For Sale Zeiss Super Ikonta 532/16 (6x6) with Tessar lenses

nanthor · Mar 25, 2021

I have 2 of these medium format rangefinder folding cameras. Both very recently Completely CLA'd and both operating great and with clean clear lenses with no issues. Shutters work at every speed, the bellows are light tight, the viewfinders and rangefinders are clean and easy to use. Front doors open and close properly, the rear doors do too. You can see the cosmetics in the pictures, they are not shelf queens but they both look good. One, the older of the 2 , has more Zeiss bumps on the leather, it also has a loose tripod mount, which I can't figure out how to make it not loose. I've thought of trying to sneak some epoxy into the loose area but I seldom use a tripod anyways so I'll leave that issue up to the next owner.
1. We'll start with the older one (I think it's older due to the numbers). This one has the numerous zeiss bumps in the back, these can be fixed, I've done it before and it's tedious but rewarding. This is also the one with the loose tripod mount. Surprisingly, the lens carriage and surround look better on this one. $240.00 SOLD!
2. This newer one looks nicer overall, has a solid tripod mount, much less evident zeiss bumps. $280.00 SOLD!
I've included a picture of the CLA paperwork, it separates the 2 cameras older first in the pictures and newer after the CLA paperwork. You can see the price of the CLA's so I'm not asking much considering the CLA's are about half the price.
Shipping to USA only. I prefer paypal friend payment but if you're a long term member I'd accept the regular paypal. I sometimes deal with newbies when selling and they tend to be of a "buy it, try it, return it" sort. I try to avoid them. Feel free to make an offer if the price is too high.

eli griggs · Mar 25, 2021

I have this model and while the shutter blades and focus need ClA, the steady, sturdy lock up of the camera and lens, still pleases me, and I marvel at how good the quality of the workmanship, design and materials are.

I think any buyer, whom has no had a good folder as a shooter before now, will also be happy with the build and function of these cameras, and make it a daily carry camera in a jacket pocket.

Good luck with your sale.

Mark Layne · Mar 25, 2021

nanthor said:
I have 2 of these medium format rangefinder folding cameras. Both very recently Completely CLA'd and both operating great and with clean clear lenses with no issues. Shutters work at every speed, the bellows are light tight, the viewfinders and rangefinders are clean and easy to use. Front doors open and close properly, the rear doors do too. You can see the cosmetics in the pictures, they are not shelf queens but they both look good. One, the older of the 2 , has more Zeiss bumps on the leather, it also has a loose tripod mount, which I can't figure out how to make it not loose. I've thought of trying to sneak some epoxy into the loose area but I seldom use a tripod anyways so I'll leave that issue up to the next owner.
1. We'll start with the older one (I think it's older due to the numbers). This one has the numerous zeiss bumps in the back, these can be fixed, I've done it before and it's tedious but rewarding. This is also the one with the loose tripod mount. Surprisingly, the lens carriage and surround look better on this one. $240.00
2. This newer one looks nicer overall, has a solid tripod mount, much less evident zeiss bumps. $280.00
I've included a picture of the CLA paperwork, it separates the 2 cameras older first in the pictures and newer after the CLA paperwork. You can see the price of the CLA's so I'm not asking much considering the CLA's are about half the price.
Shipping to USA only. I prefer paypal friend payment but if you're a long term member I'd accept the regular paypal. I sometimes deal with newbies when selling and they tend to be of a "buy it, try it, return it" sort. I try to avoid them. Feel free to make an offer if the price is too high.

These are earlier versions of a top end zeiss folder. Compeer Rapid shutter as opposed to Synchro Compur. One of them has the cable release socket replaced with a sync terminal. I have two of the later ones and they are indeed amongst the best of Zeiss postwar folders. Super Ikontas went way down in both design and quality at the end

Mark Layne · Mar 25, 2021

Mark Layne said:
These are earlier versions of a top end zeiss folder. Compeer Rapid shutter as opposed to Synchro Compur. One of them has the cable release socket replaced with a sync terminal. I have two of the later ones and they are indeed amongst the best of Zeiss postwar folders. Super Ikontas went way down in both design and quality at the end

COMPUR Rapid

BAC1967 · Mar 26, 2021

PM sent

Donald Qualls · Mar 26, 2021

I have a 532/16 as well -- the only glaring things I'd note with mine are that the f/2.8 Tessar tends to be a little soft when wide open (pretty darned good from f/5.6 and smaller, though), and as built the automatic frame advance only gets eleven frames on a roll. The camera does have a "no looking" advance, though, with double exposure interlock. I find the viewfinder on the small side with glasses (and potentially prone to scratched lenses), but when I had contacts it was no problem.

nanthor · Mar 26, 2021

Agree on all points. It must be remembered though that this was state of the art back about 80 years ago. Also, while I've been satisfied with 11 pictures from it, I've read that you can get 12 by just winding on to the dot after the numerals and taking another shot there, never tried it myself though. Bob.
By the way, the newer one has been sold.

Donald Qualls · Mar 26, 2021

nanthor said:
Also, while I've been satisfied with 11 pictures from it, I've read that you can get 12 by just winding on to the dot after the numerals and taking another shot there, never tried it myself though.

The red window (used for the start position on this model) is on the 6x9 framing track (because when this camera was designed, in 1938 or so, you couldn't depend on 120 film having a 6x6 track, since that came from merging another film with the same spool and width). After 11 frames of 6x6, I think you'll be past the "8" on that track.

What I did on mine (and this is a little hazardous) was to take off the top plate and file a twelfth notch in the stop wheel, eyeballing the spacing to match the rate of decrease (because this is a turns-counting mechanism, it advances a little less for each frame to account for thickness building up the radius). Works well, but because the 6x9 first frame mark is further along than the 6x6 is, I'm in some minor danger of running frame 12 off the tail on shorter films (like the Foma I use most of the time). To solve that, I usually start at the first or second warning dot before the "1". That both puts frame one closer to the film head end, and very slightly reduces the spool radius (and hence the frame spacing) all the way along the roll.

I don't recommend this if you're interested in maintaining collector value -- but it does work if you get the spacing of the new notch right.

For Sale Zeiss Super Ikonta 532/16 (6x6) with Tessar lenses

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