@@ribsy I used to have one of each. The Voigtlander range.. 35 mm Vito, 120 Perkeo and the 6x9 Bessa II. What a beauty! Sold them whtn I got dovorced. :( - Planning on getting a Perko again now I'm on my feet again.
I own two Kodak Tourist folders. 6x9. The first one still had a roll of film in it. I sent the film in and one photo was taken. This was around 1986-7. The photo was of an older lady, dressed like the forties. I know the camera is not that old. But i looked at the photo and I the camera wasca gift, the owner took a photo and never used the camera. It kind of saddened me.
My grandpa bought one when he was in Germany when he was there in the army. Took a lot of photos, made prints and has them to this day. He passed the camera on to me, so I can carry on the family legacy.
I have super isolette and isolettelll cameras with agfa solinar lenses, both are in perfect condition ,giving sharp pictures, with fine depth of field,I don't possess apotar lens model which I will own shortly, these are wonder.models in folder field, Thanks to Agfa,of Germany. Santosh.K.Pareek. Bhawanimandi. Raj. India.
I love my Zeiss Ikon Nettar. Highly recommend a folding camera if you’re thinking of getting into mf. Also, 6x6 negatives are great to work with in the darkroom.
Oh man a chance to gush about the Zeiss iKON Netter! Fantastic camera, there aren't many medium format cameras that fix in a pocket these days. Always gets attention when I flip it out 👍🏻😁
@@themightychippy3756 literally got mine today, and on shot 9 a guy stopped me and we talked about it for a bit. Been with my TLR for about 6 months now and no one batts an eye, I think it's the bellows that makes them stop and talk.
I've just seen one of these that I'm very tempted to buy and this video has told me everything I need to know about it. In particular, that it is an uncoupled rangefinder and it has a great quality lens. Thank you! As for the bellows test, just look through the back of the camera in a darkened room and shine a bright torch on the outside of the bellows. It will save a film. My Kodak No2 Autographic Brownie is riddled with holes!
Definitely with your view on folding cameras. I have a Zeiss Ikon Nettar and it is a great camera. Folding cameras make you work a bit harder for the image but the quality is worth it.
I have a Moskva V 6x9 and a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta (526 I think). And I almost pick the Super Ikonta out every time. Just cannot deny the love for folders (I have Kodak Retina IIIc as well, for 35mm format)
Thanks for this video! Always wanted to dip into medium format but seemed too heavy and expensive (both cameras and film). My only fear of old folders were the bellows but you have addressed that one so no excuses left!
Uh! Nice to see you rocking an Agfa camera. I recently picked up a Agfa Record II which shoots beautiful 6x9 negatives. But alas, she is cursed with the infamous Agfa green grease so the focusing doesn't work. Apparently the lens groups are fairly easy to dissasemble and clean to get her working again. I'll have to try that soon! Nice and interesting video as always, keep it up!
Thanks for the review! Compact medium format experience looks like a blast! I don't know how hard is it to find in GB, but you may want to try Moskva-5 camera. It's a 6x9 folding rangefinder (within the viewfinder) with optional 6x6 frame. Don't own one myself for now but most probably will own it sooner or later, they're rather abundant in here.
You used to find these in various states of working condition for about $20. Several decades ago, I got mine, exactly like his here, for $15 at a swap meet. The lens focus was tight (like all of those pre-1960s Agfa lenses lubed with whale oil). The rangefinder was slow and sticky. Being jammed full of beach sand, I'd guess so. And the bellow had a mystery light leak. I cleaned and relubed the lens threads with silicon (no whale on hand). I removed the top plate, unpack a half century of dirt and sand, then relubed the rangefinder parts. All this is quite easy to do because the camera build is so simple. I lucked out finding for $5 a mechanically trashed Isolette with a good condition leather bellows to replace the plastic and paper bellows on my camera. 20 minutes later and my Isolettte III with Apotar, the best quality of triplet sold on these cameras, was ready to go. Do I use it much? No. If I am driven to shoot a folder, my "go to" is a fully rebuilt Fuji GS645, which has an amazing lens with a coupled meter and rangefinder.
The best 6x6 folder ever made: Super Isolette - f3.5 Solinar lens, 1-1/500 second shutter, coupled rangefinder and automatic frame indexing (no red window!). Got mine in a charity (thrift) shop for almost nothing.
Thanks for the folder love. My daily driver and favorite film camera is the best kept medium format secret out there, the Moskva-4. It's a Soviet Knockoff of the Zeiss Super Ikonta, complete with a coupled rangefinder but at a quarter of the price. It's cheap as dirt, built like a tank, and I get 6x9 negatives rivaling those from a Fuji GL690, all from a camera that fits in my pocket. It has the sharpest film lens I've ever seen; it beats my Mamiys C330 lenses hands down and even rivals my RF lenses. All in a camera that cost me less than $60 US! And there also doesn't seem to be a shortage of 120 film yet.
I picked up a nice little Ikon Nettar med format online for cheap. No rangefinder though so it does add that extra element , which is one of the reasons I started shooting film (I came to photography as a digital thing). Really enjoying your videos too, and seeing people shooting in familiar places is always good.
I mean, technically, you could draw a size distinction between your 6x6 folding camera and a smaller 6x4.5 folding camera. I have a larger 6x9 folding camera and, while it's relatively light and compact, I would not really consider just putting it in my shorts pocket or jacket pocket. That would not be comfortable.
While not as compact, I love my Fujifilm GS645. Now you have me looking at another camera. Uh, oh. Found your channel whenn researching Neg Lab Pro and enjoy every video of yours I've seen. Subscribed and alerted.
I have 533 Super Ikonta with the f3.5 Novar lens. It produces first rate negatives, but only if stopped down beyond f8. This is not a hurdle if you shoot ASA 400 film. I shoot this film exclusively.
Folders are sleek,portable and full of features embadded inside a small compact element attached with the bellow bearing a sharp lens,these cameras are small but full of majic hidden inside, the pocatable size make them loving by crazy by the travel bugs in the photography field, Folders are Marvel cameras inthe field of photographic gadgets, SKPareek Bhawanimandi Raj India
Cool review. I been looking for a fun walk around pocket folding bellow camera. I’ve only used the Voigtlander Bessa II 6x9. Im looking for a 6x7 & 6x6 with good usable linked rangefinder for closer. Something wider than f3.5 if so. What folding cameras come to mind ?
Ok I've only just come on this. I had a Mamiya C33 which I gave to my daughter (but she doesn't use it so I may reclaim it) which is 6x6 and chunky, converted to a Brownie 620 which does lovely 6x9 negs but is a bit limiting and now have just bought (in a jumble sale) a 1934 Lumière folder (also 6x9) which I'm looking forward to putting some film through (when the weather cools enough for developing). I love 6x9, poor man's large format!
Another great video. I regularly shoot with my grandfather's Agfa Record II, a 6x9 folder. The negatives are amazing, especially b/w works well with those old lenses. And it's cool to shoot the same camera as he used 70yrs ago. Try the Isolette with Delta 3200. Using the Agfa was my reason the buy a Fuji GS45Pro, a "modern" folder.
Wonderful video and super images. Agree with your take on folders. I've got 4. A Kodak Retina IIIc that was my dad's (35mm). Last year I picked up three: a Wester Autorol, a Super Fujica-6 (both 6x6), and a Moskva 6x9 (have had a roll developed yet on this0. I have these mostly, as you say, they are super cool cameras, especially the 6x6. Super convenient and portable (they are not Pentax 67) and they take great photos. Can't discount the nostalgia either.
I used one of these (Zeiss Ikon Nettar) during my conscript year because it fit the vest perfectly and could take the freezing cold and beating. Plenty of rolls of HP5 and Portra 160 went through it. Metered at sunny16 of course, no light meters ;)
Great video. I have a few medium format folders and love them. Mine are all rangefinders but there isn't a huge size difference between the RF models and the viewfinder models. I have the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 532/16 (6X6 format), the Mamiya-6-V folder from the 1950s (takes 6X6 or 6X4.5), and the Super Fujica Six (maybe one of the best MF folders ever made, in my opinion). Love them all. I also love the 35mm folders, like the Kodak Retinas and the Voigtlander Vitessa (with the "barn doors"). Very tiny cameras and easily carried in a pocket.
Great video! Folding cameras are marvels of engineering. My smallest one is a Konishiroku (Konica) Pearl III, which shoots 6x4.5. It has a coupled rangefinder and an very sharp Hexar 75mm f3.5 lens and I love it.
Dude your videos are fricken awesome! You definitely played a big part in me buying my Yashica D. I swear if you keep up this quality the sky is the limit. I was using your "darkroom printing AT HOME" video while choosing chemicals the other day. Can't wait to see you get the recognition you and your channel deserve PS 4th photo at 5:03 was my favourite, the contrast is incredible and the juxtaposition of serene water against the busy town is perfect
I use Agfa jsorated 1936 to shoot a picture. This camara is older and some of leather bellow is broken and adjust system in lens is stuck. When i got after set to CLA and take to some shoot in 4.5x6 it's have a great photos. very sharp and and feel good for old aponta uncoatind lens. And this this is the lightweight to carry and eazy to put in my pocket after usd. So this is a good camara for someone who don't want to carry some a bit more weight camera and this easy to put into pocket after usd
Greetings from Acapulco, Perú, new to Ribsy. Glad to find another so photographically obsessed. I agree with your assessment on the portability of folders. I long for Kodak 616 film. I am always fascinated by where in the world youtubers post from. A window into another's reality. On a selfish note, may I suggest you talk a bit about the locale you find yourself in? The name of the village (I may have missed you saying), it's history maybe and where you ate while there? A voice-over while viewing your photos? It's a picturesque place. A good presentation Ribsy.
Rigsby, I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for a good job on covering this camera in depth. I have been thinking of getting a vintage folding camera and your video convinced me to go online and purchase an Agfa Isolette III like the one featured in your video. I am excited and can't wait to get it. (It's coming from Korea to California where I am located) and run some film through it. I am curious what your film stock was for your images. The images look great!
Lol...Watched your TLR video, got all " in" to that camera. Here. Another kind of camera, lol, which I am looking at right now. Voightlander and Russian. You havecan Agfa, will look them over.
The Isolette is probably the worst folder to recommend. The bellows on most of these is shot to hell. Unless you are super lucky to get one of the very few with actual leather bellows, that never break unless vandalized. The focus helicoid is also always stuck because of the godawful crayon cement Agfa used as a lubricant. Wonderful camera when is does work though. But it could end up costing you a lot more than you’d think.
I started MF with an Agfa Isolette II with a Solinar F/3.5 75mm lens. I have added a Mamiya C3 with a few lenses. You can guess which one I take hiking ;)
I bought an Isolette II on eBay. It's a gamble. I did take a bright flashlight into a pitch black room, opened the back of the camera, and shined the light all around the bellows. Seems to be light tight. Now I need to load it with film and try it out.
The borders are nice. I have a Franka Solida III, and the camera in this video. Unfortunately...all I have done is get them in shape and read the manuals.
Many great folders out there, some very affordable. But beware, bellows are a weak spot, and can leak light. Some brands had great bellows that are still good - others are terrible.
Love it. Been a fan of folding cameras almost , my whole life. Can't beat their compactness. Gaffers tape, or photographers tape are a must for bellows repair. Stay away from glues. They eventually crack and leak light again. Just my experience.
I just bought a zeiss ikon nettar for £10 take a bit of getting used to but I am enjoying it but saying that I enjoy all my cameras including my Holga lol 😂
Hey brah...how did you manage to wind-on the colour film without opening the red window at back...and if you did, then why did it not affect the film ?
Totally unfair to this seagull who was just trying to help you out with your video: she moved the camera so you could be dead center and improve the composition.
I have a couple of folders , nettar 6x9 nettar 6x6 . Yes the glass is great , yes they pack away BUT they can be very limiting and tricky to use . Framing images through the tiny viewfinder is very hit and miss . They have incredibly limited apertures and pathetic range of shutter speeds , my fastest shutter is 1-200 th I still use them but I would say shooting a hassy or Pentax 67 or even large format is simpler in comparison ( but they didn't cost me £35 !) For better exposures I end up shooting slow films on a tripod in low light , I get better results if my exposures can be measured in seconds rather than fractions of a second
i think you are really selling these cameras short. they don't have all the bells and whistles of more modern/expensive cameras but they are quite capable. using the entire aperture range as determined by the light will give you plenty of functionality. i can see what you mean but that's part of the fun imo
Hello! I've loved photography since I was a kid but I've been shooting with digital cameras for the past 20 plus years. I really wanted to shoot with film again so I've bought an Agfa Billy I and Ilford film. It really is a joy. Just wanted to share this! ♥ Have a nice day everyone.
@@ribsy Thank you, I think so too! I also really enjoyed your documentary video in which you visited the Ilford company. It gives such interesting insight into how film is made.
I don't know why but I keep watching videos about medium format stuff but then remember that my developing tank is only for 35mm film and my enlarger only works for 127 film and smaller.
I had a Voigtlander Perkeo 1 with colour Skopar lens ! But Voigtlander Bessa 2 is the best 6/9 camera with Heliar lens which is used in Linhof Technika cameras.
I have a Perkeo I with the Vaskar and it’s honestly given me really good color results! I’d love to figure out a way to upgrade the shutter, though, I have the basic one that does 1/30-1/200 but I think it’ll be perfect with Gold.
Thanks for this great primer to folding medium format cameras. I'm using, and highly recommend, a super ikonta 532/16 (6x6) with the 2.8 8cm Tessar lens, and in mid f-stop it's as good my Hasselblad. I'm also using a Kodak Medalist ii 6x9 converted to 120 format. These produce images well beyond my 35mm negatives, including my M with 50 sonnar. Thanks again for opening up this option to many people.
I just found one of these agfa isolette cameras in a vintage shop for around 10 dollars, found this video to hear about what I bought and now I'm honestly hyped for getting this working and learning to use it. (Bought it mostly because it looked awesome and had a little leather case to hang around the neck)
With Zone focus cameras I actually use the handheld range finder which can also be mounted in the cold shoe if the camera has one. I have a Kodak Pony 135 which is a 35 mm camera what is strictly Zone Focus. If you're taking a photo of something close up accident awkward spot. I would recommend taking a few pictures just in case you must focus on one of them. I missed focus on some flowers that were close to the ground and it kind of looked like an abstract painting. That was kind of a happy accident. The other photo of the flowers wearing Focus.
Did you shoot this on one of the newer canon sensors or a Blackmagic 4k? skin tones look a lot nicer than in previous videos, dynamic range also your highlights are nicely exposed with shadows inside also.
@@ribsy I thought it was Blackmagic, has that tone, Ive had a few so got a good eye for their tones. Log out of the box on a 4k or 6k is the best skin you can get for a grand out of any camera, that isn't arri or red obviously...hands down.
bought a mamiya 6 online, got the camera, opened it up only to find out that there were a million tiny wholes on the bellow. the mental damage was so bad that i decided to stay away from folding cameras period.
Good work Ribs been watching your vids for a while and I thought I was subscribed turns out I wasn't. Am now. I'm Cornish. Live in Dublin. It was fun it see you in St Ives and I think Mousehole? Congratulations on just killing it was the photography. Come over to Dublin for a pint of Guinness and a chat I'll show you around if you like. Take you to some cool places for pics 😉
I inherited a Kodak Tourist II and I love it. Took it out for (my) first light in September at Yellowstone. There are DEFINITELY quirks to operating one but I love taking pictures with it and the huge 6x9 negatives are amazing.
@@ribsy Hope my parents can dig it out somewhere after 35 years. At an age of 7 I certainly didn't have an idea of how capable the thing was. Have to say though, I became hooked with SLRs soon after - just made so much more sense to me to see what the film plane was seeing.
Love those portable medium formats! I don't have one of these but I converted a Kodak Jiffy to 35mm just becausethe thing was too classy to pass, and swear by my Moskva 5 because soviet complexities are just too... Idk... irrationally addictive to pass??
Pretty Isolette! I've been a big user of folding medium format cameras over the years ... From the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta (in 645, 6x6, and 6x9 formats) to the petite and beautiful Balda Baldix 6x6, had a bunch of them, all very enjoyable and produced lovely photographs. My current one, the one I kept after having all the others, is a Voigtländer Perkeo II - 6x6, probably one of the best build quality of them all, very compact and light, and a superb, coated Color-Skopar 80mm f/3.5 lens. Scale focus only, but I have the clip-on Voigtländer rangefinder for when its needed. I also have the Voigtländer Kontour accessory finder for it, which make viewing and framing even with glasses on a breeze. Scale focusing (that is, focus by estimating the distance) simply takes practice. I've done mostly portraits and close ups with the Perkeo, usually don't carry the rangefinder, and focus via the DoF scale and judging the distance. One can become extremely accurate with practice. This photo was made in a wine tasting room at the Vena Cava winery in Guadalupe Valley of Mexico, April 2021 ... I had HP5 in the camera, rated at EI 320, and set f/4 @ 1/2 second exposure. The distance was about 5'. I stabilized the camera on a table... flic.kr/p/2kZ3syq I love shooting with this camera ... on that trip, I took this camera and a Polaroid SX-70 (and my iPhone). It was all that was needed. :) Keep up the good work! I enjoy your videos a lot. G
You should go for the one with the Solinar instead of the Apotar. The first one is the much better performer overall. Also, as a beginner do not go for a folder as your very first camera because of the lacking parallax correction. This can cause a lot of frustration after long shootig-day. Just take a Rolleicord instead. These're also cheap and're much easier to handle. If you get more confidence after a certain time using vintage gear then you definitely should try out an folder. They're really great cameras for their size.
Ribsy you have to check out the Agfa Record III which basically is a 6x9 version from the same era. My Record III came with the TOTL Solinar lens which eqals the most expensive Voigtlander and Zeiss lenses. Lovely camera.
For those considering buying a folder, most if not all will have issues with the bellows due to just how old they are. Most will have light leaks and/or cracked bellows. This will generally cost you $300+ to repair so make sure you are ready for this cost when buying one
I do love me a good folder. The biggest problem is that it's easy to just find yourself collecting them cause there were so many haha A nice thing about folders is that with the exception of 6x7 (which is the newer pricy kid on the block) you can try out a bunch of different formats. There are folders in 6x45, 6x6 (most common I think) and 6x9. In fact I'd say there's no cheaper way to try 6x9 other than buying an inexpensive folder like a Franka or Nettar etc and 6x45 folders like the Zeiss Ikons are so small and adorable Honestly when it comes to folders I almost want to say get the best lens you can in the simplest folder possible because features like auto stopping film wind and multi exposure prevention etc only seems to be prone to failing on me lmao. Thankfully usually not overly complicated folders are very serviceable by experts and imo it's always worth keeping them alive. Also I do want to say the viewfinders on folders are often very small and hard to use especially if they have a combined rangefinder (1 actual advantage of having a not connected rangefinder lol). I think if you are going to use a folder it's worthwhile investing in an external viewfinder and ofc also an external rangefinder if yours is zone focus only. My favorite folder is the Bessa 2 which is well very pricy but I love the engineering. My Mamiya 6 is a fantastic 6x6 and my Zeiss Ikon 531 6x45 is so compact and cute.
Folding cameras are a great way to shoot medium format. inexpensive and excellent quality of image for such a small lens. I like them so much .I own 4 6x6 and one 6x9 . Take a small table top tripod and a pocket full of film and a folding camera and you can go anywhere and get amazing photos.
You are so right, Ribsy. I use a 6x6 Nettar but recently bought a 6x9 Ikonta which I personally think is the best compromise. The built-in rangefinder is so clear and bright and makes it truly pocketable, as where the Nettar needs an external rangefinder. With an external rangefinder the camera won't go in the case or in my pocket. The quality of the pictures is amazing, I've shot two rolls with it (you only get 8 shots on a roll) and each roll has delivered a Flickr "Explore" award, amazing for a 70 year old camera! Like yours, my rangefinder is uncoupled. I know the Super Ikonta has a coupled rangefinder but it also has part of the mechanism at the end of the lens and I worry it will get knocked out of alignment, I think the uncoupled rangefinder is perfectly good.
Great work with this camera. Awesome images. I have one, not the same brand, but it was given to me in 1968 and I have shot hundreds of rolls through mine. Keep posting your great work.
Nice video. The folding 6x6cm camera shooting 120 roll film was a creature of the 1950s. It's design weakness is that if the front (lens) of the camera is hit hard when open, it can bend or break the struts which hold the lens aligned with the film. After that issue, the image will not focus properly on the film and any repair is far more costly than replacing the camera. I happen to have an Isolette III exactly like his here. I paid $15 at a swap meet with a case. (Note that these cameras have no lugs for a neck strap, so if you want to use a neck strap, you have to use a case.) Mine had sluggish focusing and stiff lens focus. I cleaned and relubed the lens focus threads. I popped the top deck and removed a ton of old grease filled with beach sand (yuck). I discovered light leaks in the bellows from pinholes, lots of pin holes. I tried sealing the holes with "stuff", and that worked, sort of. One day I discovered an old, trashed Ansco folder in a photo shop junk bin for $5. Ansco was owned by Agfa, and Agfa relabeled their cameras as "Ansco:" for sale in the US. The labelled Agfa Isolette III uses a cheap, plastic bellows. When sold as an Ansco, they used a high quality leather bellows, which was perfect on my junker. One bellows swap later, and my Isolette was in "like new" condition. Frankly, the Isolette III was not a high water mark in quality camera production. The shutter was the slower, cheaper model put on low cost cameras to save money. The lens is a triplet (3 element), which was even then being phased out in favor of the better Zeiss Tessar (4 element) lens or one of its many copies. However, the Apotar, with a longer 85mm focal length, and its slow 4.5 aperture, does a great job if, as he says here, you stick to small f-stops (8.0 -16) and keep your subject out there over 15 feet or so. If you want to go "all in" for a camera like this, look for an Afga Super Isolette or a similar Voigtlander model. Thereafter, there is the Zeiss Super Ikonta B or one of the several versions of Mamiya 6 (the newer the better). These have all of the features and highest quality lenses, but except for the Mamiya, they demand a collector's price, many times as much as an Isolette which can deliver nearly the same photo.
Great video presentation. I have an Agfa Isolette and love it, but I think the Kodak 66 Models 2 and 3 are even better (I have one of each). I shoot B&W and get amazing quality with all of those early folders.
Love my 1959 Mockva-5 6x9 (Soviet clone of the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta.) Very sharp and contrasty lens for the period. Coupled rangefinder makes it. Great video as usual!
I have an old Zeiss Ikon 520/16 from 1937, it is the low end model from the line with a max shutter speed of 125. There are higher end versions of this one that can go up to 1/500 but harder to find and more expensive. It's a 6x6, with Novar lens and aperture can go from f4.5 to f32. Shorter distance is 1.2m The pictures are great, with a kind of twirl/round bokeh but otherwise really sharp. I love this camera. For the moment I used it mostly with XP2 since it's a film that can be really forgiving and can handle technically from iso 50 to 800.
I recently found and restored a Kodak Jr Six-16. gotta be from the 20s. it uses 616 film (easily adaptable to 120) and takes insane ~6x10cm negatives. I actually put a roll of 35mm through it for some extremely wide panoramic images
I am a huge fan of old folders!!! I especially love 6x9 cameras, a little bigger that the 6x6 but LOVE those negatives!!!
Yea 6x9 is huge
@@ribsy I used to have one of each. The Voigtlander range.. 35 mm Vito, 120 Perkeo and the 6x9 Bessa II. What a beauty! Sold them whtn I got dovorced. :( - Planning on getting a Perko again now I'm on my feet again.
I own two Kodak Tourist folders. 6x9. The first one still had a roll of film in it. I sent the film in and one photo was taken. This was around 1986-7. The photo was of an older lady, dressed like the forties. I know the camera is not that old. But i looked at the photo and I the camera wasca gift, the owner took a photo and never used the camera. It kind of saddened me.
My grandpa bought one when he was in Germany when he was there in the army. Took a lot of photos, made prints and has them to this day. He passed the camera on to me, so I can carry on the family legacy.
that's amazing. def keep that forever. i want to see the prints
I have super isolette and isolettelll cameras with agfa solinar lenses, both are in perfect condition ,giving sharp pictures, with fine depth of field,I don't possess apotar lens model which I will own shortly, these are wonder.models in folder field, Thanks to Agfa,of Germany.
Santosh.K.Pareek. Bhawanimandi. Raj. India.
I love my Zeiss Ikon Nettar. Highly recommend a folding camera if you’re thinking of getting into mf. Also, 6x6 negatives are great to work with in the darkroom.
Fully agree!
I second that. I own 3 Nettars and I really love them. The portability is a great perk too.
Oh man a chance to gush about the Zeiss iKON Netter! Fantastic camera, there aren't many medium format cameras that fix in a pocket these days. Always gets attention when I flip it out 👍🏻😁
@@themightychippy3756 literally got mine today, and on shot 9 a guy stopped me and we talked about it for a bit. Been with my TLR for about 6 months now and no one batts an eye, I think it's the bellows that makes them stop and talk.
I've just seen one of these that I'm very tempted to buy and this video has told me everything I need to know about it. In particular, that it is an uncoupled rangefinder and it has a great quality lens. Thank you! As for the bellows test, just look through the back of the camera in a darkened room and shine a bright torch on the outside of the bellows. It will save a film. My Kodak No2 Autographic Brownie is riddled with holes!
Enjoy
Definitely with your view on folding cameras. I have a Zeiss Ikon Nettar and it is a great camera. Folding cameras make you work a bit harder for the image but the quality is worth it.
Yea the manual process is worth it!
I have a Moskva V 6x9 and a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta (526 I think). And I almost pick the Super Ikonta out every time. Just cannot deny the love for folders (I have Kodak Retina IIIc as well, for 35mm format)
Very cool!
Thanks for this video! Always wanted to dip into medium format but seemed too heavy and expensive (both cameras and film). My only fear of old folders were the bellows but you have addressed that one so no excuses left!
na def get into it!
Give Fuji GA645 pro a shot, I had it for several rolls and it was fantastic
Uh! Nice to see you rocking an Agfa camera. I recently picked up a Agfa Record II which shoots beautiful 6x9 negatives. But alas, she is cursed with the infamous Agfa green grease so the focusing doesn't work. Apparently the lens groups are fairly easy to dissasemble and clean to get her working again. I'll have to try that soon!
Nice and interesting video as always, keep it up!
ouch! def worth working on it
Thanks for the review! Compact medium format experience looks like a blast! I don't know how hard is it to find in GB, but you may want to try Moskva-5 camera. It's a 6x9 folding rangefinder (within the viewfinder) with optional 6x6 frame. Don't own one myself for now but most probably will own it sooner or later, they're rather abundant in here.
Yea they are tons of fun!
You used to find these in various states of working condition for about $20. Several decades ago, I got mine, exactly like his here, for $15 at a swap meet. The lens focus was tight (like all of those pre-1960s Agfa lenses lubed with whale oil). The rangefinder was slow and sticky. Being jammed full of beach sand, I'd guess so. And the bellow had a mystery light leak. I cleaned and relubed the lens threads with silicon (no whale on hand). I removed the top plate, unpack a half century of dirt and sand, then relubed the rangefinder parts. All this is quite easy to do because the camera build is so simple. I lucked out finding for $5 a mechanically trashed Isolette with a good condition leather bellows to replace the plastic and paper bellows on my camera. 20 minutes later and my Isolettte III with Apotar, the best quality of triplet sold on these cameras, was ready to go. Do I use it much? No. If I am driven to shoot a folder, my "go to" is a fully rebuilt Fuji GS645, which has an amazing lens with a coupled meter and rangefinder.
Thanks for the great video! Kinda need an Agfa Isolette now ;)
LOL do it!
I have a hybrid, the Fuji GS645 folder. Fully manual, but has a meter. Awesome for travel!
Great video, a folder is how I started!
Yea those cameras are great!
The best 6x6 folder ever made: Super Isolette - f3.5 Solinar lens, 1-1/500 second shutter, coupled rangefinder and automatic frame indexing (no red window!). Got mine in a charity (thrift) shop for almost nothing.
yea any of the 'super cameras' are usually the best
My Isolette II has that lens on it. Beautiful piece of glass.
Thanks for the folder love. My daily driver and favorite film camera is the best kept medium format secret out there, the Moskva-4. It's a Soviet Knockoff of the Zeiss Super Ikonta, complete with a coupled rangefinder but at a quarter of the price. It's cheap as dirt, built like a tank, and I get 6x9 negatives rivaling those from a Fuji GL690, all from a camera that fits in my pocket. It has the sharpest film lens I've ever seen; it beats my Mamiys C330 lenses hands down and even rivals my RF lenses. All in a camera that cost me less than $60 US! And there also doesn't seem to be a shortage of 120 film yet.
Oh that sounds like a good one. I’ll have to look it up
I picked up a nice little Ikon Nettar med format online for cheap. No rangefinder though so it does add that extra element , which is one of the reasons I started shooting film (I came to photography as a digital thing). Really enjoying your videos too, and seeing people shooting in familiar places is always good.
thanks for watching
I mean, technically, you could draw a size distinction between your 6x6 folding camera and a smaller 6x4.5 folding camera. I have a larger 6x9 folding camera and, while it's relatively light and compact, I would not really consider just putting it in my shorts pocket or jacket pocket. That would not be comfortable.
I have a 6x9 as well and it def fits in the same pockets! Haha
While not as compact, I love my Fujifilm GS645. Now you have me looking at another camera. Uh, oh. Found your channel whenn researching Neg Lab Pro and enjoy every video of yours I've seen. Subscribed and alerted.
oh yea thats a great folder!
I love my GS645 as well - it would be tough to beat by most any other folder. Mine is actually off to get a CLA - could be its first. ;)
Thanks, Ribsy. Now I have to find one!!!!
haha you def should
Thank you Ribsy, very informative video.
Since you have also the Zeiss Ikon Ikonta Novar, which one you think is better in term of photo quality?
i have a zeiss ikon netter. don't know anything about the novar - sorry
@@ribsy apologies I mean you Zeiss Ikon the one you made a video sometimes before, which one you think is better the Agfa of the Zeiss Ikon?
I have 533 Super Ikonta with the f3.5 Novar lens. It produces first rate negatives, but only if stopped down beyond f8. This is not a hurdle if you shoot ASA 400 film. I shoot this film exclusively.
Folders are sleek,portable and full of features embadded inside a small compact element attached with the bellow bearing a sharp lens,these cameras are small but full of majic hidden inside, the pocatable size make them loving by crazy by the travel bugs in the photography field, Folders are Marvel cameras inthe field of photographic gadgets, SKPareek Bhawanimandi Raj India
Cool review. I been looking for a fun walk around pocket folding bellow camera. I’ve only used the Voigtlander Bessa II 6x9. Im looking for a 6x7 & 6x6 with good usable linked rangefinder for closer. Something wider than f3.5 if so.
What folding cameras come to mind ?
Ok I've only just come on this. I had a Mamiya C33 which I gave to my daughter (but she doesn't use it so I may reclaim it) which is 6x6 and chunky, converted to a Brownie 620 which does lovely 6x9 negs but is a bit limiting and now have just bought (in a jumble sale) a 1934 Lumière folder (also 6x9) which I'm looking forward to putting some film through (when the weather cools enough for developing). I love 6x9, poor man's large format!
I have two of those. I liked the first one and brought another in case I wanted to shoot B&W AND color, or to compare films, etc.
Another great video. I regularly shoot with my grandfather's Agfa Record II, a 6x9 folder. The negatives are amazing, especially b/w works well with those old lenses. And it's cool to shoot the same camera as he used 70yrs ago. Try the Isolette with Delta 3200. Using the Agfa was my reason the buy a Fuji GS45Pro, a "modern" folder.
That’s the best part - they are so old!
Wonderful video and super images. Agree with your take on folders. I've got 4. A Kodak Retina IIIc that was my dad's (35mm). Last year I picked up three: a Wester Autorol, a Super Fujica-6 (both 6x6), and a Moskva 6x9 (have had a roll developed yet on this0. I have these mostly, as you say, they are super cool cameras, especially the 6x6. Super convenient and portable (they are not Pentax 67) and they take great photos. Can't discount the nostalgia either.
Thanks for the info 😀
What ISO film are you using outside? Thanks in advance
When I eventually get a Medium Format, this is exactly the type of camera I want.
Better hurry. Prices on these are shooting up.
Definitely ! Jump in
I used one of these (Zeiss Ikon Nettar) during my conscript year because it fit the vest perfectly and could take the freezing cold and beating. Plenty of rolls of HP5 and Portra 160 went through it. Metered at sunny16 of course, no light meters ;)
Oh wow! That’s pretty cool
I have a Zeiss Ikon Nettar (518/16) and I must say, for the price it's really good. Great video!
such a good price for the value
I have the Isolette II and i love it. Perfect for shooting medium format outside while e.g. hiking 😄
yea definitely agree!
Great video. I have a few medium format folders and love them. Mine are all rangefinders but there isn't a huge size difference between the RF models and the viewfinder models. I have the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 532/16 (6X6 format), the Mamiya-6-V folder from the 1950s (takes 6X6 or 6X4.5), and the Super Fujica Six (maybe one of the best MF folders ever made, in my opinion). Love them all. I also love the 35mm folders, like the Kodak Retinas and the Voigtlander Vitessa (with the "barn doors"). Very tiny cameras and easily carried in a pocket.
tiny and capable!
Great video! Folding cameras are marvels of engineering.
My smallest one is a Konishiroku (Konica) Pearl III, which shoots 6x4.5. It has a coupled rangefinder and an very sharp Hexar 75mm f3.5 lens and I love it.
They are such a marvel!
Dude your videos are fricken awesome! You definitely played a big part in me buying my Yashica D. I swear if you keep up this quality the sky is the limit. I was using your "darkroom printing AT HOME" video while choosing chemicals the other day. Can't wait to see you get the recognition you and your channel deserve
PS 4th photo at 5:03 was my favourite, the contrast is incredible and the juxtaposition of serene water against the busy town is perfect
Thank you for the comment!
I use Agfa jsorated 1936 to shoot a picture. This camara is older and some of leather bellow is broken and adjust system in lens is stuck. When i got after set to CLA and take to some shoot in 4.5x6 it's have a great photos. very sharp and and feel good for old aponta uncoatind lens. And this this is the lightweight to carry and eazy to put in my pocket after usd.
So this is a good camara for someone who don't want to carry some a bit more weight camera and this easy to put into pocket after usd
Totally agree! Perfectly lightweight
Greetings from Acapulco, Perú, new to Ribsy. Glad to find another so photographically obsessed. I agree with your assessment on the portability of folders. I long for Kodak 616 film. I am always fascinated by where in the world youtubers post from. A window into another's reality. On a selfish note, may I suggest you talk a bit about the locale you find yourself in? The name of the village (I may have missed you saying), it's history maybe and where you ate while there? A voice-over while viewing your photos? It's a picturesque place. A good presentation Ribsy.
Thanks for watching!
Your friends ...Seagull ＆ Agfa 😁
haha yup best friends
Rigsby, I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for a good job on covering this camera in depth. I have been thinking of getting a vintage folding camera and your video convinced me to go online and purchase an Agfa Isolette III like the one featured in your video. I am excited and can't wait to get it. (It's coming from Korea to California where I am located) and run some film through it. I am curious what your film stock was for your images. The images look great!
Hope you got one and are enjoying it
Thanks for the video! As a boy, I had a cheap TLR and I’m in the middle of fixing an old Nikon 35mm, but the medium format sounds really interesting!
Yea medium format is a lot of fun
Lol...Watched your TLR video, got all " in" to that camera. Here. Another kind of camera, lol, which I am looking at right now. Voightlander and Russian. You havecan Agfa, will look them over.
There are lots of amazing cameras 😅
What do you personally think of the Agfa Billy I from the 1930s?
Oh I dunno
Great video and channel. I actually like the Isolettte III better than the Super. Some Isolette III came with the Solinar and Compur shutter.
Thanks for sharing!
Nice video, I've just bought a mint condition Zeiss Ikon Nettar according to the serial number it was made between 1935-36 and got it for £30.
Wow amazing!
The Isolette is probably the worst folder to recommend.
The bellows on most of these is shot to hell.
Unless you are super lucky to get one of the very few with actual leather bellows, that never break unless vandalized.
The focus helicoid is also always stuck because of the godawful crayon cement Agfa used as a lubricant.
Wonderful camera when is does work though. But it could end up costing you a lot more than you’d think.
i wasn't specifically recommending the isolette. this is more about folding cameras in general
I started MF with an Agfa Isolette II with a Solinar F/3.5 75mm lens. I have added a Mamiya C3 with a few lenses. You can guess which one I take hiking ;)
Haha yup
I bought an Isolette II on eBay. It's a gamble. I did take a bright flashlight into a pitch black room, opened the back of the camera, and shined the light all around the bellows. Seems to be light tight. Now I need to load it with film and try it out.
good luck
The borders are nice.
I have a Franka Solida III, and the camera in this video.
Unfortunately...all I have done is get them in shape and read the manuals.
you can take them out soon!
Many great folders out there, some very affordable. But beware, bellows are a weak spot, and can leak light. Some brands had great bellows that are still good - others are terrible.
Yea the bellows can be a problem
Love it. Been a fan of folding cameras almost , my whole life. Can't beat their compactness. Gaffers tape, or photographers tape are a must for bellows repair. Stay away from glues. They eventually crack and leak light again. Just my experience.
I love my Agfa Isolette iii for all the reasons you outlined. Mine had been refurbished with new bellows so should be good to go for a few years yet!
oh nice!
I just bought a zeiss ikon nettar for £10 take a bit of getting used to but I am enjoying it but saying that I enjoy all my cameras including my Holga lol 😂
Yea def worth the 10 quid!
Hey brah...how did you manage to wind-on the colour film without opening the red window at back...and if you did, then why did it not affect the film ?
The film backing paper protects it from light. But you also want to minimize the amount of time that the window is open
Totally unfair to this seagull who was just trying to help you out with your video: she moved the camera so you could be dead center and improve the composition.
Haha fair point!
Wow, those pictures are amazing. Kudos. What film did you use?
Oh I don’t remember
I have a couple of folders , nettar 6x9 nettar 6x6 . Yes the glass is great , yes they pack away BUT they can be very limiting and tricky to use . Framing images through the tiny viewfinder is very hit and miss . They have incredibly limited apertures and pathetic range of shutter speeds , my fastest shutter is 1-200 th
I still use them but I would say shooting a hassy or Pentax 67 or even large format is simpler in comparison ( but they didn't cost me £35 !)
For better exposures I end up shooting slow films on a tripod in low light , I get better results if my exposures can be measured in seconds rather than fractions of a second
i think you are really selling these cameras short. they don't have all the bells and whistles of more modern/expensive cameras but they are quite capable. using the entire aperture range as determined by the light will give you plenty of functionality. i can see what you mean but that's part of the fun imo
Damn good video...I sure love all my folding cameras, and that Solinar lens is equal to any Tessar lens!
thanks for watching
I got the old Isolette I from my dad. It works. Not super sharp, but a good camera from 1937.
Nice!
I noticed that your focus dial was a little stiff. Any suggestions in making this better? I have one as well that’s quite tight
Yea mine is stiff. Apparently you can dissemble and lubricate
Any good camera shops in London for old used cameras? I’ll be there in June for a couple weeks.
oh yea lots! go to the one in camden
@@ribsy perfect thank you
I think that seagull was just trying to center you in the frame. Everyone's a critic. lol
Hahaha that’s a great comment
Justo mañana ensayaré esta cámara. Has creado un nuevo seguidor. Un gran abrazo desde Suramérica!
Gracias! Bienvenidos
Cool videos, Risby. I tune in every week. I agree about the folders. I have a Zeiss Ikon and a Mamiya 6.
Thanks for watching
Funnily enough I have been thinking about folding cameras lately.
yea def get one!
I saw one today for 80 i did not buy it i should take it .Because the shutter did not fire i think i most have the film first i dont know
yea don't buy a broken camera
If your folder doesn’t have a rangefinder you can always use a separate rangefinder that fits in the flash shoe.
correct!
I hiked up angel's landing with an RZ67. It was a bitch, lol.
Haha oh boy I can imagine!
Hello! I've loved photography since I was a kid but I've been shooting with digital cameras for the past 20 plus years. I really wanted to shoot with film again so I've bought an Agfa Billy I and Ilford film. It really is a joy. Just wanted to share this! ♥ Have a nice day everyone.
thats a great combo!
@@ribsy Thank you, I think so too! I also really enjoyed your documentary video in which you visited the Ilford company. It gives such interesting insight into how film is made.
I don't know why but I keep watching videos about medium format stuff but then remember that my developing tank is only for 35mm film and my enlarger only works for 127 film and smaller.
Get a new dev tank !
@@ribsy well before I can afford that I need to afford the camera itself (I don't have much money because I am a 15 year old kid.)
I had a Voigtlander Perkeo 1 with colour Skopar lens ! But Voigtlander Bessa 2 is the best 6/9 camera with Heliar lens which is used in Linhof Technika cameras.
Yea that camera is a beast!
I have a Perkeo I with the Vaskar and it’s honestly given me really good color results! I’d love to figure out a way to upgrade the shutter, though, I have the basic one that does 1/30-1/200 but I think it’ll be perfect with Gold.
Found one listed for €10. After this video, im gonna try to get it ^^
nice! thats a good deal
Thanks for this great primer to folding medium format cameras. I'm using, and highly recommend, a super ikonta 532/16 (6x6) with the 2.8 8cm Tessar lens, and in mid f-stop it's as good my Hasselblad. I'm also using a Kodak Medalist ii 6x9 converted to 120 format. These produce images well beyond my 35mm negatives, including my M with 50 sonnar. Thanks again for opening up this option to many people.
oh yea the super ikonta is legit!
great video. Have such a piece somewhere in the closet, have to put it out again now.
Yup! Def should
I just found one of these agfa isolette cameras in a vintage shop for around 10 dollars, found this video to hear about what I bought and now I'm honestly hyped for getting this working and learning to use it.
(Bought it mostly because it looked awesome and had a little leather case to hang around the neck)
thank you for this video, what film did you use for these images?
i think portra, i dunno tho
Thanks Risby. I have a couple of Agfa Isolettes. You have inspried me to get out and use them. cheers geoff
Yea def go out and shoot!
Have an old Certo Dollina folding camera, beautiful thing
Sounds lovely
With Zone focus cameras I actually use the handheld range finder which can also be mounted in the cold shoe if the camera has one. I have a Kodak Pony 135 which is a 35 mm camera what is strictly Zone Focus. If you're taking a photo of something close up accident awkward spot. I would recommend taking a few pictures just in case you must focus on one of them. I missed focus on some flowers that were close to the ground and it kind of looked like an abstract painting. That was kind of a happy accident. The other photo of the flowers wearing Focus.
yea focus isn't everything 😀
Ne ho comprata una dopo aver visto il video... fantastica! Grazie
😃
Did you shoot this on one of the newer canon sensors or a Blackmagic 4k? skin tones look a lot nicer than in previous videos, dynamic range also your highlights are nicely exposed with shadows inside also.
yea im on the black magic 6k pro now. still figuring out color grading but the quality is so much better out the box
@@ribsy I thought it was Blackmagic, has that tone, Ive had a few so got a good eye for their tones. Log out of the box on a 4k or 6k is the best skin you can get for a grand out of any camera, that isn't arri or red obviously...hands down.
bought a mamiya 6 online, got the camera, opened it up only to find out that there were a million tiny wholes on the bellow.
the mental damage was so bad that i decided to stay away from folding cameras period.
Damn that sucks
@@ribsy 🥲
Good work Ribs been watching your vids for a while and I thought I was subscribed turns out I wasn't. Am now. I'm Cornish. Live in Dublin. It was fun it see you in St Ives and I think Mousehole? Congratulations on just killing it was the photography. Come over to Dublin for a pint of Guinness and a chat I'll show you around if you like. Take you to some cool places for pics 😉
Thanks for watching! Cheers
I inherited a Kodak Tourist II and I love it. Took it out for (my) first light in September at Yellowstone. There are DEFINITELY quirks to operating one but I love taking pictures with it and the huge 6x9 negatives are amazing.
very cool!
Man, that's the exact camera model I took my first picture with!
Oh very cool!
@@ribsy Hope my parents can dig it out somewhere after 35 years. At an age of 7 I certainly didn't have an idea of how capable the thing was. Have to say though, I became hooked with SLRs soon after - just made so much more sense to me to see what the film plane was seeing.
bro. i had my gas fulfilled now i see this video drop...
Hahaha at least this one is cheap
Love those portable medium formats! I don't have one of these but I converted a Kodak Jiffy to 35mm just becausethe thing was too classy to pass, and swear by my Moskva 5 because soviet complexities are just too... Idk... irrationally addictive to pass??
Interesting!
Pretty Isolette! I've been a big user of folding medium format cameras over the years ... From the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta (in 645, 6x6, and 6x9 formats) to the petite and beautiful Balda Baldix 6x6, had a bunch of them, all very enjoyable and produced lovely photographs.
My current one, the one I kept after having all the others, is a Voigtländer Perkeo II - 6x6, probably one of the best build quality of them all, very compact and light, and a superb, coated Color-Skopar 80mm f/3.5 lens. Scale focus only, but I have the clip-on Voigtländer rangefinder for when its needed. I also have the Voigtländer Kontour accessory finder for it, which make viewing and framing even with glasses on a breeze.
Scale focusing (that is, focus by estimating the distance) simply takes practice. I've done mostly portraits and close ups with the Perkeo, usually don't carry the rangefinder, and focus via the DoF scale and judging the distance. One can become extremely accurate with practice. This photo was made in a wine tasting room at the Vena Cava winery in Guadalupe Valley of Mexico, April 2021 ... I had HP5 in the camera, rated at EI 320, and set f/4 @ 1/2 second exposure. The distance was about 5'. I stabilized the camera on a table... flic.kr/p/2kZ3syq
I love shooting with this camera ... on that trip, I took this camera and a Polaroid SX-70 (and my iPhone). It was all that was needed. :)
Keep up the good work! I enjoy your videos a lot. G
this is great. the perkeo sounds amazing
Hello from Cornwall. great video
You should go for the one with the Solinar instead of the Apotar. The first one is the much better performer overall. Also, as a beginner do not go for a folder as your very first camera because of the lacking parallax correction. This can cause a lot of frustration after long shootig-day. Just take a Rolleicord instead. These're also cheap and're much easier to handle. If you get more confidence after a certain time using vintage gear then you definitely should try out an folder. They're really great cameras for their size.
I disagree I think this would be perfect for a beginner. The parallax isn’t even a huge deal - that can be learned after a roll
Ribsy you have to check out the Agfa Record III which basically is a 6x9 version from the same era. My Record III came with the TOTL Solinar lens which eqals the most expensive Voigtlander and Zeiss lenses. Lovely camera.
Sounds like a great deal!
For those considering buying a folder, most if not all will have issues with the bellows due to just how old they are. Most will have light leaks and/or cracked bellows. This will generally cost you $300+ to repair so make sure you are ready for this cost when buying one
That sounds way too expensive. PPP did it for far less
I do love me a good folder. The biggest problem is that it's easy to just find yourself collecting them cause there were so many haha
A nice thing about folders is that with the exception of 6x7 (which is the newer pricy kid on the block) you can try out a bunch of different formats. There are folders in 6x45, 6x6 (most common I think) and 6x9. In fact I'd say there's no cheaper way to try 6x9 other than buying an inexpensive folder like a Franka or Nettar etc and 6x45 folders like the Zeiss Ikons are so small and adorable
Honestly when it comes to folders I almost want to say get the best lens you can in the simplest folder possible because features like auto stopping film wind and multi exposure prevention etc only seems to be prone to failing on me lmao. Thankfully usually not overly complicated folders are very serviceable by experts and imo it's always worth keeping them alive.
Also I do want to say the viewfinders on folders are often very small and hard to use especially if they have a combined rangefinder (1 actual advantage of having a not connected rangefinder lol). I think if you are going to use a folder it's worthwhile investing in an external viewfinder and ofc also an external rangefinder if yours is zone focus only.
My favorite folder is the Bessa 2 which is well very pricy but I love the engineering. My Mamiya 6 is a fantastic 6x6 and my Zeiss Ikon 531 6x45 is so compact and cute.
haha nothing wrong with collecting them
Folding cameras are a great way to shoot medium format. inexpensive and excellent quality of image for such a small lens. I like them so much .I own 4 6x6 and one 6x9 . Take a small table top tripod and a pocket full of film and a folding camera and you can go anywhere and get amazing photos.
yea def - its a great way to start, and honestly often its the best choice
You are so right, Ribsy. I use a 6x6 Nettar but recently bought a 6x9 Ikonta which I personally think is the best compromise. The built-in rangefinder is so clear and bright and makes it truly pocketable, as where the Nettar needs an external rangefinder. With an external rangefinder the camera won't go in the case or in my pocket. The quality of the pictures is amazing, I've shot two rolls with it (you only get 8 shots on a roll) and each roll has delivered a Flickr "Explore" award, amazing for a 70 year old camera! Like yours, my rangefinder is uncoupled. I know the Super Ikonta has a coupled rangefinder but it also has part of the mechanism at the end of the lens and I worry it will get knocked out of alignment, I think the uncoupled rangefinder is perfectly good.
built in rangefinder is key!
Great work with this camera. Awesome images. I have one, not the same brand, but it was given to me in 1968 and I have shot hundreds of rolls through mine. Keep posting your great work.
Thanks for watching 😀
Nice video. The folding 6x6cm camera shooting 120 roll film was a creature of the 1950s. It's design weakness is that if the front (lens) of the camera is hit hard when open, it can bend or break the struts which hold the lens aligned with the film. After that issue, the image will not focus properly on the film and any repair is far more costly than replacing the camera. I happen to have an Isolette III exactly like his here. I paid $15 at a swap meet with a case. (Note that these cameras have no lugs for a neck strap, so if you want to use a neck strap, you have to use a case.) Mine had sluggish focusing and stiff lens focus. I cleaned and relubed the lens focus threads. I popped the top deck and removed a ton of old grease filled with beach sand (yuck). I discovered light leaks in the bellows from pinholes, lots of pin holes. I tried sealing the holes with "stuff", and that worked, sort of. One day I discovered an old, trashed Ansco folder in a photo shop junk bin for $5. Ansco was owned by Agfa, and Agfa relabeled their cameras as "Ansco:" for sale in the US. The labelled Agfa Isolette III uses a cheap, plastic bellows. When sold as an Ansco, they used a high quality leather bellows, which was perfect on my junker. One bellows swap later, and my Isolette was in "like new" condition. Frankly, the Isolette III was not a high water mark in quality camera production. The shutter was the slower, cheaper model put on low cost cameras to save money. The lens is a triplet (3 element), which was even then being phased out in favor of the better Zeiss Tessar (4 element) lens or one of its many copies. However, the Apotar, with a longer 85mm focal length, and its slow 4.5 aperture, does a great job if, as he says here, you stick to small f-stops (8.0 -16) and keep your subject out there over 15 feet or so. If you want to go "all in" for a camera like this, look for an Afga Super Isolette or a similar Voigtlander model. Thereafter, there is the Zeiss Super Ikonta B or one of the several versions of Mamiya 6 (the newer the better). These have all of the features and highest quality lenses, but except for the Mamiya, they demand a collector's price, many times as much as an Isolette which can deliver nearly the same photo.
Yea I’ve been eyeing the super models but those have gotten pricey 😅
This is the dream medium format camera I have been wanting.
get on it!
@@ribsy working on it. 😎
Great video presentation. I have an Agfa Isolette and love it, but I think the Kodak 66 Models 2 and 3 are even better (I have one of each). I shoot B&W and get amazing quality with all of those early folders.
Yea those sound pretty legit
Love my 1959 Mockva-5 6x9 (Soviet clone of the Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta.) Very sharp and contrasty lens for the period. Coupled rangefinder makes it.
Great video as usual!
sounds very cool
I have an old Zeiss Ikon 520/16 from 1937, it is the low end model from the line with a max shutter speed of 125. There are higher end versions of this one that can go up to 1/500 but harder to find and more expensive.
It's a 6x6, with Novar lens and aperture can go from f4.5 to f32. Shorter distance is 1.2m
The pictures are great, with a kind of twirl/round bokeh but otherwise really sharp.
I love this camera. For the moment I used it mostly with XP2 since it's a film that can be really forgiving and can handle technically from iso 50 to 800.
Yea the bokeh can be really interesting
I recently found and restored a Kodak Jr Six-16. gotta be from the 20s. it uses 616 film (easily adaptable to 120) and takes insane ~6x10cm negatives.
I actually put a roll of 35mm through it for some extremely wide panoramic images
Oh yea that sounds like fun!
I love folders. I have a few Nettars 6x6 and a 6x9 Agfa. Also have a folding Kodak Retina in 35mm.
yea i want to get more!