I joined the 'Folder Club' today...

[P. Lynn Miller]

Went to my local Sunday markets to look for an AC/DC adapter for my laptop. While digging through boxes of 'treasure', I found a Zeiss Ikon - Ikonta 521/2 at the bottom of a box. Paid $30 for it...

While is the Ikonta is aesthetically in good conditions with a good bellows, the shutter is sticky on speeds lower than 1/5 sec, the lens is very hazy, but there is no fungus or major scratches that I can see. The lens is a Novar-Anastigmat f4,5 10.5cm. I doubt that I purchased anything rare or desirable, but I think it was a well spent $30.

But I did not find an adapter for the laptop....

Edit:

Couple of hours later... I disassembled the lens and cleaned it, all sparkly and clean with some very fine marks under very bright light. Shutter is working properly, but running about a 1/4 stop slower at speeds 1/10 sec ans slower. But seems to be getting more accurate with usage. Will soon load the 521/2 with Tri-X and head out to take some photos. Looking forward to seeing those big negatives.

As an aside... does anyone have or know where to get a sync cord for the 521/2? I have a portrait sitting coming up this week and I would really like to run a roll of film through the camera.

 

[__hh]

Well, you've lived up to your avatar's motto of having too many cameras.......

 

[FallisPhoto]

Couple of hours later... I disassembled the lens and cleaned it, all sparkly and clean with some very fine marks under very bright light. Shutter is working properly, but running about a 1/4 stop slower at speeds 1/10 sec ans slower. But seems to be getting more accurate with usage. Will soon load the 521/2 with Tri-X and head out to take some photos. Looking forward to seeing those big negatives.

As an aside... does anyone have or know where to get a sync cord for the 521/2? I have a portrait sitting coming up this week and I would really like to run a roll of film through the camera.

If your shutter is still running slow, you probably didn't quite get all the gunk out of it when you cleaned it. It could also probably use a drop (no more) of Nye watch oil or Hoppe's gun oil.

 

[P. Lynn Miller]

I loaded the Zeiss with a roll of Tri-X, rated it for 1600 and did a bit night-time street shooting. Not the 'normal' way to test out a folder, but it sure beats shooting brickwalls or windowsills...

Taxi | Circular Quay | Sydney, Australia 2009

Zeiss Ikonta 521/2 | Novar-Anastigmat f4,5 10.5cm | Tri-X EI 1600 | Rodinal 1:100 Stand

The Other Photographer | Vivid | Circular Quay | Sydney, Australia 2009

Zeiss Ikonta 521/2 | Novar-Anastigmat f4,5 10.5cm | Tri-X EI 1600 | Rodinal 1:100 Stand

The shutter is behaving as it should now and the bellows seems to be light-tight. I am remembering check the focus, cock the shutter, among others things when I use, so the Zeiss and I are getting along nicely.

Those big negatives are so very, very nice!

 

[P. Lynn Miller]

Here are a few more...

Conversation | Sydney, Australia 2009

Zeiss Ikonta 521/2 | Novar-Anastigmat f4,5 10.5cm | Tri-X EI 400 | Rodinal 1:100 Stand

Thinking | Sydney, Australia 2009

Zeiss Ikonta 521/2 | Novar-Anastigmat f4,5 10.5cm | Tri-X EI 400 | Rodinal 1:100 Stand

I am very impressed with this folder, inspite of being uncoated, it can handle highlights pretty well.

I am now thinking that I will look for a rangefinder coupled model... any suggestions?

 

[FallisPhoto]

I am now thinking that I will look for a rangefinder coupled model... any suggestions?

There aren't that many folders in medium format that are coupled. There are the Ensign 820 Autorange, the Agfa Super Isolette with Heliar or Solinar, The Super Baldax with Ennit lens, Welta Weltur with Tessar or Xenar, and the Zeiss Super Ikonta with Tessar. The Bessa II and Bessa RF with Color Skopar or Color Heliar stand out. They are hard to find, but there are also Bessas with Apo-Lanthar lenses.