Zeiss Nettar 510/2 - I couldn't resist

[xtolsniffer]

While on holiday, I was having a look in a shop which was a cross between a gift shop, antique shop and bric-a-brac shop. There were however a few vintage cameras in a display case, amongst them, a Zeiss Nettar. I confess that I know little about folders but as it was £28 I thought it was at least worth a look. I guessed that it was probably around the 1940's mark, and oh my word, what condition! There was a little paint worn off the edges of the top plate, but the bellows look like new (no holes), the shutter is crisp, the optics clear, the aperture blades clean and the focus smooth. It even has a metal 120 spool in it. It looks like someone packed it up at the end of the war and never used it again. The mechanism when you open it up is just a delight, the way it springs open and the bellows unfold.

I did a little research and found out it's a Nettar 510/2 that takes 6x9 cm negs which is a little bit of a shame as I can only enlarge 6x7. There are two shutter speeds 1/25th and 1/75 plus B and T with a 10.5 cm f7.7 lens.

Any comments or suggestions on how to use this camera? I was wondering whether FP4 at 125 asa or HP5 at 400 asa would give me the best range of options for shooting with such a restricted range of shutter speeds in normal daylight. Obviously hand-held this really limits me to 1/75th sec, there is quite a lot of travel on the shutter lever which makes it a bit awkward to keep still and press the shutter so camera shake is an issue I imagine.

 

[Kirks518]

Cool find!

Although I have no experience with that camera, I've used a few from that era. I too used to overthink, "how am I going to shoot this with only these 2 shutter speeds/apertures/whatever?". Then I remembered that when the average Joe Cameraguy bought this new, his available film speeds were typically less then 64ASA, and probably something like 25ASA. And you know what? He took fine photos with it, by just.... taking photos. Amazing!

So I would say just load her and go. See how it does on an 'underthunked' roll, and adjust as necessary from there.

 

[Peltigera]

I have a 515/2 which is essentially the same camera. I only use mine on a tripod and use a cable release as I struggle with the play on the shutter release. It produces superb pictures with the lens stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8.

 

[blockend]

I have three Nettars, all 6 x 6 with 4.5 Novar lenses. From images on Flickr, I think the 4.5 is better than the 6.3. There aren't many medium format cameras that can be described as pocketable, but the Nettar is one. Wide open they make beautiful portrait lenses but you have to be careful with distances. Stopped down they are sharp, not Hasselblad sharp, but surprisingly good for a three element 70+ year old design. I paid £12-15. The Nettar is a beautifully made camera and far from cheap in its day. Shutter speeds go up to 1/200.

 

[xtolsniffer]

Given that the focus distance marks are in feet, I'm assuming it was made for the British/American export markets. I think production of this model started in about 1936 (according to the all-knowing interweb thingy) so it must have been an interesting choice, buying a German camera in Britain given the prevailing political climate at the time. I'm assuming they were also not especially cheap at the time.

 

[Alan9940]

Wow, great find and have lotsa fun!!

I have 3 folders; a Agfa Isolette 3, a Zeiss Ikon Mess Ikonta (6x9), and a Zeiss Ikonta III. Love 'em all and use all fairly regularly. The Zeiss 6x9 makes stunning 17x25" prints and that's scanned in using my very old Epson 1680 Pro scanner.

Best regards,
AlanH

 

[xtolsniffer]

On the inside of the back there is a colour sticker that says 'Zeiss Ikon Film'. I assume this was a bit of advertising for their own film, but I've not been able to find out anything about it, such as film speed which might give some indication of how the camera was used with such a limited combination of shutter speeds and apertures. I'm off to Whitby in North Yorkshire next week to run a few rolls of FP4 (plus some very expired Fuji Reala) though it to see how it works.

 

[Rick A]

I bought a Zeiss Nettar 6x6 a few weeks ago, absolutely stunning little camera. The Novar 4.5 lens is surprisingly sharp, and speeds up to 1/200 with the Pronto shutter. This is my walking around camera.

 

[NDGulag]

I have a Nettar 515/2 also a 6x9. I found a manual on a French site (that has English translations; my French is way too rusty!) and it too recommended ZI film. A Google search suggests this was about 40 ASA so I use Ilford Pan F.
My camera has a red dot on the focusing ring and another on the aperture setting. They correspond to about 36 feet (it's between 24 & 48 feet) with f11 (and a bit). With that film speed and those settings set the shutter according to sunny 16 and you'll pretty much nail each photo.