Smallest 6x6 Folder

I agree. I have them both and it's a real decision when I go to shoot on which to take. I have a Perkeo IIIE with builtin rangefinder and am told by others it is a rare camera.
 
How do these folders you mention compare in size to an Ikonta? I have a non-RF Ikonta that seems fairly compact, but have no basis of comparison.

Gene
 
Width: 5 1/16" 129mm

Height: 3 9/16" 90mm

Thickness: 1 3/4" 44mm

Very light camera for it's size. It feels slightly lighter than a Retina IIc. A bonus with the f/2.9 Baltar on mine is that it takes 40.5mm screw-in filters and hoods. Also, a softie screws into the shutter release, making release smoother.
 

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whitecat said:
I agree. I have them both and it's a real decision when I go to shoot on which to take. I have a Perkeo IIIE with builtin rangefinder and am told by others it is a rare camera.

I've only seen a photo of the Perkeo III, and I've also heard it's a hard one to come by. I'd be interested to see some shots with it and also a couple of the Perkeo III
 
dazedgonebye said:
Well, well. Looks like wishes do come true!
I now have a Super Baldax with Ennit f2.8 on the way.

Wow! Nice catch, Steve. Don't forget to post some samples.

Cheers!

Abbazz
 
My ICA Icarette (c.1924) is the smallest I have seen at about 14.5cm long, 8cm high and 3.5cm deep. It has a Tessar f4.5 75mm lens and very elegant engineering. Although a 620, it will take 120 film if you cut off the edges of the spool flanges. An interesting quirk is that the centre of the back can be removed to enable single shot 6 x 7 cm film holders to be fitted.

I believe that when ICA became part of Zeiss Ikon (c.1925?) they continued to make the camera but under a different name--

Regards,
D.O'K.
 
There is a Bessa 6x6. But this is bigger than the Perkeo. Off the top the name escapes me and I cannot remember how much bigger.

Gary
 
Perkeo III or Perkeo E....

Perkeo III or Perkeo E....

I've only seen a photo of the Perkeo III, and I've also heard it's a hard one to come by. I'd be interested to see some shots with it and also a couple of the Perkeo III

I've always been a bit confused by the naming convention on the Perkeo III or the Perkeo E....

I've seen pictures of both, but never at the same time alongside each other. I'm inclined by what I've seen to think that they are the same camera....

Either way, I've seen them incredibly high priced. Additionally I've been confused by whether there was a prototype Perkeo Rangefinder that was made before the Perkeo II, and if that's the case that may explain two variants of the rangefinder model. And if I recall correctly they were both coupled rangefinders. There are a few rangefinders that had a rangefinder for distance, but you transferred the distance to "front cell focus manually".

One example of that would be the balda Baldax which has an UNcoupled rangefinder and then the Super Baldax which uses a coupled rangefinder. I have owned two of the Baldax and one Super Baldax... Excellent camera's with great lenses for black/white shooting.

The interesting thing about these camera's is that regardless of year mfr, I have had two Perkeo I's that had the bright front standards and the Color Skopar 80 mm that came on the Perkeo II. In fact, I am mailing one out tomorrow that I sold on eBay...Perkeo I, bright front standard, Color Skopar in Synchro Compur 1/500th shutter.

Would like to find the rangefinder Perkeo, whether it's an E or a III. Look like the same camera to me.

Tell me otherwise if you know.
 
what Bessa is not much bigger than the olympus XA?
Wow, old thread! :) The Perkeo I that I have is not much bigger than an XA. In the strictest sense, it's larger, but it's one of the smallest (if not the smallest) 6x6 folders, and I don't notice any difference once it's in my bag or coat pocket. It's far smaller than an Iskra, though the Iskra has a fantastic lens and coupled RF...

xa-perkeo.jpg
 
Nice move Ben! Thanks.

Wow, old thread! :) The Perkeo I that I have is not much bigger than an XA. In the strictest sense, it's larger, but it's one of the smallest (if not the smallest) 6x6 folders, and I don't notice any difference once it's in my bag or coat pocket. It's far smaller than an Iskra, though the Iskra has a fantastic lens and coupled RF...

xa-perkeo.jpg
 
Try the back jean pocket test on the Agfa. Will it fit or is it a tight fight?

Gary

Ps. U can fit a wrist strap around where the leather side strap s located in most of these folders that have that setup, if can do that then something longer can be done a well. Normally I don't use a case or a strap.. Between shots just put it in my back pocket.
 
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Try the back jean pocket test on the Agfa. Will it fit or is it a tight fight?

Gary

Ps. U can fit a wrist strap around where the leather side strap s located in most of these folders that have that setup, if can do that then something longer can be done a well. Normally I don't use a case or a strap.. Between shots just put it in my back pocket.

Its tight but it fits. Does the Perkeo fit loose?
 
Its tight but it fits. Does the Perkeo fit loose?
The Perkeo fits, even with slim fit jeans... Pretty easy to take in and out too. But personally I don't carry cameras back there, partially because of pickpockets but mostly because I know I'd sit on a camera at some point. :)
 
Its tight but it fits. Does the Perkeo fit loose?

So it is about the same size as my special then. The perkeo is slightly smaller. All four of these will fit in my back jean pocket.
- Voitlander perkeo
- Ansco/Agfa special
- Franka Solida II
- Zeiss super ikonta iv (IIi as well, don't have it handy)

Plus even the Bessa II, I can put in my back pocket. The new 6x7 Bessa iii / Consiba gf670, NO way it will fit normal jean back pockets. Really shows how well engineered these old folders are.

Gary
 
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