Vintage, but how old?

[Reinardina]

This is a question for the old hands among us, the specialists, the collectors.

This is my father's old Zeiss Ikon bellows camera. It was bought in the early fifties in Holland, from a proper photography shop, possibly second hand.

It is still in working order, only the selftimer is a bit sluggish, needs a bit more 'practice.'

It took brilliant pohotographs and it is also the camera I started out with as a child.

Isn't it a Beauty?

Any idea how old it may be?

[dan123]

Had a Quick look on google and found this

1934-58 (1949) Zeiss Ikon AG, Stuttgart, Germany

HERE

[Reinardina]

Thanks Dan. Looks like it, b ut somehow seems 'skinnier.' Not quite the same.

But tell you what? I never thought of looking on line to find out! How stupid can you (I) get?

I'll look into it when I have a bit of spare time.

If anyone else knows, or finds something, please let me know.

[GeoffWessex]

Worth checking this page. The "Prontor-S" refers to the shutter mechanism but this page shows Prontor-S only on 75mm lenses..... further down, a "Pronto" shutter is listed with a 105mm lens. One of those two options, I suspect. Depends on whether the camera take 6x6 (cm) or 6x9. There's a Forum on that site..... worth asking there - but the combination of lens and shutter on your model doesn't quite seem to fit in.

[Reinardina]

Originally Posted by GeoffWessex

Worth checking this page. The "Prontor-S" refers to the shutter mechanism but this page shows Prontor-S only on 75mm lenses..... further down, a "Pronto" shutter is listed with a 105mm lens. One of those two options, I suspect. Depends on whether the camera take 6x6 (cm) or 6x9. There's a Forum on that site..... worth asking there - but the combination of lens and shutter on your model doesn't quite seem to fit in.

Thanks Geoff. I'll look into it.
My camera seems to have a 105 mm lens. The negatives were, I thought, 4x8, not 6x9, but I could be mistaken. it is all a very, very long time ago. Must have some negatives somewhere, I might dig out. They were definitely not square, that I do know.

I recently dug out the camera, just for fun, but I'm becoming intrigued now. The more I look into it, the less I know.

It's a beautiful thing though, so solidly built and so easy (still) to open and use.

[Reinardina]

Ikonta C 521/2 with Tessar and Compur shutter

Year of release: 1947
Type: viewfinder folding camera
Film/framesize: 120 / 6×9cm
Lens: Tessar 1:4.5/105mm or alternative Novar
Shutter: Compur shutter 1 - 1/250
Finder: two-frame finder

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Ikonta

I think this may be the one; still not a hundred per cent sure though.

[GeoffWessex]

Yours has deffo got a Prontor-S shutter mechanism... no sign of that on that Ikonta 521/2 (though it's a small picture), but it still seems right (and you can go for 1947 as build year)..... same lens and viewfinder but with the Prontor-S shutter - maybe an upgrade?

[Reinardina]

Originally Posted by GeoffWessex

Yours has deffo got a Prontor-S shutter mechanism... no sign of that on that Ikonta 521/2 (though it's a small picture), but it still seems right (and you can go for 1947 as build year)..... same lens and viewfinder but with the Prontor-S shutter - maybe an upgrade?

Yeah, I was a bit puzzled about that. So I'm still not there yet.

Anyone else any ideas?

[riddell]

Is there not a model number on it?

Paul.
www.photographybyriddell.co.uk

[Reinardina]

Originally Posted by riddell

Is there not a model number on it?

Paul.
www.photographybyriddell.co.uk

Paul,

Thanks for the tip.

Got sidetracked by all sorts of things and almost forgot about this thread.

I just found a (model?) number: Nettar515/2.
A quick glance on the internet revealed one from 1937, which is however not the same camera.

Will have to come back to it when I have more time.