Let's hear it for Super Ikontas!

[Stephanie Brim]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Zeiss-Ik...QQcmdZViewItem

Tell me if I'm going to waste my money or not. Hard to tell just by looking at it. I emailed the seller a couple of questions. Even if it doesn't work and I get it, the camera is still a rather good buy.

And by the way, if you want to be really, really nice people you won't bid on this. I've wanted one of these things for so long and this is the exact one I've been looking for. :P

[wlewisiii]

It's a possible. The real question is if you'll be willing to make the fight if the one key claim in that ad is wrong - " bellows ok " . Despite his weasel words, if it isn't light tight you'll have just cause and a need to hammer him. Are you willing to fight that battle? How much of his 100% feedback is because noone wanted to fight it out? (been there, done that, gave the cr*p to goodwill.)

A Super Ikonta is an excellent camera. And 99.99999999999% of the time it is way out of your current situation. Do you _need_ this camera? or simply _want_ it?

I think I'd say that I hope your bid is very low and that someone outbids you. Soon.

Sorry, but that's how it goes some nights.

William

[Stephanie Brim]

Oh yeah, I'd fight. Hard and long. The thing is that I'd be getting it at such a low price that I wouldn't do much more than give him negative feedback. I know that the thing is going to need at least a cleaning before use. I kinda hope someone outbids me, too...but part of me doesn't. My max is only $30 so there isn't much chance of me winning this. If I do, though, I'm going to keel over.

[jlw]

Hmmm, hard to tell considering they don't say ANYTHING about its condition other than that it's rusty (around the camera bed) and that the bellows is OK. The rust makes me wonder if it might have gotten damp... too bad no one has yet invented an eBay Virtual Nose to let you sniff it for mildew!

Incidentally, I'd say this looks like a prewar Super Ikonta B, which means the format is 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 rather than the 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 they say... probably just a typo, and you probably already knew that. The one bad thing I've heard about these is that they were set up for the old thicker spools of 120 film and sometimes slip when using modern films on thinner spools... but that might just be an old photographers' tale...

Good luck on it, and I hope the snipers don't get you!

[jlw]

Hey, Steph, if the Super Ikonta gets away and you really want a folding 6x6 camera, I notice the same seller has a Voigtlander Bessa 66 in his eBay store. No rangefinder on that one, and he says the shutter works "sometimes"... but you might be able to clean that up, and so far it's at a starting price of $9.95 with zero bids!

Neither of these cameras (given the Super Ikonta's condition) is probably nearly as good a picture-taker as the Meopta Flexaret you already have... but you probably already knew that...

[Stephanie Brim]

Yeah. I figured that this was a 'get the camera and have it fixed later' oportunity. Unless it's something I can do myself (CLA and minor things are about the only things I'm actually comfortable doing), I'd have to send it out. The rusting can't be a good thing, but if it's not inside it shouldn't be as much of a problem. The question I asked the seller was about the shutter. I'll see what they say hopefully tomorrow.

[doubs43]

Originally Posted by jlw

Incidentally, I'd say this looks like a prewar Super Ikonta B, which means the format is 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 rather than the 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 they say... Good luck on it, and I hope the snipers don't get you!

I agree. It's 2 1/4 square. The 80mm lens takes the guess work out of it as a 6x9cm format would likely have a 105mm lens.

I also agree that it's unlikely to go for such a low price and considering the lack of real information about it's condition, I believe I'd pass.

Walker

[Gerry M]

I think whoever outbids you (and I'm sure someone will) will be doing you a big favor. Anyway, best of luck on all else.
Gerry

[Mike Kovacs]

That is a Super Ikonta B, 532/16, prewar vintage with an uncoated lens.

I would not consider this camera as a restoration project. It looks really beat. OK if you restore yourself, you have nothing to lose but your own time, but to pay big bucks for a repairman, no way!

It would be a great parts camera though - I need to locate a few screws for mine on the top plate that were amateurishly removed and look ugly now. If you get it and decide its hopeless, I'd like some parts!

Its a intermediate level challenge to repair a Super Ikonta. David Richert's site has some good help for the frame counter and does part of what I did on the lens/rangefinder of mine. (whole shutter had to be rebuilt)

[ZeissFan]

As a user, this wouldn't be my first choice. The 530/16 uses separate windows for focusing and composing. The successor model, the 532/16, is better as a user because it unifies the rangefinder and composing into one window. They otherwise are mechanically similar, if not identical.

I don't like that it has rust inside the camera. That might spell trouble elsewhere. However, at this price it would be worth the gamble.

[Mike Kovacs]

Zeissfan has sharper eyes than me seeing that 3rd window on the front. It is indeed the 530/16 model!

[Solinar]

That one is definitely a beater, which shows years of careless storage or even abuse.

[geraldfinnegan]

It's 6x6, they always eneded with "16" after the model #. I believe the 6x9 ended with "2" (e.g. 524/2)