Franka Solida II with F/3.5 Isconar lens

[Dr. Strangelove]

I just purchased a Franka Solida II (6x6 or 4x4 scale focusing folder with Pronto shutter) to accompany my Nettar. It has an F/3.5 Isconar lens made by Isco-Göttingen. I have not found any real information about this lens with Google, but it appears to be a fairly standard Cooke triplet. Has anyone used it and perhaps could tell me what to expect and how does it compare to other triplets (if it indeed is a triplet)?

I will shoot a test roll soon, but in the mean time I am interested to hear about your possible experiences with this camera.

[Mark Wood]

I have the same camera in very nice condition with an Isco Göttingen Westar lens, again f3.5. (I've no idea what the hierarchy is amongst these lenses but I assume it's also a triplet.) I've put one film through it and the results were a bit difficult to interpret as they were on transparency film (Agfa RSX200) and with the shutter being a bit sluggish, they're all approaching a stop overexposed.
First impressions would suggest that the lens contrast is quite low (it is coated) but it's sharp enough and a slight curve to the edges of each frame makes me suspect that the film wasn't quite flat against the gate/pressure plate.
The rangefinder also reads significantly different distances depending on whether you approach the point of focus from infinity of the near distance end!

[raid]

I have a different model, the Solida III. It has a Schneider Radionar lens that is quite good when stopped down a little from the f 2.9 max aperture.

[shadowfox]

So where's the shot of the camera itself? :)

[Dr. Strangelove]

So where's the shot of the camera itself? :)

Here you go:

(yes, the picture from the front is not sharp. I ran out of batteries while taking it; the macro mode eats batteries like there's no tomorrow. However, I will still try to take better picture tomorrow.)

[shadowfox]

Thanks, Dr.

Wow, it can shoot 6x6 AND 4x4 just by flipping a switch? that's radical :p

I almost ask how do you rewind the film without a rewind dial, then I realize you don't rewind with 120 films :)

[Dr. Strangelove]

Thanks, Dr.

Wow, it can shoot 6x6 AND 4x4 just by flipping a switch? that's radical :p

In fact you can't. You would also need the 4x4 insert, but of course it has been lost. I am thinking of modifying the camera to shoot 645 instead, since it would only require me to modify the 4x4 window in the viewfinder, and of course I would have to make the inserts. 4x4 with 120 film is waste of film in any case.

[shadowfox]

4x4 with 120 film is waste of film in any case.

But it'll give you a nice, big, black borders for free :D

[Dr. Strangelove]

Here you go:

(yes, the picture from the front is not sharp. I ran out of batteries while taking it; the macro mode eats batteries like there's no tomorrow. However, I will still try to take better picture tomorrow.)
So, here are some better -- or at least sharper -- pictures of my Franka Solida II. I really have to get out with this thing and take some shots with it next...