Introducing the Medium Format camera Zenobia in its luxurious Gold Edition

fabulousrice · Feb 22, 2021

This project turned out very well and I'm really happy with it.
I can't wait to take it on a spin to shoot. What do y'all think?
Would you buy a camera that looks like this?
Full post with more pictures.

Wayne · Feb 22, 2021

fabulousrice said:
Would you buy a camera that looks like this?

uh no. I might not even take it as a gift lol. But to each their own.

voceumana · Feb 22, 2021

No. I probably would not even stop to see what camera it started out as before it received uglification.

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 22, 2021

Looks great!

TheFlyingCamera · Feb 22, 2021

If you enjoy it that's what matters. Shoot it and enjoy it in good health. If you're looking for a marketable product, though, I don't think this is it. Combine the glittery cladding with the rather rough-looking top plate and I wouldn't call it attractive.

mshchem · Feb 22, 2021

Looks great. Locking at the viewfinder, and placement of the red window, makes me curious if it's a 6x4.5 cm format.

davela · Feb 23, 2021

The company that made this also made a TLR called the Zenobiaflex that can be found for resale today from time-to-time. It appears to be a copy of the early Rolleicord.

Donald Qualls · Feb 23, 2021

mshchem said:
Looks great. Locking at the viewfinder, and placement of the red window, makes me curious if it's a 6x4.5 cm format.

The Daiichi Zenobia is in fact a 645 folder. I have one, it's got a nice lens, too (scale focus, however). My only significant complaint is that there is no provision on the camera to attach a strap, and on mine, the leather case has come unstitched so it can't be used to carry the camera (and I haven't had time to restitch it). Very compact for a medium format camera, I should drop it into the pocket where I've been carrying my Mamiya 6.

Helge · Feb 23, 2021

Looks pretty much like wanton vandalism.

DWThomas · Feb 23, 2021

Hmmm -- reckon I'm a traditionalist! I would prefer basic black and cleaning up the top. But whatever floats your boat. Most important thing is it gets used to take pictures.

Donald Qualls · Feb 23, 2021

I must admit to wondering why the lacquer wasn't repaired or stripped and redone, but that is a significantly more difficult job than just scraping the old leatherette off and replacing it with a new covering.

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

TheFlyingCamera said:
If you enjoy it that's what matters. Shoot it and enjoy it in good health. If you're looking for a marketable product, though, I don't think this is it. Combine the glittery cladding with the rather rough-looking top plate and I wouldn't call it attractive.

If you have tips on restoring the parts I don't know yet how to restore, feel free to share them here! My main goal was to have a usable folding MF and since the leathers had fallen out it was less pleasant to use (too cold and slippery to handle). I'm less into my Pentax 67 and Bronica ETRS and more going back to these undying folding cameras lately (recent problems with the ETRS and 67 systems shared here are one of the reasons... but also portability)

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

mshchem said:
Looks great. Locking at the viewfinder, and placement of the red window, makes me curious if it's a 6x4.5 cm format.

Yes it is! I absolutely love these medium format 645 cameras (I have another one a "Leotax"). They fit in my jeans or coat pocket! I use an iPhone app to measure the exposure and a laser pointer for distance when I can't zone focus. The great part is also being able to double-expose if one wants... total shutter freedom.
I really recommend these models... they usually sell for under $100.

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

davela said:
The company that made this also made a TLR called the Zenobiaflex that can be found for resale today from time-to-time. It appears to be a copy of the early Rolleicord.

Thanks for the tip! I'm not a huge fan of TLR I prefer a wysiwyg and metered system like the Bronica ETRS if I'm gonna go with something of that bulkiness
But the other folding 645 I have, Leotax, I learned today that Leotax made a rangefinder called the TV2 which seems fun

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
The Daiichi Zenobia is in fact a 645 folder. I have one, it's got a nice lens, too (scale focus, however). My only significant complaint is that there is no provision on the camera to attach a strap, and on mine, the leather case has come unstitched so it can't be used to carry the camera (and I haven't had time to restitch it). Very compact for a medium format camera, I should drop it into the pocket where I've been carrying my Mamiya 6.

Totally agree! The Leotax is similar in size. I'm sorry about your case ripping! You should stitch it back! Repairing stuff is fun.

mshchem · Feb 23, 2021

fabulousrice said:
Yes it is! I absolutely love these medium format 645 cameras (I have another one a "Leotax"). They fit in my jeans or coat pocket! I use an iPhone app to measure the exposure and a laser pointer for distance when I can't zone focus. The great part is also being able to double-expose if one wants... total shutter freedom.
I really recommend these models... they usually sell for under $100.

I bought one of the laser rangefinders to help focus my venerable old Fujica G617. Works great.

Donald Qualls · Feb 23, 2021

fabulousrice said:
Totally agree! The Leotax is similar in size. I'm sorry about your case ripping! You should stitch it back! Repairing stuff is fun.

Yep, the leather is in fine condition, just the thread went to pieces. I've got a leather stitching kit, just need to find a good workspace (with better light than my darkroom counter) and the time (an hour to do the work, but two or three to learn how before starting the actual job).

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

Helge said:
Looks pretty much like wanton vandalism.

Sorry to disagree, there's a difference between fixing something and destroying it in my book... I bought the camera in an unusable condition from someone who was gonna throw it (pics here in case you didn't click the link). I merely fixed the coverings that were dead, destroyed, gone. Nothing I did cannot be reversed, and if they fall again I will repair it again...
And I'm going to use this camera as one of my 5 main shooting cameras... as opposed to the jerks who put cameras on a shelf and let them rot for months on end.
What else would you have done, pray tell?

What I consider vandalism is a**hats who literally destroy a functioning camera to turn it into something absolutely hideous that will never ever take a picture again; exhibit A, exhibit B, exhibit C. When I see these clowns at flea markets it fills me up with rage, especially when people come to them and literally give them Leicas or valuable cameras to be destroyed into shitty looking lamps... you wanna talk about vandalism, let's talk about these guys instead.

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

DWThomas said:
Hmmm -- reckon I'm a traditionalist! I would prefer basic black and cleaning up the top. But whatever floats your boat. Most important thing is it gets used to take pictures.

Well, the top is corroded, meaning it's not "dirty" (how could I repair a camera without scrubbing it clean beforehand? hmm...). And as far as black coverings go, for some mysterious reason, they're very difficult to find!
If you have links or materials recommendations for a covering you'd think looks more "traditional" please share it here. I have some black Skivertex but although it looks just like ancient camera coverings, it doesn't seem very water/oilproof and since I'm planning on using - not displaying - the camera, I want to be able to hold it for long periods of time and not have finger marks on the leather,

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
I must admit to wondering why the lacquer wasn't repaired or stripped and redone, but that is a significantly more difficult job than just scraping the old leatherette off and replacing it with a new covering.

You mean the paint? There are probably 5 people in the whole world who care enough to buy old decrepit cameras and give them some care they deserve to be usable again, and the 4 other people don't really spend a whole lotta time sharing tips online extensively (and no, I don't care for this hideous monstrosity).
There are also limits as to what range of chemicals I am ready to expose myself to in order to turn a piece of trash into a simple folding camera I can use... and believe it or not, I already exposed myself to Acetone, Methyl Acetate and Petroleum in the process of doing this even though it doesn't seem difficult to you... you're welcome to advertise and sell camera painting services and I'll look into them! But life's short and the world's polluted enough already...

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

mshchem said:
I bought one of the laser rangefinders to help focus my venerable old Fujica G617. Works great.

That's a nice camera! I was once lusting after it but I'm more looking into a Widelux or the russian box panoramic camera at the moment.
Nevertheless, would love to see some pictures you took!

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

Donald Qualls said:
Yep, the leather is in fine condition, just the thread went to pieces. I've got a leather stitching kit, just need to find a good workspace (with better light than my darkroom counter) and the time (an hour to do the work, but two or three to learn how before starting the actual job).

Until the sunny days come back to your patch of the woods, maybe something like this can allow you to take the camera out for some overdue exercising - without risking dropping it!

BobD · Feb 23, 2021

I prefer vintage cameras in their original condition or as close as possible.

I have a Zenobia. It is a fine little pocket 120 camera with a nice lens & shutter and very good build quality.

fabulousrice · Feb 23, 2021

BobD said:
I prefer vintage cameras in their original condition or as close as possible.

I have a Zenobia. It is a fine little pocket 120 camera with a nice lens & shutter and very good build quality.

Well, the original condition was without leather and very close to the seller's trashcan. I'm assuming the one you have doesn't need repair but would love to know what you'll do when the terrible-quality peel starts flaking off...

Donald Qualls · Feb 23, 2021

fabulousrice said:
You mean the paint?

Yes, the black coating on the metal housing at the edges, where the gold embossed cardboard doesn't cover. There are threads on this sub-forum about what to use to repair or redo the coating, how to remove the old (which often leaves a pleasing brass, though that will turn green with handling if not coated with something). Most pre-1960 cameras use a black lacquer similar to old school nail polish. More acetone exposure.

If you don't care to make the body edges look "new", that's up to you. My own preference for one of these would be a soft real leather with the lacquer restored and damaged plating at least polished up. Then again, the leatherette on mine is in reasonably okay condition, most likely because it's spend the past sixty years inside the velour line leather case.

Introducing the Medium Format camera Zenobia in its luxurious Gold Edition

fabulousrice

Wayne

voceumana

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

TheFlyingCamera

Membership Council

mshchem

davela

Donald Qualls

Helge

DWThomas

Donald Qualls

fabulousrice

fabulousrice

fabulousrice

fabulousrice

mshchem

Donald Qualls

fabulousrice

fabulousrice

fabulousrice

fabulousrice

fabulousrice

BobD

fabulousrice

Donald Qualls

Introducing the Medium Format camera Zenobia in its luxurious Gold Edition

Moderator

Membership Council

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency