New old Hapo 66

OptiKen · Aug 21, 2014

I recently acquired a Hapo 66e (Mess Balda) in excellent operating condition but with ugly cosmetics. Most likely, I will recover the leather on it if I continue to use it. It has Enna Haponar 1:3.5 / 75mm lens. I also recently got an Ensign 220 Auto-Range folder with a 75mm f4.5 Ensar Anastigmat lens. I haven't shot with either yet and am anxious to try them out.

My question, however, is if I should find that the lenses aren't really 'up-to-snuff', will I be able to change out the lens for say, a lens from one of my Zeiss Ikon folders of the same focal length? Will I need to re-calibrate (somehow) focusing if I change out the lens?

Thanks in advance

Ken

nosmok · Aug 21, 2014

I've taken apart a few folders, and all have had their lenses shimmed into place. You would most likely have to do that if you did a lens swap. It's not hard in principle: just put scotch tape over the film aperture, point the replacement lens (same focal length as the original) at something really far away and open the shutter (T or B setting), get a dark cloth and stick your head under it so you can see the image on the tape, and shim the lens until it looks sharpest. It's tedious going, and maybe you'll be very unlucky and back focus for your new lens would mean taking off material, rather than adding it.

Or just use the Hapo as is. I have one, and that Enna is a real sleeper, it's very very sharp even wide open and takes great pictures. The only things I don't like about the Hapo 66 are its fiddly film advance and the fact that they never made a Hapo 69 (I would be all over that in a heartbeat!).

--nosmok

snapguy · Aug 21, 2014

auto

This looks to be a really nice little folder and my understanding is that you have the better of the lenses that came with it. But does your camera have the "auto-erect mechanism"? Nobody should be without one. I think this means it has a little metal gizmo that allows the camera, when unfolded, to stand by itself. I think.

AgX · Aug 21, 2014

You mean that stud at the bed that keeps the optical axis horizontal, when the camera isd placed on a horizontal plane?
Yes, it has.
But is there any camera with such stud swinging out automatically?

I guess with auto-erect mechanism something else is meant. Maybe the erecting of the front standard?

snapguy · Aug 21, 2014

Kodak

I have a Kodak (I think, it does not say) folder with a Twindar lens. It say to use Verichrome 620 film. Anyway, when you turn the camera on end a folding metal gizmo falls into place so you can set the camera on one end on a flat surface. It just falls into place automatically so I assume it is the "auto-erect mechanism."

oldlincoln · Aug 21, 2014

Jeez... I wish I had one of those.

snapguy · Aug 22, 2014

without

A folder without an AEM is not a pretty sight.

johnnyh · Aug 22, 2014

I'm not familiar with the HAPO/Mess Balda, however I have, and have had, Ensign Autorange 220 Folders with :

- Late 1930s uncoated f/4.5 Ensar in Epsilon shutter,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43334883@N03/4276861272/in/set-72157646279793098

- Late 1930s with Prontor II shutter (came lens-less, probably had had an Ensar),

- Late 1930s with uncoated f/2.8 Tessar in Compur-Rapid shutter,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43334883@N03/14678755239/in/set-72157646279793098

- Late 1940s/early 1950s coated f/4.5 Ensar in Epsilon shutter.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43334883@N03/5011848831/in/set-72157646279793098

All those shutters were standard Size 0 which means they would accept lens cells with M29 thread size both front and rear. So as they are unit-focussing, the only likely issues would be whether a replacement lens of that thread size was within shimming range and whether the front could be closed.

Having said that, I have always found the Ensars to be a pretty decent triplet. Specimen pictures are given in the links above.

OptiKen · Aug 22, 2014

Thanks all for your comments. I'm very encouraged now hearing the opinions from people who have the camera. These are the first pocket-able folders I've gotten with working rangefinders so I can stop pacing off distances. lol
Thanks johnnyh for posting links to your Ensign pics. Last night I decided to try out the Ensign first because of the coupled rangefinder so I loaded some B&W film in it. Seeing your pics this morning makes me even more excited about it. I will need to try them both to see which I am more comfortable with. The Ensign has a coupled rangefinder so that's a big plus. The Hapo 66e is slightly smaller and lighter so that's a big plus too. It's more pocket-able than the Ensign. Both of them are smaller and lighter than my Moskva. Plus the Moskva only shoots 6X9 which can eat film.

THE WEEKEND IS UPON US
GET OUT AND SHOOT!!!!

Denverdad · Aug 22, 2014

For me it is a good thing there isn't a 6x9 version - I would have to have one! As it is, the 66E looks to be a great camera and I would love to try one out.

I think I have heard of the "self-erecting" mechanism to refer to a spring-loaded front standard which pops out when activated by a button on the camera. As opposed to one with which you have to extend the front standard manually.

As for the pegs which swing down to allow a camera to rest on a surface by itself, there was a discussion on here a while back about different folders having front standard assemblies that either swing out either horizontally or vertically, and whether that configuration indicated that a given camera was "intended" to be used only in that particular orientation. The presence of a single peg that could be deployed was given as evidence in support of this idea. However I find that many folders acually do have both. It is just that sometimes one might be a little harder to find than the other.

New old Hapo 66

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