Found Medium format (120) folding rangefinder

madsox · Apr 30, 2023

Nothing urgent, and I'm not looking for anything specific, but I have the urge to get a decent MF rangefinder that's easy to carry along than my TLR or Fuji 670. Because some times I wish I had something bigger than 35mm to take on a trip or just out for a walk, and variety is good. Looking for advice in a regular forum post, looking for what may appear as available here...

edit to add: true coupled rangefinder not really necessary, one of the zone focus models would be good too (h/t @mgb74)

mgb74 · Apr 30, 2023

Many of the older MF folders, which are quite capable, have zone focusing rather than a true RF. Do you really need RF?

madsox · Apr 30, 2023

mgb74 said:
Many of the older MF folders, which are quite capable, have zone focusing rather than a true RF. Do you really need RF?

Good point - no, I don't need a full coupled rangefinder, zone focusing would be plenty.

Sirius Glass · Apr 30, 2023

I had a Certo Super Dolly with a Zeiss Ikon lens that was super sharp and had a wonderful depth of field. It did not have a range finder so using the depth of field was necessary. It could take 6x6 or 645 but 1) it did not have the 645 mask, it was missing and 2) the numbers for the 645 on today's film did not line up with that red window. It was a great camera. I got rid of it because for me it did not bring anything to the party that I did not already have with the Hasselblad and only one focal length.

Alex Varas · Apr 30, 2023

I have several ready to be serviced that fill your purposes.

- Agfa Isolette III with Solinar - uncoupled rangefinder - new bronze bellows.
- Voigtlander Perkeo I with Color Spokar - zone focus - with leather carry case.
- Zeiss Mess Ikonta 524/16 with Novar and another with Tessar (it should arrive this week) - uncoupled rangefinder - with leather carry case.

I cannot say which one performs better since I didn't tested them yet, glasses are fine.

Let me know if you are interested for more details.

cptrios · May 1, 2023

I've got a Mamiya 6K that I'll probably be selling cheap pretty soon, provided I can successfully replace the missing rubber cone around the red window (I've got two layers of seal foam around it now, but in order to avoid light leaks you have to go to MFD whenever you open the window to advance the film...the downside of the pressure-plate focus method). It's a very solid camera otherwise! I may or may not bring it on a trip I'm taking next week, but either way it'll probably be in the Sell forum soon.

Other recommendations I have for coupled-RF folders:

- Super Fujica Six. This is the best folder I've used, both in terms of functionality and IQ. Unfortunately, the front standard isn't extremely robust, so I've seen several with out-of-whack focus planes.
- Zeiss 532/16. This one is heavier than average and on the expensive side for a good copy. The 80/2.8 lens has character out the ears, though, as long as you don't mind it not being super sharp outside the center of the frame.

eurekaiv · May 1, 2023

cptrios said:
I've got a Mamiya 6K that I'll probably be selling cheap pretty soon, provided I can successfully replace the missing rubber cone around the red window (I've got two layers of seal foam around it now, but in order to avoid light leaks you have to go to MFD whenever you open the window to advance the film...the downside of the pressure-plate focus method). It's a very solid camera otherwise! I may or may not bring it on a trip I'm taking next week, but either way it'll probably be in the Sell forum soon.

Other recommendations I have for coupled-RF folders:

- Super Fujica Six. This is the best folder I've used, both in terms of functionality and IQ. Unfortunately, the front standard isn't extremely robust, so I've seen several with out-of-whack focus planes.
- Zeiss 532/16. This one is heavier than average and on the expensive side for a good copy. The 80/2.8 lens has character out the ears, though, as long as you don't mind it not being super sharp outside the center of the frame.

I've been on the hunt for a decent 6K, if the OP isn't interested in that, feel free to reach out.

Found Medium format (120) folding rangefinder

madsox

mgb74

madsox

Sirius Glass

Alex Varas

cptrios

eurekaiv

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