6x6 FOLDER LENES

[Abbazz]

I would recommend the Mamiya Six. It has better features and a better vf than the Certo Dolly super sport. Here are some shots with the mamiya (I cannot remmember aperture sorry)

Great pictures, Matt. Thanks for sharing.

I second the Mamiya Six recommendation. Great camera, available with many lenses -- it seems that early cameras were custom built with lenses provided by the customers, so you can even find them with German Schneider or Zeiss lenses.

Try to find a late model, preferably a Mamiya Six Automat I or II, they come with a very good coated Zuiko or Mamiya-Sekor 75/3.5 lens (a Tessar formula lens). On the Automat series, shutter cocking is coupled to film advance. The cameras also offer automatic film advance with a frame counter. The Automat II has a very bright finder with a reflected frame, the best finder on any folder IMHO, and the Mamiya-Sekor lens has more advanced coatings than its predecessors.

These lenses are very sharp, even wide open. And the sharpness of the lens is not spoiled by a flimsy film holder or a crooked front standard, as on many competitors. The contrast is also stunning, as you can see on Matt's pictures.

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[FallisPhoto]

I want to purchase a 6x6 Folder with the sharpest lens edge to edge wide open. they all seem to be good stopped down. Please advice/ Thanks Brince

Pretty much all of the cameras mentioned here are good ones, provided that you get one with a Tessar-type or (better yet,) a Heliar-type lens. Bear in mind though that they are mostly 50+ years old, and have varying degrees of wear. Some may have been dropped or the standard may have otherwise become loose or bent. Getting a Certo 6, a Bessa II, an Iskra, a Super Ikonta or a Super Isolette doesn't guarantee that you will get a camera that will take sharp photos, it just gives you better odds, since they would do a pretty good job of that when they were new. It's been a long time since then though, and pretty much any old folder you get will probably need at least some minor tuning.

Incidentally, I find that the best of the triplets (Cassars, Apotars and etcetera -- even a few Novars) do pretty well in 6x6 format, but wide open in 6x9 format there is always at least some blurring in the corners. In 6x9 format you even get that with some Tessars. I think the Heliar-type lenses are best there.

 

[wallace]

I di'dn't like the Super Ikonta B because it steels one frame from every roll.
I was dissapointed by the Certo Six, you have to release the shutter before folding! Stupid!
The best lens is probably the Fuji GS645, but it's only 4,5x6 and it's very fragile, the original bellows are far away from the quality of Zeiss and Voigtlander folders.
My favourite folder since many years is the Voigtlander Perkeo II with the excellent caoted Skopar.
It's the smallest of all folders and a high quality construction. The Skopar is a Tessar
design but I find it much sharper than the Tessar on my Weltax.
Another camera not mentioned before is the Agfa Super Isolette, but expensive...
I'll go through my negs to post a scan of a pic taken with the Perkeo later.

 

[literiter]

I really like the coupled rangefinder with the Certo Six and the Super Ikonta.

I'm not sure the Perkeo II or III has a coupled rangefinder.

The Certo Six has quite a bit going for it, aside for the afore mentioned issue with the shutter release. (big deal) The lens can be really good wide open.

The Super Ikonta B will lose a frame and the lenses can be softer than some. But is a very useable camera.

 

[Way]

My Super Isolette has a wonderful contrasty lens. Great color saturation. Not sure if it is the sharpest lens but I do like the images from it. I also like the way it feels and handles - very solid and a well designed camera. The front opens down and , to me, it feels more natural compared to other cameras that open from the side.