[rollei_list] Re: Ikoflex (was Re: Lens Serial Nr.)

Chris, thank you very much for your analysis!! I t was most appreciated. In a 128 page book, Guide to the Ikoflex by Tydings, this would appear to be a IA, it does not have the wheels for setting the shutter and aperature. The flash socket is on the side not the front. It has a self timer whereas the IIA does not. I may be wrong about this being a 1953. I also got a IIA manual with this and it has a 1953 code. The IA should be close since the Tydings book covers both models. Maybe the Ia is Zeiss's Rolleicord. I note your lens is a Zeiss Jena whereas mine is a Zeiss Opton whuc may make mine a later version.

I got two Zeiss filters with it, a red and a green, a lens cap, and a case. I agree with you i will neeed a press-on sunshade. I will keep you fine message and will probably be contacting you as I start using it. I plan to use it with b&w.

As a result of getting the Ikoflex, I will be selling my nice Rolleicord III, since I cannot use 3 TLR's. My other is a MX-EVS .

Thanks again for the inforantion.

Roger

----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Brown" <cpbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 3:49 AM
Subject: [rollei_list] Re: Ikoflex (was Re: Lens Serial Nr.)


On Thu, Jul 21, 2005 at 07:10:06PM -0500, Roger M. Wiser wrote:

My transformation into digital suffered a setback. I acquired an Ikofkex
IIA.
If anyone on the list has comments on the IIA, either positive or negative,
they would be welcomed. 

Hi all,

I've just joined the list - got a couple of Rolleis, a 3.5E Xenotar and a
3.5F Planar, which I've used for a while, but find myself in need of some
info. Anyway, I shall detail that in a seperate post, as I may be able to
help with the Ikoflex query.

I believe the IIA is the one with the focusing knob, rather than the lever,
right? I have an Ikoflex II, which has the lever focus - they only did the
lever for a few years in the late '30s, before switching to the knob, but I
find the lever to be more ergonomic to be honest, and it's an unusual
feature to have on a TLR as well.

Apart from the level/knob distinction, I believe the IIs are pretty much all
alike. Mine has an f/3.5 uncoated Tessar, marked Zeiss Jena. I've been using
it with Fuji transparency film, and it does surprisingly well. It's sharper
than one might expect - not up to the same levels as the 3.5 Xenotar/Planar
on the Rolleis, but there's not *that* much in it. The very corners of the
frame suffer from chromatic abberation quite noticeably - I'm thinking of
switching to using B&W film in it.

The focus screen is decent enough - clear enough to see what you're doing,
and brighter than some screens I've seen on TLRs 20 years younger! It seems
to have some sort of lens above the screen (not a Fresnel), which maybe
helps with the brightness. Critical focusing takes a little longer than with
the Rolleis, but it's clear enough to get nice and accurate.

Now the bad - the ergonomics of the camera are rather poorly done - you can
see why Zeiss were better known for their folders. The Ikoflex handles very
much like it was designed by someone who was used to folders and thought
they'd have a go at designing a TLR. The aperture and shutter speed are set
directly on the Compur Rapid shutter face, as though it was a large-format
lens. This means that you can't see the settings, or really adjust them when
the camera is hanging from your neck.

Loading and advancing the film is a little strange. Mine has a red window,
covered by a slider on the *bottom* of the camera. The film is loaded into
the spools, the back closed, and then advanced until the "1" is visible in
the red window. As far as I can tell, the window is actually showing the 6*9
frame markers, not the 6*6 ones. After this, you don't use the window again.
There's a switch on the side which resets the frame counter, which you
should push at this point. After that, the film travels over a roller which
advances the frame count. Mine is a bit inconisitent with the spacing
between frames, but it's never gone off the end of a roll.

One tip I'd make is to not wind on until you are ready to take a picture.
It's easy to catch thye winding knob and advance the film a little bit while
the camera is in your bag, or whatever, and if you've already wound on, this
can result in having a very large space between frames. The little counter
needs to be positioned very precisely - there are two frame lines between
each pair of numbers, and you need to be sure to get these in *exactly* the
same place each time, or you risk overlapping your shots. Be on your guard
for double exposures as well - there's nothing to stop you accidentally
doing one.

The shutter release is in a bit of an akward position, and the cable-release
socket is in a position such that a lot of modern cables won't seat properly
in it (you'll see what I mean if you try it). You need to find one that has
a very thin profile on the end, where it screws in.

Be careful if you store it with the shutter in T or B as well - it has one
of those Compur Rapids that doesn't need cocking to work in T or B mode, so
it's quite easy to accidentally open the shutter.

If yours has an uncoated lens like mine, you may want to see if you can find
a lens-hood for it. I managed to find an old Agfa press-on hood which fits
perfectly. Filters may be a problem.

Don't let these things put you off though - it's not a bad camera to use,
rather it has a lot of character. I was lucky - I got one that, despite
being nearly 70 years old, was pretty much in mint condition. If your
shutter is a bit sticky, a service may cost you more than the camera is
worth, but that's not the point really, is it? It also looks really cool -
much nicer than the Ikoflex I, which IMO, is ugly. The strange mixture of
German and English on the exposure chart printed on the hood is also quite
endearing.

Hope you have a lot of fun with it.

Cheers,

Chris Brown
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