Superb, circa 1955 Zeiss-Ikon 6x6 Folding Camera, CLA'd, Freshly Serviced!

Cleaned, Lubricated & Adjusted. Ready for immediate use

This is a Zeiss-Ikon 6x6 folding camera, model 518/16. It produces 6x6 exposures on 120 roll film. It’s a lovely camera that easily slips into a jacket pocket or a back pack and yet folds out to take 12 large 6 x 6 cm exposures on a 120 roll film. Bright exposures alive with all the details, lovely colors and rich tonal values that only medium can provide. When it comes to photography, bigger is better and with this camera you can create a negative that is about 4 times larger than the average 35mm snap shot. So whether you’re interested in large prints, fine grain, rich tonal gradations or lovely colors, this camera will do all of that and may just become your favorite photographic companion.

The camera is in lovely condition. (Please see photos.) The real leather bellows are supple and light tight. Additionally this camera has been carefully cleaned, lubricated and adjusted. It works well and should continue to do so for many years to come. The shutter fires smoothly and all the speeds are appropriate. The camera is flash synched and it’s been adjusted and works with a normal electronic flash. The flash will fire correctly at any desired shutter speed. (Which is of course handy for flash fill.)

The lens that Zeiss-Ikon used on this camera is a coated 4.5/75mm lens. It’s based on the Cooke triplet which is a classic design with three elements in three groups. It’s well known for the attractive rendition and bokeh it produces. The glass is exceptionally fine. It’s, clear and clear. There are no scratches and it’s capable of producing lovely photos with modern color & B&W films.

All in all, a very enjoyable classic camera. Load it with your favorite film and keep it handy for that perfect shot you’ve been looking for. You know the one... the one with the perfect Ansel Adams light breaking through dark the storm clouds that leaves you wishing that you had a medium format camera with you to capture the view...

A 6x6 Users Guide

With all the upcoming vacations, a lot of you are considering shooting landscapes with a 6x6 or 6x9 camera. In any event I’ve certainly noticed an increase in questions about them. So I thought it might be a good idea to post some of my 6x6 recommendations for you.

Generally you won’t need a built in rangefinder if you’re shooting landscapes because much of your work will be shot at infinity or medium distances with hyper-focal settings. This is especially true if you’re using a tripod and settings that tend to maximize quality and depth of field. A coupled range finder camera is very useful at closer ranges in conjunction with larger f stops and narrow depth of field. If you’re not in a rush you can achieve similar results with a classic folder. An interesting alternative is to use an accessory range-finder (that can be mounted in an accessory shoe) and use the information to set your lens. On some cameras you might have to mount an accessory shoe. But you can just as easily just hand hold it. Needless to say this approach will save you quite a bit of cash and the photos can be as good a classic medium format rangefinder camera.

Obviously I can’t supply cameras to all of you but I hope this helps. Good luck and good shooting.