Super Ikonta III vs Balda Super Baldax?

[Nokton48]

On both camerasframe spacing can be iffy.. it helps to stick an inch of tape on the backing.

darinwc,

Can you elaborate on this? I think films and backing paper were thicker back in the the days of these cameras. Where and in what orientation do you put the tape on the backing paper?

 

[Swift1]

Can you elaborate on this? I think films and backing paper were thicker back in the the days of these cameras. Where and in what orientation do you put the tape on the backing paper?

A friend of mine has a Super Ikonta IV and he came up with a great solution to the frame spacing issue.
Take a stack of yellow Post-It notes, pull off about 15-20 sheets (as one stack), then cut them to the width and shape of the 120 paper leader, make sure the sticky part of the notes lines up with the very end of the leader.
Then every time you load film you just stick on of the notes onto the end of leader. This basically adds the needed diameter to the shaft.
Hopefully this is helpful 🙂

 

[analogpics]

So i snagged a super ikonta iv in nice condition from that certo6 fella. I guess the auto-counter mechanism wasn't working so he just put a window on the back (which at least for me, solves the spacing issue). Fingers crossed it's not a lemon ^_^

 

[Robert.M]

If you are loocking for a small folder, the 6x4.5 format are the best

My favorite are:

Zeiss Ikonta 521

Ensign Selfix 16-20

Balda Baldax

Welta Perle

Voigtlander Bessa 46

Daïchi Zenobia

 

[analogpics]

Well, finally finished a roll from the cam, not too bad so far ^_^

 

[barnwulf]

I have only used a Super Ikonta III or IV. The Tessar lenses are excellent and sharp. I have fixed the spacing problem with adding a few inches of 2" wide tape on the paper film leader. It's a fast easy fix. I love these cameras. - jim

 

[Jockos]

I'm currently putting some money in restoring a SI III. Fits perfectly in a coat pocket, it's going to be perfect for fall and winter!

 

[analogpics]

As far as the spacing goes, jurgen disabled the regular film advance on mine so i just use the red window on the back when i advance the film, so i dont have to worry about spacing i guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i actually really like the leather eveready case mine came with too!

 

[analogpics]

Reviving this thread from 2016 🙂

Soooo one thing i had noticed from my initial roll(s) with the Super Ikonta was that some images had an almost tilt/shift look to them where portions of the image looked very out of focus (these are images shot at infinity). Didn't seem to be as big of an issue with portraits so i didn't mind at the time.

Anyways, i took it to a repairman that said that it appeared to have impact damage, which i assume happened before i received the camera (its been a shelf queen after the first few rolls). Bummed out that Jurgen would sell it without disclosing this, but i digress...

Anyways, i'm back on the market for a compact 6x6 folder with a coupled RF and reasonably sharp lens (ideally 2.8, but 3.5 is fine). I borrowed a fujica super six around that time which i was pretty happy with so may go that route, but thought i'd ask you guys if you have any other suggestions.

Oh, and currently not interested in any non-6x6 or scale focus/uncoupled RF models hehe 🙂

 

[DownUnder]

Ah, these vintage threads. Like old cameras, they go on and on and on and on...

The OP still seems undecided about which folder to get, even after four years. Surely he must realize that prices for the better brand by now vintage folders have gone up several fold and the stock of good cameras has declined.

Anyway, to respond to his points, with some small edits.

... i took it to a repairman that said that it appeared to have impact damage, which i assume happened before i received the camera (its been a shelf queen after the first few rolls). Bummed out that Jurgen would sell it without disclosing this ... )

Impact damage is very common. Nowadays buying an old folder is very much luck of the draw - most were heavily used and are damaged in some way or other. Those 1950s Ikontas seem to be much better built and (at least according to my now-retired repair person in Melbourne, who fixed several of mine in his time) can take a lot more battering in use, but they aren't robust like TLRs or SLRs and they are now ancient.

i'm back on the market for a compact 6x6 folder with a coupled RF and reasonably sharp lens (ideally 2.8, but 3.5 is fine). I borrowed a fujica super six around that time which i was pretty happy with ...

Many of these on Ebay, prices seem reasonable. If this folder is what rocks your boat, go for it.

currently not interested in any non-6x6 or scale focus/uncoupled RF models hehe 🙂

Aren't you limiting yourself here? Any of several makes of excellent 1950s folders by Zeiss, Voigtlander et al, are scale focus models and can be greatly improved by adding an inexpensive clip-on range finder. I opted out of using Zeiss Ikontas a long time ago, for many reasons but mostly due to most having rangefinders out of alignment and also I hated having only 11 exposures on (nowadays expensive) 120 film. As another poster has commented, Zeiss Nettars do a fine job at a reasonable price and a clip-on finder will greatly improve your percentage of in-focus keepers.

I've owned several with built-in rangefinders including Ikontas I paid top dollar for (in Australia they now go for $500+ on Ebay without any guarantee) and all had alignment problems. They can be repaired, but at a cost.

In value for money terms, the scale focus folders beat everything else on the market nowadays. Think seriously about this before you write them off. For most of us, they are entirely satisfactory and great value.

Good luck to you in your search, but I suggest if you are seriously looking, don't wait another four years before you decide to buy. Also stock up on 120 film for your freezer, film prices aren't going down.

 

[analogpics]

The OP still seems undecided about which folder to get, even after four years. Surely he must realize that prices for the better brand by now vintage folders have gone up several fold and the stock of good cameras has declined.

Lol, actually I got a Zeiss Super Ikonta IV, but repairman said it's non-repairable. I couldn't find another one currently online so thought i'd revive this thread (instead of starting another one) to see what else is out there.

Impact damage is very common. Nowadays buying an old folder is very much luck of the draw - most were heavily used and are damaged in some way or other. Those 1950s Ikontas seem to be much better built and (at least according to my now-retired repair person in Melbourne, who fixed several of mine in his time) can take a lot more battering in use, but they aren't robust like TLRs or SLRs and they are now ancient.

Ahhh good point

Aren't you limiting yourself here? Any of several makes of excellent 1950s folders by Zeiss, Voigtlander et al, are scale focus models and can be greatly improved by adding an inexpensive clip-on range finder. I opted out of using Zeiss Ikontas a long time ago, for many reasons but mostly due to most having rangefinders out of alignment and also I hated having only 11 exposures on (nowadays expensive) 120 film. As another poster has commented, Zeiss Nettars do a fine job at a reasonable price and a clip-on finder will greatly improve your percentage of in-focus keepers.

Not really, i own several scale focusing cameras and i know it's not what i'm looking for right now. The clip on RF's are pretty cool (i do use one with said scale focusing cameras), but for portraits I just personally prefer using a coupled RF.

Good luck to you in your search, but I suggest if you are seriously looking, don't wait another four years before you decide to buy. Also stock up on 120 film for your freezer, film prices aren't going down.

Thank you, i haven't shot much 120 in the past several years so it hasn't been on my mind. I do actually have a lot of film that i need to shoot!

 

[DownUnder]

Good one! I meant to say but forgot, thanks for reviving the thread. It's obviously a good search to have kept you busy for the past four years, and these new/old threads are interesting in these dreary Covid times to keep us stimulated and into using our cameras and doing photography. The more the better.

Keep us informed as to how your search is going. And check out those Fujis on Ebay, they may well be the ideal camera for you. Cheers.

 

[Beemermark]

Lol, actually I got a Zeiss Super Ikonta IV, but repairman said it's non-repairable.

The Zeiss 6x6 Super Ikontas were always glitchy, usually the film spacing or counter mechanism. the 6x4.5 and 6x9 were tanks. The downside to the later Super Ikonta 6x9 was the Albada finder, which tends to go opaque after all these decades. The plus was coated lenses.

 

[analogpics]

The Zeiss 6x6 Super Ikontas were always glitchy, usually the film spacing or counter mechanism. The 6x4.5 and 6x9 were tanks. The downside to the later Super Ikonta 6x9 was the Albada finder, which tends to go opaque after all these decades. The plus was coated lenses.

Ironic thing is Jurgen took out the film spacing advance mechanism and swapped the back with one with a ruby window instead.