Mini-review of an awesome MF folder

shadowfox

shadowfox

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Hi fellow MF Folderites,

I have been test driving an Ansco Super Speedex (Agfa Super Isolette's twin) for about a week now and it's awesome!

Rather than repeating the why, how, and what, please pardon me for being tacky and refer you to my blog post instead.

Keep in mind that the blog may be explaining some basic stuff, but its readers are not all photographers like y'all are.

with that...

http://zuikography.blogspot.com/2007/07/super-value-and-big-results.html
 
Congrats on the Super Isolette. They are indeed great cameras. Though I must say that if you can fit 1 into your pants pocket, even cargo pants, then you must be a pretty big guy (or have big legs).

shadowfox said:
Hi fellow MF Folderites,

I have been test driving an Ansco Super Speedex (Agfa Super Isolette's twin) for about a week now and it's awesome!

Rather than repeating the why, how, and what, please pardon me for being tacky and refer you to my blog post instead.

Keep in mind that the blog may be explaining some basic stuff, but its readers are not all photographers like y'all are.

with that...

http://zuikography.blogspot.com/2007/07/super-value-and-big-results.html
Click to expand...
 
furcafe said:
Congrats on the Super Isolette. They are indeed great cameras. Though I must say that if you can fit 1 into your pants pocket, even cargo pants, then you must be a pretty big guy (or have big legs).
Click to expand...

Nah, I'm not a big guy 🙂
Have you ever seen some of those cargo pants pockets? they can fit a small SLR if you really try 😱

But you're right, the Super Speedex is much bigger than the regular Speedex because it has a coupled rangefinder and the nifty frame detection film advance mechanism.
 
Son of Sam (err Super Isolette)

Son of Sam (err Super Isolette)

Keep the lens shaded. 🙂

6x6 folders are too good to be forgotten. Very handy form factor. Let's see some pix. I run Astia in my Iskra 2 and use a handheld meter. Portra is nice, forgiving when the exposure is tricky for the in-camera selenium meter.

Regards.
 
Very nice cam!

I do not own a 6x6 rangefinder cam but an 6x6 Adox Golf 63 that I use with a BLIK rangfinder. That's really fun!
 
I have Ansco Viking 4.5...It has a Agfa Agnar 1:4.5/105...6x9 Format...not a RF...Hey looky here...Made in Germany!!!
It's been a super long time since it's had any film through it...
I'm just not too keen on scale focussing and then there's the limited shutter speeds...B, 25, 50, 100, 200
Maybe I should throw a roll of Neopan 400 through it...???
 
I like Astia 100 in my Iskra 2. 🙂

1024_Iskra-2-at-the-Marina.jpg






Regards.
 
nikon_sam said:
I have Ansco Viking 4.5...It has a Agfa Agnar 1:4.5/105...6x9 Format...not a RF...Hey looky here...Made in Germany!!!
It's been a super long time since it's had any film through it...
I'm just not too keen on scale focussing and then there's the limited shutter speeds...B, 25, 50, 100, 200
Maybe I should throw a roll of Neopan 400 through it...???
Click to expand...

Me too, I think scale-focusing is too expensive of a risk considering the relatively expensive cost of MF photography (the processing, not the camera).

You may want to look for an external rangefinder.
 
shadowfox said:
Jaw dropped..... wow! a slide film without a meter ???
wow, you're brave and good!
Click to expand...

"I run Astia in my Iskra 2 and use a handheld meter. Portra is nice, forgiving when the exposure is tricky for the in-camera selenium meter."

The in-camera selenium meter is usually close enough except in early morning or late evening. My Gossen has the final say in those situations and then of course there's bracketing. 🙂

Regards.
 
shadowfox said:
Me too, I think scale-focusing is too expensive of a risk considering the relatively expensive cost of MF photography (the processing, not the camera).

You may want to look for an external rangefinder.
Click to expand...
I use Kodak Ektachrome E-200 in my Nettar. It has a three element Novar lens, so unless you want to play with three dimensional "special effects"*, you will have to use F/8 or smaller in any case, which also helps with the scale focusing. Hyperfocal technique is something tha can be used even with rangefinders if you do not have time to achieve sharp focus. I rarely get blurry pictures with my Nettar and if I do, it's usually because I forgot to change the focus from the last shot...

With E-200 I can still shoot in many conditions even with F/8 as the largest usable aperture. If necessary, E-200 can be pushed to ISO 400 or even 800. At its rated ISO 200 the grain is still quite small, bearable at 400. With an external meter getting the exposure correct is not that difficult either.

* They can be quite nice with B&W film but rarely work with color film.
 
MF folders are photography's best kept secret I reckon. I have a 'trifecta' of folders that should keep me happy for years to come ... not allowing for the odd gas attack! 😱

A Super Ikonta for 6x4.5 ... an Iskra for 6x6 and a Moskva 5 for 6x9. For the grand sum of around $400.00 that's a lot of image quality potential. Any one of these will blow a Leica with a Summicron out of the water.

A recent pic with the Super Ikonta and Reala 100 ... I love your Blog by the way! 🙂

IkontaReala_01.jpg
 
Keith, nice photo, I can see the details on the threads hanging from the tree. This from the Moskva?

I'm hunting for an 6x9, and a Moskva from Jurgen is very tempting. The problem is, my local developer doesn't have the mask to print 6x9, so I have to build my savings to afford an Epson V700.

On the other hand, I completely fall in love with 6x7. Too bad there's no MF folder with that format (I wonder why?). So my dream MF trifecta would be the Super Speedex for 6x6, a Mamiya 7 for 6x7, and a Moskva or something for 6x9.

I'm not too keen on 645 format, unless I can get my hands on one of those cute Pearl IV 😀 with Konica lens. Yummm!

Btw, glad you can understand my scatter-brained blog 😛
 
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The Voigtlander MF folders are a great buy too. I have finally got a Perkeo E which is a 6x6 folder with a built in, uncoupled rangefinder -this camera and the non RF Perkeo II have a very sharp Colour Skopar Lens. For 6x4.5 and 6x9 I have a few Voigtlander Bessa RF's from the mid to late 1930's these have a built in, coupled rangefinder and OK Helomar and Great Skopar lens (Still on the lookout for a Heliar model)

44562940.jpg
 
Alex: post one of the pictures of your red bellowed charm, would you? 🙂

Phill: I like this one also, it looks so stealthy. I can't find one on the bay in decent condition though. Would you post a picture from this dude?
 
... (speechless) ...

Alex, it's gorgeous. Now I have no hesitation to send my Ansco Speedex (the little one, not the Super Speedex) whose focusing is solid stiff to Jurgen to get a treatment like this.

The rangefinder is cool also, where did you get one of these?

Will
 
Skeletor said:
Plaubel Makina 67
It even has an intergrated meter.
Click to expand...
I sit corrected !!! I forgot about this one, I've read about it too before...

Thanks Skeletor (would you mind telling us your first name in this thread?)

Btw, I wish I could afford this one from Jurgen
 
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Not a rangefinder, but I picked up an Ansco Speedex B2 (not the Junior) in very good condition at an antique shop half-price sale for $12.50. Looks very much like the Isolette that Alex posted above. Can I expect good things from it? I haven't tried it yet (can't find a roll of 120 anywhere nearby!).
 
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