Super Ikonta 530 A film

[xtello]

Hi everyone,

I've just recovered my grandfather's Super Ikonta 530 (1934); which despite more than 40 years stored, it is in pretty good conditions.

Please take a look at it at: http://strat-cons.com/photojournals/superikonta530

I already finished cleaning it, and I'm more than keen about starting taking shots !!! 😀

I did some 120mm when I was a teenager, but today (after years of 135mm to-become-digital) I'm totally disconected. So, what kind of commercial film can I use?

Any recommended brand for B&W and color?

Does those fit with the "plastic" roll inside the camera?

Any sugestions on printing?

Thanks in advance and kind regards.

 

[ChrisN]

Hello Xavier, and welcome to the forum.

Your grand-father's camera looks really nice. I'm sure you will enjoy using it.

For film, you should still be able to buy both black & white film and colour negative (for printing) or transparency film (for slides). Unless you plan to do your own B&W processing, it might be best to start with some colour negative film that can be commercially processed and scanned or printed. Fuji make a range of films that would be suitable.

May I also suggest, for your website, it would be better to say

"These are some shots of my Zeiss Ikon, Super Ikonta 530 A" (rather than "from my Zeiss Ikon...".

Best wishes!

 

[xtello]

Chris,

Thank's a lot for your note.

I'll take your advise and find some FUJI color film for starting. FUJI is a strong brand in México, as well as KONIKA (KODAK is shrinking).

Does the plastic roll is a standard one?

Although it's always tempting to process your oun film (and print it after...), I don't have any gear to do that now. May be in the future ...

Kind regards

Xavier.

PS: Thanks for the grammar advise (change done). At 3 AM México, my english can become extraterrestrial.

 

[ChrisN]

Xavier - you are very welcome! Yes, the plastic spools are all the same - the spool from the previous roll of film becomes the take-up spool for the next roll.

My compliments upon your efforts with the english language. I was born in an english-speaking country, and have no other language skills at all. I admire the effort put in by many members here with a strange language in order to share their experience with us.

PS: And in your last comment, that should be "advice" (as a noun, not "advise", as a verb). I'll stop now! I do this all the time at work, with the editing of people who only speak english, too!

Do let us know how the camera works. Cheers!

 

[afineman]

Enjoy the camera, You might find the colors a bit lacking in contrast. If you do then don't give up, just try shooting some Black and White 120mm film. Ilford, Fuji and Kodak still make Black and White film in that size.

 

[Doug]

Well, more clarifications.... It's not 120mm film, as 120mm measures out to about 4.7 inches, which would be very wide film indeed!

Actually the various number designations for roll film are rarely related to any film dimension. You're referring to 120 film, which is the same size as 620 film, both about 61mm wide; they just take different reels. 110 film is only about 16mm wide. 135 film is 35mm wide and is most often called "35mm film). 🙂

The Super Ikonta A is a lovely old camera, and if I happened across one in good condition, this smaller 6x4.5cm model would be my choice. Welcome to RFF and I hope you enjoy the camera and get some nice pictures.

 

[xtello]

Ok I've taken some shots with PORTRA 160 NC.

1st complication: To GUESS which number of frame I'm in.

I asume that this film is 6 X 9 right? So my Super Ikonta is 6 X 4.5 so I calculated a "half advancement" of the film via one (of the two) red windows on the back of the camera.

End point: I don't know how many photos I've shot... May be 12 "halves" from an 8 "full" roll.

It's in the lab where it will take about an hour to process, but these guys need about 3 days to print.

So I decided to get my negatives and digitalize them. Then I'll decide which ones to print.

I'll show the photos as soon as I've have them in my Mac.

Regards.

 

[P C Headland]

Lovely camera. I should be capable of some very nice results. You should get 16 shots per roll.

As for the film and winding. 120 film can be used in many different sizes - 6x4.5cm, 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, 6x9, 6x10, 6x12, 6x15, 6x17, 6x24 and anything in between!! It all depends on the camera or film back.

The paper backing nowadays has numbering for 3 formats - 6x9, 6x6 and 6x4.5. In days gone by, when the first 6x4.5 cameras came out, the paper backing only had two sets of numbers - 6x9 and 6x6. So, for the 6x4.5 frame cameras like yours, they put two windows on the 6x9 track.

(Someone please correct me if I make a mistake here!) To wind properly, you advance the film till you see the number one in the first window. You take a shot and wind until the number one appears in the second window. Take another shot, then wind until the number two appears in the first window. Take another shot and wind on until the number two appears in the second window. Etc., etc. Have a search on the net, and I'm sure you'll find a better description!!

Good luck, and enjoy the camera.

 

[Stanton]

I have a similar "A" camera. I believe PC Headland is correct. You should get 16 exposures per 120 roll. Dave

 

[xtello]

Thanks for your advise !!!

As a matter of fact, I managed to find this guy who has posted a full Super Ikonta instructions booklet; in this page, what you kindly pointed me is confirmed:

http://www.davidrichert.com/Zeiss%20Super%20Ikonta%20530%202%20Manual/ZeissSuperIkont0017.jpg

Now, I recovered my processed roll, It has 12 shots (some of the potential 16 are missing, but now I know how to wind..) which look pretty good with the magnifying glass !!!

No light leaking or big dust marks or stains (which I'll confirm after digitalizing 😕 ).

I'm surprised with the quality and sharpness of the image and the focusing capability of the lens !!!

I'm looking forward to get my friend's scanner ASAP.

Have a 2nd roll waiting...

Thanks again and regards.

Xavier

 

[P C Headland]

Once you're comfortable with the camera, shoot a roll of slide film like Fuji Provia or Velvia. You'll never want to look at 35mm film again, and you'll have a strong urge to see what a 6x6 slide looks like, then 6x9, then .... 😀