Minolta Autocord Or Zeiss Ikoflex?

wjlapier · Jan 12, 2021

The Ikoflex has a Tessar lens and I've read the Minolta is "Tessar-like". I have both. Took them out the other day for a casual day of shooting to compare them. Film was Kodak Tri-X Pan vintage 1975 shot at 200ISO.

Zeiss Ikoflex:

Minolta Autocord:

The Autocords have increased in price lately while the Ikoflex' remain relative low.

removedacct1 · Jan 12, 2021

I have an Autocord (Rokkor) and a Rolleiflex with a Tessar lens, and the Rokkor lens is definitely sharper and more contrasty than the Tessar on the Rollei.

ProfessorC1983 · Jan 12, 2021

I have an Ikoflex IA and love it! Bought for a song thinking it would be my "gateway" TLR until I could afford a Rollei, but I find no desire at all to upgrade.

Paul Howell · Jan 12, 2021

Minolta made, (and still makes lens, Konica Minolta did not sell the lens factory to Sony) really good lens, not sure if still true but they were only a few lens makes world wide that made it's own glass.

campy51 · Jan 12, 2021

Keep both. Use the Minolta and display the Ikoflex.

wjlapier · Jan 12, 2021

I plan on keeping both. The Minolta is a LMX and the Ikoflex is Ib. I have to give the Ikoflex a slight edge over the Minolta. But what I perceive as a sharper image could be due to higher contrast. First roll through the Ikoflex and my first impression was that it reminded me of looking at digital images from a Fujiflm camera with those awesome Fujinon lenses. Same for the Minolta first time I saw images from it.

Alan Gales · Jan 12, 2021

One very cool thing about the Autocord is the available Autopole automatic polarizing filter. If you don't know, it's connected dual polarizing filters that cover both lenses of the Autocord. When you adjust the one polarizer it adjusts the other. Pretty nifty!

campy51 · Jan 12, 2021

wjlapier said:
I plan on keeping both. The Minolta is a LMX and the Ikoflex is Ib. I have to give the Ikoflex a slight edge over the Minolta. But what I perceive as a sharper image could be due to higher contrast. First roll through the Ikoflex and my first impression was that it reminded me of looking at digital images from a Fujiflm camera with those awesome Fujinon lenses. Same for the Minolta first time I saw images from it.

Yours samples look like the Minolta has better contrast, at least to me.

Chrismat · Jan 12, 2021

I have both as well. I bought my Ikoflex 1a from Mark Hansen and my Autocord from Dan Daniel. The Autocord is easier to use, it took me a while to get used to using the Ikoflex, but I really like it. I think my Autocord is just slightly sharper than my Ikoflex.

wjlapier · Jan 12, 2021

The Ikoflex Ib is actually pretty easy to use. I remember reading about the other Ikoflex' and the procedure to go through to take a picture. Once the Ib gets going turn the knob to advance to the next frame and cock the shutter. Push down on the shutter release button and do it again. But, yes, the Minolta is simpler to go from frame to frame.

Karl Bryan cla'd my Minolta and Dan Daniels did my Ikoflex. Each camera has a Rick Oleson split image screen.

ProfessorC1983 · Jan 12, 2021

wjlapier said:
The Ikoflex Ib is actually pretty easy to use. I remember reading about the other Ikoflex' and the procedure to go through to take a picture. Once the Ib gets going turn the knob to advance to the next frame and cock the shutter. Push down on the shutter release button and do it again.

Not all that different on the Ia -- but in between rolls you have to be sure to reset the fiddly little frame counter until it clicks into place on #1, or you can ruin the next roll because the shutter won't fire. Additionally, the placement of the red window makes it VERY hard to see the little '1' on the backing paper when loading, so it's easy to miss and then you lose the last frame on the roll. Also, on my unit at least, the advance knob can't be turned too quickly or the mechanism to stop at the next frame won't engage properly. Aside from all of that it's a joy to use.

Pentode · Jan 12, 2021

wjlapier said:
I have to give the Ikoflex a slight edge over the Minolta. But what I perceive as a sharper image could be due to higher contrast.

One question I have to ask: were you using lens shades on both cameras? Most Tessar and Tessar clone-equipped TLRs will perform substantially better with the proper lens shade.

wjlapier · Jan 12, 2021

The lens shade was on the Minolta for the Toyota truck photo but not the Starbucks one. No shade for the Ikoflex. I need to find one.

NB23 · Jan 19, 2021

I love my Ikoflex cameras. They are wonderful!

ProfessorC1983 · Jan 19, 2021

wjlapier said:
No shade for the Ikoflex. I need to find one.

I ended up buying a 35.5mm > Series 6 adapter ring on filterfind.net and using S6 filters and lens shade. They're just big enough without getting in the way of the viewing lens.

Helge · Jan 19, 2021

Lens shade is all the difference.
There is no point in comparison without one.
Even if both are without one, because then it’s just a matter of luck which one has the most amount of veiling flare.

Minolta Autocord Or Zeiss Ikoflex?

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