Zenobia Question

[takilmaboxer]

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?

 

[BobD]

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.

 

[Donald Qualls]

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.

 

[takilmaboxer]

Thanks!

 

[xya]

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...

 

[rgeorge911]

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