander or agfa next.

Any results you want to show?

Kyle M. · May 12, 2014

pbromaghin said:
Any results you want to show?

Theres a few on my flickr Dead Link Removed

Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to get anywhere other than the woods with it, hopefully next weekend I'll get some good shots with it at the FPP walking workshop.

Ikon Ikonta 521/2c

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