Zeiss 6x6 Ikonta W/opton Lens

[ARCHIVIST]

What is the Zeiss Opton lens like to use.

I have been offered a Zeiss Ikonta with a Zeiss Opton 10.5cm lens and I know nothing about this lens.

Any information would be most welcome.

Stray safe.

Cheers
Peter

 

[KoNickon]

I am assuming it's an Opton-Tessar, which tells me the camera is a postwar model made in West Germany (maybe it was called Western Germany at the time). Anyway, the Opton-Tessar would be the top lens available for the Ikonta, and so an excellent performer if it's in good condition.

I would want to know more about the camera, though, before I bought it, and make sure it's properly working in all respects -- no light leaks, frame spacing is good, shutter speeds accurate. See if you can shoot a test roll with it.

 

[ARCHIVIST]

Thank you KoNikon.

 

[rfaspen]

105mm on 6x6? Perhaps it's a 6x9 camera?

 

[mike rosenlof]

almost certainly 6x9

 

[bluesun267]

I believe it will be a wonderful lens, among the best for medium format. I once owned a Super Ikonta III with the 75mm Opton-Tessar (coated). It did everything right, B/W and color equally great. I did have a problem with frame spacing on that camera and IIRC I disabled the internal mechanism and just used the window to align the next frame. I recently adapted a 105mm Jena Tessar (uncoated) to my Rolleiflex Sl66 and it is stunning; (I think the Opton is close to identical to the Jena):



After the rains by Timoleon Wilkins, on Flickr

 

[largedrink]

My "Mess" Ikonta 6x6 has the Opton Tessar 75mm 3,5 lens and it performs superbly. It's one of those lenses that tends to produce images that are better than you expect. Here are a couple of examples with Tri-X:


Hose reel by Hugh B, on Flickr


Swing bridge by Hugh B, on Flickr

 

[Gregm61]

What is the Zeiss Opton lens like to use.

I have been offered a Zeiss Ikonta with a Zeiss Opton 10.5cm lens and I know nothing about this lens.

Any information would be most welcome.

Stray safe.

Cheers
Peter

"Opton" was name used by Zeiss West Germany until they changed to "Carl Zess" with the opening of their Oberkochen, West Germany lens factory in approximately 1954, so an "Opton" lens dates it to 1954 or earlier, but after World War II.

If you want a post-WWII, West German Zeiss lens, you want an "Opton" or "Carl Zeiss" lens.

 

[ARCHIVIST]

The camera model is 523/16
It is a Tessar - Opton and from what you have all told me I will go for it.

You all stay safe.

I am now entering another lock down for two weeks.
That bloody virus has surfaced again in Sydney.

Cheers
Peter

 

[EddieJ]

The camera model is 523/16
It is a Tessar - Opton and from what you have all told me I will go for it.

You all stay safe.

I am now entering another lock down for two weeks.
That bloody virus has surfaced again in Sydney.

Cheers
Peter

Does it look like this:

Ikonta 523/16
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Ikonta_523/16

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/zeiss-ikon-ikonta-523-16-folding-120-1791871889

Btw Its pretty sh!tty that you are in lockdown.

From a fellow sufferer in Melbourne.

 

[ARCHIVIST]

Yes, it looks like the one on Worthpoint.
Academic really - I missed the auction I was given the heads-up about!!!!

Stay safe south of the border.

Cheers
Peter

 

[DwF]

These lenses perform beautifully. Here is one taken with the 75mm f3.5 Opton -Tessar (Downtown San Francisco)

This one below with 105mm f 3.5 Opton Tessar (Pacific Northwest)

Although these cameras (above pics) have rangefinders, both coupled and uncoupled on the 105mm, I also have a non-rangefinder Ikonta 521 A and love the uncomplicated feel and simplicity of using that one in the field.

This one with that 521A

So sorry to hear your news re Covid, of course we read about it too. Stay safe and hang in there!

David