Zenobia Question

I am an inveterate folder collector and am thinking about a 6X4.5 Zenobia. Are there problems that are characteristic of these cameras that I should look out for - lens haze, bad coatings or leaky bellows?

I have a Zenobia. When I received it the lens was hazy and the shutter was sluggish as is very common with cameras of this type and vintage. Both cleaned up nicely.

I think the overall build quality of mine is quite good. I have owned a number of 120 Japanese and German folders and I think my Zenobia is as good as or better than most non-rangefinder folders. No complaints about the Hesper lens either.

My Zenobia came to me ready to use (about fifteen years ago). The bellows is still good, shutter smooth and accurate (at least up to 100 -- I don't use the 250 much, so can't verify). Focus (scale type) appears accurate as well. I just last night put mine in my coat pocket after several years waiting for me to fix the case (leather's fine, stitching gone to pieces) -- there's no provision for a strap on the camera itself, so you can either put it in a pocket (a suit coat or larger) or carry it in the original case. The leatherette covering is very thin and worn through on a couple corners on mine, but that doesn't affect operation of the camera. As noted above, the Hespar Anastigmat (most likely a common triplet, mine is coated) does a fine job, at least when stopped down smaller than f/5.6 -- and deficiencies when open wider than that are as likely to be focus errors as actual lens defects.

Thanks!

no problems on my super zenobia https://www.120folder.com/zenobia_sr.htm a fine camera to have. I also had several ordinary zenobias, bought for pieces, that were mainly fine, one had a sluggish shutter and one some haze or fungus, but nothing severe. go ahead and get one...

I have two Zenobias. Well-built, no issues.