Want to Buy WTB: Old Voigtlander Roll Film Camera That Takes 120 Film

[gone]

I'm looking for one of the early folding Voigtlander cameras that has a lens board that focuses (not front cell focusing) and takes 120 film. Not the big plate cameras like the Avus. etc. The names of these folders seem to be vague, and Inos comes up now and then, but generally the Inos is a much more complicated and costly model than what I'm looking for. The one I used to have had a simple foldout viewer (used w/ a wire frame), the film was advanced by a simple key on the bottom, uses a 105mm lens, and there is no pressure plate, the film just rides on the back of, well, the back.

I'm not a collector, so something that is shelf ready or pricey is of no interest. I am just looking for something to put my 105 4.5 Heliar on.

 

[nanthor]

You might also consider the Franka line of cameras for your search, I think the lens unit might fit this too. There are 2 without lenses currently on the auction site. Good luck

 

[belaire]

PM sent.

 

[mike c]

Voigtlander Bessa 1 are 6x9 folders, there great camera's.

 

[ntenny]

The Rollfilm/Inos family are unusual in having unit focusing---they look like a transition between the folding-bed plate cameras (Avus, Bergheil) and the early Bessae, and they keep the advantage of unit focusing rather than make the front-cell compromise like the Bessa folders. So there are technical reasons why one might prefer them over the Bessa type.

I'm trying to bring one into working order now. It works, but the focusing seems to be misaligned; when I focus for 6 feet it's at about 9 feet, and at the infinity stop it seems to be well past infinity. The shutter assembly may need to be shimmed forward a bit, or something. Lovely camera and I foresee good things for it once the focus issue is resolved.

-NT

 

[johnnyh]

I'm looking for one of the early folding Voigtlander cameras that has a lens board that focuses (not front cell focusing) and takes 120 film. Not the big plate cameras like the Avus. etc. The names of these folders seem to be vague, and Inos comes up now and then, but generally the Inos is a much more complicated and costly model than what I'm looking for. The one I used to have had a simple foldout viewer (used w/ a wire frame), the film was advanced by a simple key on the bottom, uses a 105mm lens, and there is no pressure plate, the film just rides on the back of, well, the back.

I'm not a collector, so something that is shelf ready or pricey is of no interest. I am just looking for something to put my 105 4.5 Heliar on.

A few points concerning compatibility -

- Size 0 shutters of that era are to be found both with 33 mm and 30 mm diameter mountings.
o the 33 mm model lens cell assembly screw mountings would likely be 29.5 mm diameter front and rear (the standard is designated "M29.5-0.5")
o the 30 mm model lens cell assembly screw mountings would likely be 29.5 mm diameter front, 26.5 mm rear (I've never seen this designated as a standard, but it would be "M26.5-0.5")

- The Bessa Rangefinder has 33 mm (it's unit focussing by the way)

- I once had a Voigtlander with 11.4 cm f/4.5 Heliar - this was 30 mm mounting.

- There are also plenty of Ensign Carbine/Autorange-20 120 film models with track-bed focussing, usually for 30 mm mounted shutters, but I have come across some with 33 mm. Also Zeiss models and others, of which I have less personal experience. I have usually found it quite practicable to do 'cross-brand' transplants with this class of camera .