Daiichi Zenobia - A Very Good Deal

Daiichi-Rapid, Neo-Hesper, 75mm 3,5 with speeds B-1/500th. Lens

containing fungus proved to be no burder. Mechanically, the camera is

as near mint as I can tell. Speeds sound correct across the range.

Images made me smile. A very nice, pocketable, affordable 645.

Some samples from a test roll - film was PXP125 cooked in Diafine, 3 mins each solution, 1 inversion each.<div></div>

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Great results from the Zenobia. Those little 6x4.5 cameras are a nice alternative to 35mm.

Wow. Very nice pictures. I'm glad it worked out for you. It just goes

to show that you can never tell how well these old lenses will work

until you've tried them.

It's a nice camera, good lens and shutter. Be gentle with the bellows, they aren't as rugged as the Zeiss Ikons.....

 

:)=

This is supposed to be a 521 knock-off, is that right, Rick?

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, this one is quite clean. A bit of oxidation on the top plate where it meets the body under the advance wheel, nothing major though I will want to figure out how to retard its progress. The aforementioned fungus/whatever in the lens - I will put it in the sun for a day or two, but I don't want to leave it in the hot window lighting for too long to avoid damaging the bellows. Bellows look brand, spanking new. In fact, the camera shows little signs of use, mostly some abrading on the front door covering and appears to be fresh damage, as perhaps the unit was found in a dead man's things, tossed into a box with other objects and treated roughly. Struts, lens assembly, all great condition.

 

Now If I can just find one with the RF... there *is* a rangefinder version, yes?<div></div>

Little 645 folders are so cool, and obviously great for candids! Very good photos of your family, Craig.

And if the Voigtl�nder Perkeo II had been a 645 format it would be one of my favorite shooters. 645 fits on to an 8x10 print just rignt.

 

That Zenobia looks to be in excellent working order. The imagess are sharp with just the right amount of contrast.

 

That first shot is a keeper. I'd get it printed. The second photo is nice and close, timed just right. The dribbler is another keeper.

What size filters/hoods would this take? Any ideas?

Hmmm, still cant find any reference to filter size for this one.

 

Andrew, you picked the same shots I like the most. :)

 

Fun camera, too bad my light is gone today. Figures, my day off and all.

There is a rangefinder version, but it must be very rare. There was one on the auction site a few weeks ago (auction #7505412235) that sold for $131; that's the only one I've ever seen.

Nice pictures! The filter/shade size is the same push on size as a Retina IIa. A32, I think. Look for one that takes Series VI filters.

Mario Groleau has a Zenobia on his site

 

http://www.mgroleau.ca/photo/daiichi/daiichi.html

 

(click on the Zenobia for more photos)

 

It has a hood in one of the photos, with an engraving, but I can't make out what.

That is a sweet little camera you have there. Don't let that one go. Great job with action photos using an old folder!

Thanks, Mike... got lucky on this one.

31.5mm slip on hood, or a 1.25" series VI filter adapter. I use both on mine and they fit great. They also fit an Agfa Super Isolette.<p>I went through several of these till I found a good one and I love mine. I probably use it more than the Super Isolette, so much lighter.<p>As far as a rangefinder goes the auction mentioned above is the only one I've ever seen also, just go <a href="http://www.tomchuk.com/rf_hfd/index.php">here</a> and make one of these. If you do all of your measurements accurately it is just as good as any rangefinder you can buy. I made one of these for every scale focuser I own, pasted them all into photoshop and printed them all on heavy weight photo paper, cut em out and put them all into a small business card case and threw it in the camera bag.<p>Only sad thing is now I want a Kowa thingy too.

Yes, it's a virtual clone of the 521 Ikonta, but its die cast body and fixed viewfinder make it bulkier than the Zeiss. I've had one, whose bellows died, and one Waltax, which was the nearly-identical predecessor of the Zenobia... it had a film-wound signal that was later dropped, which is cute, but they must have just been learning how to make a shutter at that time 'cause that was hopeless and badly machined. i took the lens and shutter from the zenobia to rebuild the waltax, and it made for a nice camera with an unusual name ('course, "zenobia" isn't exactly a mainstream badge itself....)

 

i've never seen one with a rangefinder. would be nice, but it's just barely slim enough to force into a pocket now, i'd rather guess distance than let it get any bigger.

 

:)=

Wanted to say a final thanks for the info.