Zeiss Ikonta 521/2 with a focus problem

Hello. I just develop my first film from my new ikonta 6x9 with a novar anastigmat 1:4.5 f:10,5 bought on Ebay. And

the 8 photos were all out of focus, cause I tried to play with the Hyperfocal and the F stop. For example: I made a

exposure in 1/50 F/22, and wanted to have everything in focus from 4 meters to infinity, but all came out blured. Can

anyone help me find out the DOF scale of this lens. Or help me with your one experience in focusing with this lens.

I'm feeling like in one of The Beatles songs: "Help me if you can, I'm feeling down"!:(

First thing you must do is check whether your lens is properly collimated. Someone who previously monkeyed with the camera may have screwed the front (focusing) element on incorrectly so that it isn't focusing where it says it is. Put the camera on a tripod, open the back, stretch some wax paper or magic transparent tape across the film plane, open up to f/4.5, set lens to infinity, set the shutter on T (or B if there's no T), and point it at something at least 300 meters away. You'll see the image inverted on the paper/tape, and you can easily see whether the image is sharp or not. If not, you need to unscrew the retaining post, screw the front element of your lens all the way off, and screw it on again with the thread "catching" at different points around the circumference of the lens, until the faraway objects are sharp when the lens reads infinity.

More than likely this is your problem and when corrected, all will be fine. As long as you've got the above set up, however, once infinity is properly adjusted, you can focus the camera on closer objects, experiment with different apertures, and get a sense of "depth of field preview" without film in the camera. Use a magnifier to examine the paper/tape closely and take notes on what seems adequate for you.

The 521/2 is a fine camera and the Novar is a quite serviceable lens. Once you get it adjusted properly, you'll want to "Shake it up baby, now, twist and shout!" :)

I think August's reply is spot on although I'm surprised you are still getting blurred results at f22, just check that the rear element hasn't been replaced backwards, i.e. the more convex surface should face towards the film.

By the way I hope that the advice to "Shake it up Baby" is not to be taken too literally when taking pictures, perhaps "Hold Me Tight" would be a more appropriate song to achieve critical sharpness?

I have and continue to use one of these cameras on a regular basis (and I mean "used" over a period of 35 years!).

The f/4.5 Novar occasionally receives criticism on being "soft" but I beg to differ as long as it is stopped down to at

least f/8 and it is held VERY steady (hand held at 1/200 second or on a tripod/solid surface). I have a few examples

posted on my photo.net page here.

Additionally, as a true test, I can offer this from "The Ikonta Guide" regarding "zone focusing": "On the 2 1/4 X 3 1/4

Ikonta, a red dot will be found on the aperture scale between f/11 and f/16 and on the distance scale at about 33 ft. If

both distance indicator and stop indicator are set to the red dots --everything from about 15 ft. to infinity will be

sharp." Reprints of this guide, part of "The Camera Guide" series, can occasionally be found on Ebay and are very

helpful.

Hope that helps and good luck! Allan

If you have an SLR handy with a known to be good lens, <a

href="http://elekm.net/zeiss-ikon/repair/collimate/">this is the technique I use.</a> (thanks to Mike Elek for

putting this up)

I did what Mr Horvath said me to do and develop the test film yesterday, and was really sad with the result, cause it has a "focus vignetting" effect (focus on the center and unfocus on the boarders). I went to an old camera store in Lisbon and showed to the owner my ikonta and he says that probably the rear element of the lens is not part of it. Was placed after... And he wants to sell me a ikonta with a Tessar 3.5, that he says its better. What should I do? Give up on the Novar and buy the Tessar, or should I try anything else? Thanks

I'm using a tripod now, and really not shaking anything :(