Recommend me a folder

[Muggins]

Adrian, I've no idea. It was a couple of years back during some piece of filming or other. A film, iirc, rather than 'Lewis' or one of the other regulars.

There's always something being filmed somewhere, isn't there? I just wish I had a camera on me the day the Bollywood extras were playing cricket... with half a brick and a length of 4x2!

Back to topic, there's always the Ensign Autorange 220 - they seem to be quite reasonably priced here in the UK, though I don't know what the Kroon is like at the moment against the pound. I suspect they're fairly rare outside the UK, though. The Autorange 16-20 has a good following, but they are expensive - probably well outside your price range, as you explicitly state "not expensive".

Adrian

 

[mcgrattan]

Adrian,

I shot some stuff when they were filming that Bollywood movie on Broad Street.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcg_photo/sets/72157594210030461/

I only had a couple of shots left on the roll, and I was in a hurry. So nothing very good.

 

[Muggins]

Could well be the same one - right sort of date. I liked the way everything went on around the ordinary business of the place (if Oxford can ever be ordinary).

Adrian

 

[manfromh]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm not sure why I thought 60mm would be a normal lens for 6x4.5.

I'm going to do some research on the suggestions from this thread, and will see. At the same time I will try to convince myself that I realy dont need another camera. since I actualy need a camera bag more. 🙂

Matis

 

[literiter]

At the same time I will try to convince myself that I realy dont need another camera.
Matis

Quite right.
-In the beginning, it starts with simple curiosity. (Hmmmmm... thats nice, maybe I'll try one. )
-Then a small collection of two or three, quite harmless.
-Then an obsession. (I don't really care the kids need clothes, there is a good chance I'll snipe a great looking Super Ikonta C for a measly $400.00)

 

[scottyb70]

Agfa Record III (6x9) with a solinar is the ticket. Kind of expensive, but I think the most compact for a 6 x 9 folder. I can put it in the back of my pocket like a wallet. I like them so much I have four of them.

 

[Solinar]

A honest to goodness 6x9 folder with all the basics, which looks quite goo with blue bellows. For a 6x9 with a built-in UCF - I do believe it is one of the most compact, too.

 

[SCOTFORTHLAD]

You are putting a lot of limitations on choice with these criteria. 6x9 folders are a bit on the large and heavy side for "carry-along and everyday life". You're using 6x6 now but the Yashicamat is too bulky and heavy to meet the same criteria. Why not stay with a format you're familiar with? One of the most pocketable 6x6 folders around, and cheap, is the Voigtlander Perkeo I. They're selling on EBay right now for $50 USD or less. I have two. The 3.5 Color Skopar lens is more sought after but the 4.5 Vaskar produces more than satisfactory results. I've owned mine since new in 1957! The only drawback with my Vaskar-equipped Perkeo is that the Pronto shutter has limited speeds (1/25 to 1/200) and the higher spec cameras have a wider range of speeds. The Pronto was the cheapest shutter/lens combination offered but the lens was common to all the Perkeo I range.
There were some produced fitted with Prontor-S or Prontor-SV shutters and they have a range from 1 sec to 1/300. So look for these shutters rather than the simpler Pronto.
The Color Skopar 3.5 lens was only fitted to the Perkeo II as far as I know. It has a better shutter but they are hard to find and cost more.

As for the rangefinder - nice if you can get it - rare to find one that's coupled in a 'cheap' folder, but an accessory rangefinder in the shoe will do just as well as you still have to transfer the setting to the lens anyway.

Coincidentally my serviced Perkeo 1 has just gone into the Classifieds Section 🙂

Brian

 

[mh2000]

I'd really try out a cheap 6x9 to start... shoot it stopped down and photos will be great... then decide what to move up to if you seriously need to. Scale focus is no problem for me with 6x9... but I shoot ISO 400...

you really do need another camera 🙂

>>At the same time I will try to convince myself that I realy dont need another camera. since I actualy need a camera bag more.

 

[Solinar]

A non RF 6x9 folder is the least expensive way to start out. If it has an accessory shoe for a flash, you can always add an uncoupled RF later.

The Agfa Billy Record II shown above was under 50 bucks, because it needed bellows. The bellows that I installed on it are from $10 Franka Rolfix. The Voigtlander rangefinder does double duty with a Perkeo II.

 

[bkrystad]

I'd really try out a cheap 6x9 to start... shoot it stopped down and photos will be great... then decide what to move up to if you seriously need to. Scale focus is no problem for me with 6x9... but I shoot ISO 400...

I heartily second this advice. I just developed another roll of HP5 from my Ikonta 521/2 6x9 (with the Novar f/3.5) and can tell I'm going to have a good day printing in the darkroom soon. I'm in for $50US and the cost of a solid CLA, and I have no regrets.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Thanks for the replies! What would the best options be in the scale focus 6x4.5 land? I think scale focusing a 60mm lens is much easier than 105mm. I can probably find Moskvas locally. Will look into it.

If you get a Moskva, there are two things to check first; pretty much everything else can be a little off and is repairable, but these two things are vital.

1. Is the swing arm (the little arm that sticks up from the front standard with the glass in it) loose? That is, does it shift easily from front to back? If so, don't get it.
2. Does the secondary image in the rangefinder track horizontally and does it match up with the other image? If it tracks diagonally, it can be repaired, and you can do it, but you will be sick to death of the camera by the time it is done. If the secondary image is tracking below or above the other image, you can't fix it.

 

[wakarimasen]

I am also looking for a folding medium format camera. I have up until now been considering a TLR but they all seem so big and bulky!
I have discounted 6X4.5 and am more interested in 6X6 and maybe above. Here in the UK it seems that the Moskva and Iskras are only available from 'the russian federation' on ebay and are over £100. What would be a good 6X6 - preferably with a coupled rangefinder, but I can always get a watameter - to dip my toes in the water?
Best regards,
RoyM

 

[Solinar]

An Iskra would be my choice in a FSU 6x6 folder. Superb optics and a decent RF.

 

[shadowfox]

I am also looking for a folding medium format camera. I have up until now been considering a TLR but they all seem so big and bulky!
I have discounted 6X4.5 and am more interested in 6X6 and maybe above. Here in the UK it seems that the Moskva and Iskras are only available from 'the russian federation' on ebay and are over £100. What would be a good 6X6 - preferably with a coupled rangefinder, but I can always get a watameter - to dip my toes in the water?
Best regards,
RoyM

From experience, look out for Ansco Speedex or if you're lucky, Super Speedex. These are excellent cameras that are still reliable enough to use, and they are generally less pricy than their original brand (Agfa Isollette) equivalents. These are 6x6.

For 6x9, nothing can beat a Voigtlander Bessa RF in my mind 🙂

 

[P C Headland]

Apart from the excellent Iskra, you could look for a Certo Six, Mamiya Six, Super Ikonta III, Super Isolette, Super Balda, etc.

A good value uncoupled RF camera is the last of the Agilux Agifolds (made in Croydon) - you can usually get these in the UK for a pretty decent price.

 

[Krosya]

I love those Welta Welturs 😉 :

 

[ZeissFan]

I'm partial to the Zeiss Ikon folders, although I also own Voigtlanders, Agfas and some Kodak/Nagels.

Agfa made nice cameras except for the usual problems (frozen helicals and plastic bellows that quickly develop pinholes). Some Voigtlanders have excellent lenses -- even better than what was available on some Zeiss Ikon folders. Their primary weakness is the lightweight construction that I believe is prone to damage, particularly the lens standard. They are otherwise fine cameras.

The Kodak/Nagel cameras are excellent. And their shortcoming is that they all take only 620 film -- a reflection of Kodak's slavish devotion to the format.

That Welta is a beautiful camera, and just from its looks, I would say that it can stand proudly among the best Zeiss Ikons any day.

Among the Zeiss Ikons, the 6x9 Super Ikontas are very good, despite the need to focus in one window and compose in another. The Mess Ikonta has an uncoupled rangefinder and a very nice satin chrome top deck.

The other Super Ikontas have left-handed shutter releases, except for the earliest model, which has a plunger near the shutter assembly. For 1932, this probably was acceptable.

However, if the original poster's budget is tight, a Soviet camera might be a good way to break into the format.

I also think that picking up a zone focus camera and a separate rangefinder is a good idea.

 

[Eric T]

I have an Iskra 2 and a Moskva 5. Between the two, I much prefer the Iskra 2 (but get the Iskra since the meter on the Iskra 2 probably won't work anyway). The photos from the Iskra 2 are very sharp.
Today I get my first Ektar 100 prints back that were taken on my Moskva 5. Haven't finished the Ektar 100 roll on my Iskra 2 yet.

 

[wakarimasen]

Hello folks,
Thanks for all of the advice. I just bought a Zeiss Nettar (518/16) as a cheap and cheerful toe in the water.
Hopefully it will arrive on friday. Now for some film.......
Best regards,
RoyM