Show your photos from a vintage folder

[Noll]

Here are a few from my Zeiss Ikonta 523/16 with a 7.5 cm f3.5 Tessar. Shot on Ektar 100, guessing on exposure. I can't say for sure, but I suspect the viewfinder shows a little more than what shows up on the film. I noticed a few of my shots didn't work, and realized it was because certain parts of the image were cut off from how I framed it! Oh well, still a great lens for such a portable MF camera.




These "Little Free Libraries" have been popping up all over Madison. Just like their name, you are free to take a book, leave a book, and there's no obligation to return. People have put them in front of their houses and businesses really love seeing the variety that comes in.

[graywolf]

Noll, the framing problem with viewfinder cameras is one of the reasons we always planned on cropping in the old days. Frame a little more than you want then crop to the exact image you had in mind. Luckily 120 film gives you an image that is still going to look great even after rather severe cropping.

[Noll]

Originally Posted by graywolf

Noll, the framing problem with viewfinder cameras is one of the reasons we always planned on cropping in the old days. Frame a little more than you want then crop to the exact image you had in mind. Luckily 120 film gives you an image that is still going to look great even after rather severe cropping.

Interesting! Thanks for clearing this up.

[paapoopa]

my first folder camera, lovely machine... everything works well untill i load in my first roll of film and try to take the first shot and the shutter jammed. luckily u can still trigger the shutter from beside the lens on these old folders else it will have to be admit to hospital. dont you marvel by the great engineer on these machines in the 1930s.

[pagpow]

Originally Posted by paapoopa

my first folder camera, lovely machine... everything works well untill i load in my first roll of film and try to take the first shot and the shutter jammed. luckily u can still trigger the shutter from beside the lens on these old folders else it will have to be admit to hospital. dont you marvel by the great engineer on these machines in the 1930s.

Paapoopa,

It doesn't sound like the shutter jammed if you can still trigger it from the lens. Don't know what camera you have but on some of my Zeiss Ikons, it is easy for the trigger linkage near the lens to slip onto the wrong side of the next lever, so that it does not actuate it. Simple care in opening the camera, or repositioning the lever (manually, no tools needed) takes care of the problem.

The linkages are mechanically simple but compound. One rod from the shutter button actuates a second rod from the body to the bottom (on mine) of the lens which actuates the actual trigger for the shutter. The problem in mine is at this last junction.

Good luck.

Giorgio

[paapoopa]

Hi Giorgio

mine is the zeiss ikonta C 6x9, I am not exactly sure what is the problem and how to check it as its my first encounter with a folder camera. I do also suspect its some issue with the linkage from the shutter button to the trigger beside the lens, as since i encounter this problem, the folder keeps pop open easily when its close.

i should prob show some pictures which will be easier to diagnose .

thanks
eddy

[nighstar]

Super Baldax + Ektar 100


every day, there. by nighstar, on Flickr

[Alfasud]

The wooden cruiser is about the same age as the Nettar 510/2 used for the photograph.

[P C Headland]

Iskra loaded with Acros:

[graywolf]

An Iskra, when it is working right, is one heck of a camera. The images from them in this thread are the reason I bought one. Of course that could just mean that all the guys with Iskras are incredibly good at scanning negatives.

How come I never run into subjects like that old Bentley?

[nighstar]

a place for you by nighstar, on Flickr

Balda Super Baldax + Ektar 100....

...i've been struggling a lot with scanning color negatives and having them turn out right. while this photo still has issues, i think it is my best yet.

[bigeye]

Originally Posted by nighstar

Balda Super Baldax + Ektar 100....

...i've been struggling a lot with scanning color negatives and having them turn out right. while this photo still has issues, i think it is my best yet.

There is something about this composition. It should be nice in B&W, too.

- Charlie

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Originally Posted by nighstar

a place for you by nighstar, on Flickr

Balda Super Baldax + Ektar 100....

...i've been struggling a lot with scanning color negatives and having them turn out right. while this photo still has issues, i think it is my best yet.

Very beautiful shot. Did you try to fix the rangefinder (read about the cameras problems on your flickr site)
btw does you Balda have a coupled rangefinder?

[nighstar]

Originally Posted by bigeye

There is something about this composition. It should be nice in B&W, too.

- Charlie

thanks, i'm sure it would too. i'm a big fan of b&w.

Originally Posted by Ron (Netherlands)

Very beautiful shot. Did you try to fix the rangefinder (read about the cameras problems on your flickr site)
btw does you Balda have a coupled rangefinder?

thanks & thanks for your comment on Flickr. yeah, the Super Baldax has a coupled rangefinder. i have described the issue to someone who used to repair rangefinders and he said the that translucent mirror that allows light to pass through the rangefinder has stopped working (moving) and the surface of it has become tarnished.... if i attempt to clean the mirror it will ruin its translucent effect and thus further ruin the rangefinder. sucks. but i'll manage with the accessory rangefinder that i have, i guess.

on the other hand, that very same person turned out to be a pro Hasselblad repairer and i was able to get him to CLA my Hasselblad kit. so in the end i'm happy.

[Alfasud]

Taken with my pre WW2 ZI Nettar

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Originally Posted by Alfasud

Taken with my pre WW2 ZI Nettar

Seems nice but the pic is so small that it is hard for us to fully appreciate

[Alfasud]

Originally Posted by Ron (Netherlands)

Seems nice but the pic is so small that it is hard for us to fully appreciate

I'm still learning the mechanics of 'right sizing' my pictures for posting.



Hope I've finally got it right

[KoNickon]

The priest -- just a great picture in so many ways.

Originally Posted by monkeypainter

Agfa Super Isolette + Portra400


Cura cuesta arriba - Hill up priest by Monkeypainter, on Flickr

[paapoopa]

zeiss ikonta C

[je2a3]

Zeiss Nettar Novar 75mm f4.5 + Foma 100/Rodinal 1:100

Zenobia C 645 + Foma 100/Rodinal 1:100

[Spicy]

Originally Posted by graywolf

An Iskra, when it is working right, is one heck of a camera. The images from them in this thread are the reason I bought one. Of course that could just mean that all the guys with Iskras are incredibly good at scanning negatives.

How come I never run into subjects like that old Bentley?

Most likely because it's one of the rarest of Bentley's: one masquerading as a Jaguar.

[graywolf]

Originally Posted by Spicy

Most likely because it's one of the rarest of Bentley's: one masquerading as a Jaguar.

Humm...? I don't recognize that one then. From Swallow to SS to Jaguar to Ford I thought I was pretty knowledgable about Jag's. Apparently not. But that does look like a cat on top of the radiator cap. What is it, a Mk IV?

[bigeye]

JaaagUar Mk V.

[Mr_Flibble]

Sepp, Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2 11cm f/4.5 Nettar Anastigmat, Ilford FP4+

[pagpow]

Originally Posted by paapoopa

Hi Giorgio

mine is the zeiss ikonta C 6x9, I am not exactly sure what is the problem and how to check it as its my first encounter with a folder camera. I do also suspect its some issue with the linkage from the shutter button to the trigger beside the lens, as since i encounter this problem, the folder keeps pop open easily when its close.

i should prob show some pictures which will be easier to diagnose .

thanks
eddy

Hi Eddy,

Any luck? If not, PM me and I'll pull out one of my C's and walk you through my problem so you can see if it is your problem.

Even without my help, you can determine whether this is the problem by looking at the linkage -- most of it is visible, no disassembly required.
You wil see a linkage that translates the shutter button action from the left of the camera to the right (this is below the bellows), another linkage that translates the action from the rear of the bellows to under the lens. It is the position of this linkage relative to the shutter actuating lever on the lens itself that is sometimes the problem. Sometimes the little flange on the back to front rod ends up on the wrong side of shutter actuating lever attached to the lens. When this happens, you cannot trigger the shutter.
This is easy to determine. Open the camera, cock the shutter and fire it by moving the shutter lever itself. If that works, you know that the shutter is functioning and you also see which direction the shutter lever needs to move. Now look at the linkage below the lens while you push on the shutter button and you will see if the end of the rod from back to front is positioned correctly.
If not, this sometimes fixes itself by closing the camera and then opening it slowly. If this does fix it, you can sometimes fix it by opening the camera part way and looking at the linkage. If it is opening wrong, helping it by inserting at semi rigid object like a file card can help the linkage move to the correct position.
None of this requires any force -- DO NOT force anything.
Good luck.

Giorgio