120 Folder: Which one should I get?

I have an Agfa Isolette I, Fuji GS645 Professional, and a Moskva V on the way. I have had a Zeiss Nettar 512 and a Moskva 2. I like them. My 2 cents, get a good Isolette I or II and an auxillary rangefinder, one that fits in the cold shoe. Use it or hyperfocal focusing and you will be amazed at the negatives.
 
Hello there from a new member.

I have and use when possible quite a few folding 120 cameras as hand held location alternatives to my studio gear.
All of them are of the cheap and cheerful variety (no Super Ikontas), but some have lenses that when stopped down are very sharp.
When used outdoors they are not prone to attracting thieves.
Keep a bagful loaded up, (light and portable), and you don't have to reload.
Pick up a few cheap flash brackets , whether using flash or not ,they are easier to hold with one attached.
I shoot live music, mostly jazz. Some laugh at my vintage cameras, not at the 10x8 prints though.
Above all great fun.

Best to all.

Paul
 
I have a few old folders, so I guess I can give some advice.

The best of what I have, and also the easiest to use is the Moskva 2. 6x9 negs, coupled rangefinder, compact when folded and not too expensive. What is not to love about this camera.

I also have an Ensign Commando, which is alsoa coupled rangefinder toting beasty, but is significantly heavier and a bit harder to use. The focusing mechanism on the Commando is of the film plain focusing and is rather heavy/stiff to use due to the strong spring behind the film plate.

Of the non rangefinder folders I have, the Ensigns, Kodaks, Kershaw, Franka and Coronet are easy to use, with some of them being fixed focus and with minimal shutter speed and apurture options.

Don't count out some of the non folding 120 cameras out there. Some of the TLR's are great cameras and can be bought for very little. Yashica and Lubitel are 2 names that come to mind. I personally have a Yashica A TLR and I love it. Nice 6x6 negs and the lens is quite sharp.

Good luck with your research on this subject and let us know what you decide. Any questions, just PM me and I will be glad to help.

Heath
 
Let me put in a pitch for the Moskva. I use a Moskva-5.

It is ergonomically clunky and not a speedy snapshooter. However, once you see the results from the 6X9 negative it is hard to leave it at home.

-Paul
 
Hey Cappy ~ I think we're on the same page again. I've been daydreaming about a Moskva to get ready for Fall color. (a Moskva, of course, until I see Honu's Super. eeeyowza! that's nice.) Thanks Sr. Slack for starting this thread and thanks to all for the great info. Any more examples of negs is greatly appreciated.
 
I have a "Mint" Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 532/16 and love it! Try to find one from a reputable seller, and be sure that the bellows are perfect. You have to cock the shutter yourself, but that is part of the fun. The Tessar lens is terrific. On E-Bay, there is a wonderful Seller from The Netherlands whose name is Peter. His E-Bay selling name is: petrakla You can find that selling name under the "Community" tab. He is a great guy, and has really nice folders, from time to time. Take a look! They tend to be in the higher range of cameras, both in quality and condition. The ZI Super Ikonta 532/16 is a "hoot", and produces "killer" images! Good luck! Bill Ely
 
I lucked up (maybe) today at the flea market and found a Welmy 6 in a box of stuff. Picked it up for $5! Looks to me like a Japanese knock-off of the Zeiss Ikon Nettar. Scale focus (guess gonna learn this anyhow!), 75mm f/4.5 Terionar lens, shutter speeds 25-200 + B.

Seems to be in fairly good condition cosmetically. Shutter still fires, but the blades were a little slow to close at first. After being excerised a few times, that cleared up. Can't get the aperture or focus rings to turn though. They're stuck pretty tight and I'm afraid to use too much brute force to try and move them. Any advice on getting them unstuck?

It was made by a company called Taisei Koki, which didn't make any bones about ripping off Zeiss designs. The camera looks like the Nettar, as does the case. In fact, when I picked it up out of the box, my heart skipped a beat because I thought was a Zeiss camera. Their company logo even looks like the ZI logo. I'm sure a Cease & Desist order was issued at some point. :)
 
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