Ikonta A or Nettax or?

[Lili]

I want to find the smallest, high quality Medium Format Folder I can for the price.
Basically a MF, manual exposure, scale focusing equivalent to my Minox 35GL.
I have seen great stuff done with both Ikonta A's and Nettax's. These are both 6x4.5 cm format. Which is fine for me.
Does anyone have a preference or suggestion?

[connealy]

I have the Ikonta A 520 with the Tessar lens.  It is a great little camera which can often be found at reasonable prices.  Another possibility to consider would be the 6x6 Ikonta 521/16; it is 3/4 inches longer, but about the same weight as the A because of the use of light-weight materials.  The 521/16 can sometimes be found with the Tessar, but the much more common Novar such as the one on mine can also give very good results.  
    Both of my cameras have uncoated lenses, but I don't encounter flare problems if I am careful where I point the camera, and I do have a shade for the A.  It may be possible to get later post-war models with a coated lens, and I believe some of the later Ikonta A also had the same double-exposure prevention feature that is on my 521/16.  
    I find it handy to tape a good depth of field table to the back of my mf cameras, and I get consistently better results using a cable release than I do with the body-mounted shutter buttons.

[Mike Kovacs]

I may have a very clean prewar 6x6 Ikonta 521/16 for sale with Tessar & Compur Rapid shutter if you are interested in buying it.  I also have a nearly mint Voigtlander Perkeo II with a coated Skopar (Tessar type) lens on the way.

Both of course given "the full treatment" by me, not standard ebay trash.

I find with the Ikonta 520 series that I'm clumsy (shooting with too many cameras at once) and often forget about the lack of double exposure prevention.

[Lili]

Conneally,
Thank you for the information!
I would prefer the most pocketable camera psssible.
I had been huntig a Perkeo I or II but they are a bit too expensive lately.
I found both and Ikonta A and Nettar 515 both with Novars, f3.5 and f4.5 respectively.
One seems to have a Compur Rapid shutter and Nettar a Kilo.
How are Kilos?
Both are the same price.
Descisions!

[Lili]

Mike,
That is interesting.
I am leaning toward 6x4.5 but those both are nice cameras
How much for the Ikonta?

[melek]

Another (less convenient) option is the Kodak (Nagel) Duo Six-20. I say "less convenient" because you have to respool. These are 6x4.5 cameras, and I would look for one that has the Kodak Anastigmat lens.

I have an informal comparison of two of these cameras here.

Given your other options, I'd probably select the camera with the Compur. However, it's very likely the shutter will need to be serviced. Once serviced, it will give you much more flexibility in available shutter speeds than the Klio.
The Klio often has a limited range.

[Lili]

Mike,
I *already* respool 120 to 620 for my Mint Kodak Monitor with a lovely, coated, anastigmat special.
I have done some nice work with this camera in Tri-X and Velvia, but it is a bit bigger and way heavier than I would like for and every day *carry* MF folder. But it rocks for landscapes.
The Duo 620s look lovely, nice article too

[Julio1fer]

Lili, the smallest and lightest 6 x 4.5 would probably be a Nettar. IIRC those do not have a rangefinder.  I own a Nettar 515/16 which is the 6x6 version, it is the lightest and most convenient MF folder I have. It has a Novar 3.5  lens which performs well unless you open it up a lot.

If you can afford it, go for an Ikonta A since they usually have a Tessar, a better shutter and a rangefinder. These are very good instruments, built to last. And although you wanted a scale focussing camera, the rangefinder will come often handy if you work with low light or in close up portraits.

Ikontas are a bit bulkier and heavier than Nettars, but still lightweight and convenient cameras IMO.

[Mike Kovacs]

that is not correct - only Super Ikonta and Mess Ikonta have built in rangefinders.

[Lili]

Julio,
Yes the rangefinder does help but it would also put the camera out of my price range . I also want the camera to be as small and light as possible.

[Julio1fer]

Mike, of course you are right. Sorry.

[connealy]

Always a tricky business sorting out the Zeiss cameras because of the many models and the arbitrary model designations.  Mine is the 520 (no suffix) which just has the pop-up viewfinder.  I only paid $25 plus shipping, which was a bit of a fluke.  I think you can still find them, though, for as little as $40.
The Klio on my 521/16 6x6 seems to work ok, though its top speed is just 1/200.  However, the lens has a minimum aperture of f/22, so Tri-X is still an available option.  
The Tessar on the A has a minimum aperture of just f/16, and I think that is the camera's weakest point.  Still a nice shooter, though, as long as you take the time to work within its constraints.

[Mike Kovacs]

The Tessar on my 521/16 goes to f/22.  If I am not mistaken, the 520 uses a shorter focal length than 75, hence the diaphragm may not go small enough for f/22 on an identical sized shutter.

[melek]

Mike C. -- I agree wholeheartedly.

Before me are two Super Ikonta A 531 cameras. Both have prewar Tessars.
One down to f/32, while the other stops down to just f/16. Both have Compur-Rapid shutters. Neither is flash-synchronized.

[Julio1fer]

Lili,

if your decision is between a Nettar (Klio 4.5) and an Ikonta A (Compur 3.5), look for the following:

- Condition. If the Ikonta has mechanical frame counter, look for play in the mechanism or other signs of trouble. Nettar has red window. Look if all shutter speeds work, look if self timer works.  Look for the fastest speed available (combined with the minimum aperture, see below)

- Weight (Nettar should be marginally lighter)

- Aperture. Difference between 3.5 and 4.5 may not be critical, but having f22 available is a plus, not only for using ISO 400 in sunlight but also for DOF (yes, you may need it with a 75 mm lens).

- Price - In their time, Ikontas were supposed to have more features therefore higher price than Nettars. Now it would be mostly a matter of condition if they have the same lens.

Both Ikonta and Nettar as nice cameras, as someone said Zeiss did not build even mediocre cameras!

Good luck and tell us about your decision.