6x9 Folder Recommendations?

[clarence]

I once had a Moskva with the vertical alignment out of whack. The view through the rangefinder was very funky; it reminded me of a kaleidoscope since the double images would move along a diagonal axis. I still managed to use it, though. As long as the double images were right atop one another, the subject would be in focus.


Clarence

 

[FallisPhoto]

Did Agfa/Ansco make a 6x9 rangefinder?

Yes, the Record III

 

[FallisPhoto]

I once had a Moskva with the vertical alignment out of whack. The view through the rangefinder was very funky; it reminded me of a kaleidoscope since the double images would move along a diagonal axis. I still managed to use it, though. As long as the double images were right atop one another, the subject would be in focus.


Clarence

This is how I fixed mine, that did the same thing: http://www.dantestella.com/technical/superfix.html

 

[Krosya]

I'm a big fan of a Welta Weltur. Coupled RF, nice VF very solid. Somewhat hard to find. I have both 6x9 and 6x6 versions. This is one of those old time German craftsmanship type of cameras. Made around 1936-38 but still looks and works great. And they usually have good lenses on them too. As they are pretty rare - they cost. Not Bessa II with Heliar prices, but can be high in good condition.:

 

[Krosya]

and here is it's smaller sister Welta Weltur 6x6:

 

[FallisPhoto]

I'm a big fan of a Welta Weltur. Coupled RF, nice VF very solid. Somewhat hard to find. I have both 6x9 and 6x6 versions. This is one of those old time German craftsmanship type of cameras. Made around 1936-38 but still looks and works great. And they usually have good lenses on them too. As they are pretty rare - they cost. Not Bessa II with Heliar prices, but can be high in good condition.

Personally, I think Welta made some of the very best folders ever. Everything they did had some of the best lenses available at the time and just screams craftsmanship.

 

[RObert Budding]

I picked up a Zeiss Ercona II for less than $100 (from Germany via eBay). The Tessar lens is bitingly sharp. It does not have a rangefinder, so I usually just stop down and zone focus.

 

[whitecat]

A Bessa I is a good choice.

 

[Way]

I'm a big fan of a Welta Weltur. Coupled RF, nice VF very solid. Somewhat hard to find. I have both 6x9 and 6x6 versions. This is one of those old time German craftsmanship type of cameras. Made around 1936-38 but still looks and works great. And they usually have good lenses on them too. As they are pretty rare - they cost. Not Bessa II with Heliar prices, but can be high in good condition.:

Hi Krosya,

The Welta looks interesting but I'm a little concerned that the VF is way over to the right side of the camera body. I use my left eye and I wonder if that would be uncomfortable to use?

 

[puderse]

My Record III w/Solinar works great!!!

 

[Krosya]

Hi Krosya,

The Welta looks interesting but I'm a little concerned that the VF is way over to the right side of the camera body. I use my left eye and I wonder if that would be uncomfortable to use?

Well, being a left-handed camera, it may take a little getting used to, but I feel comfortable using it. I use either eye - I'm comfortable with left and right equally with any rangefinder, so switching back and forth isn't hard for me. But I suppose it depends on a personal preference at this point.

 

[Way]

Thank you all for the valuable information. I just purchased a Bessa RF/Heliar with the 6x4.5 insert from Jurgen Kreckel. Can't wait to use it!

 

[Ikontafan]

Zeiss Super Ikonta C or Mess Ikonta

 

[Solinar]

Way - A belated congratulations on acquiring a pre-war Bessa RF. - Enjoy -

 

[Way]

Way - A belated congratulations on acquiring a pre-war Bessa RF. - Enjoy -

Thanks Andrew. I'll post pics of the Bessa RF and pictures taken by the camera when it arrives. BTW I like your avatar!

 

[FallisPhoto]

Thank you all for the valuable information. I just purchased a Bessa RF/Heliar with the 6x4.5 insert from Jurgen Kreckel. Can't wait to use it!

Congratulations. That is a fine camera. Be sure to check it over thoroughly. Jurgen is pretty good, but he occasionally forgets to put some of the screws back where he found them.

 

[moving_electron]

I just started using a Moskva 4. One thing about it is that at least with the Arista Edu film (Fomapan) I was using to test with, it is nearly impossible to see numbers through the red window. Even a penlight does not help me read the numbers out-of-doors. I am getting used to the number of winding turns (12) that spaces correctly in 6x9. I will try a red LED mini flaslight though and see if that helps.

Thanks to some of the info and links in this thread and forum I was able to fix the Moskva 4 (v1 type) that I got this week. I bought it direct from a website I used before to get my beloved Iskra.

The camera was supposed to be CLAed. And it is clean but the rangefinder worked exactly backwards. When you used it to focus at infinity it set the lens to 1.5m and vise-versa!

Maybe I was missing something obvious but I had to mess with the two geared lenses in the pop-up "window" and eventually I got it corrected. I had the rangefinder images moving vertically at one time. 🙂.

The person doing the CLA did adjust the lens to be correct at the infinity mark so that was very helpful. I think they just put the geared lens pair back in upside down after cleaning them. I am still scratching my head and maybe the rangefinder infinity adjust alone could have corrected it. Well at least I know how the mechanisms work now!

Adjusting the rangefinder for infinity is really easy on this camera. The test images look sharp and in focus now.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/2305408797_585620e892_b.jpg

 

[Luddite Frank]

I have a couple of 6x9 Folders:

Franka "Rolfix Jr." (Made in Germany - US Zone), with which came with the 6x6 mask. VF has frame lines for 6x6 & 6x9.
f:4.5 Anastigmat Frankar 105mm, uncoated. scale focus.
Vario Shutter: B - 25 - 50 - 200
Hyperfocal marks for "point & shoot" : 13 ft @ f: 11


Voigtlander Bessa - pre-War ? f: 3.5 Skopar 10,5 cm lens (uncoated), Compur-Rapid Shutter: B - 1 - 2 - 5 - 10 - 25 - 50 - 100 - 200 - 400
Originally had a 6x6 mask (now missing), and the Viewfinder has a flip-up 6x6 mask. Wondeful camera, big, crisp lens.
HF marks: f:8 @ 11ft for close subjects ( 8 - 16 ft);
35 ft for distant subjects (20 ft to Inf ).

My other "nice" folder is a Zeiss "Ikonta 521", which is 4.5 x 6 cm. It has the 75mm Novar (coated) in a Prontor shutter. This is a tiny camera, and will give 16 exposures on a roll of 120.
The shutter is sticky due to oil on the blades.

One other beast that I shoot 6x9 with is a late 1920's Zeiss "Donata" 9x12 plate camera, equipped with a 120 roll-film back.


It's hard to go wrong with a Zeiss camera; RF -equipped models generally cost more than their non-RF cousins.

Good luck !

Luddite Frank

 

[wallace]

Frank,

I think your Bessa dates from 1945-1950. The prewar versions don't have such a fast lens. Good to hear that you are satisfied with the results you got. Only yesterday I bought that camera from the evilbay. It has no mask but it don't bother me since I use my wonderful Perkeo II for 6x6. The Skopar is a fantastic lens and all the old Voigtlanders are high quality machines. Never had a lighthole issue with the Voigtllanders bellows.

 

[chippy]

Frank,

I think your Bessa dates from 1945-1950. The prewar versions don't have such a fast lens. .

Wallace i thnk you will find the pre-war had the 3.5 scoper (i have seen many). not sure if they even offered a scoper (uncoated) post war..the book (mine anyway)does not mention it. it says post war (1947 resumed production) was offered in uncoated heliar and later with 3.5 colour scopar and 3.5 colour heliar