Interchangeable lenses on folders? Triple-format cameras? Unsung lens treasures?

Many Thanks to everyone who has responded to my other questions!

Inquiring minds would like to pose three more questions to the

digest's Brain Trust! Here goes:

 

(1) Do any of the old MF folders support interchangeable lenses or

come in different versions whose lenses could be easily exchanged (for

example, using a screw mount)? I'm basically wondering if it's

possible to have a single folder with easily exchanged wide-angle,

normal, and tele lenses!

 

(2) Can any of the old MF folders support three different formats

(such as 6x4.5, 6x6 and 6x9?

 

(3) Are any classic MF lenses highly underrated today, in your

experience? We know that Ultron, Ross Xpres, Heliar, Ektar,

Color-Skopar, and Sonnar lenses are generally superb, but are any

other MF cameras (especially folders) fitted with little-known

optical treasures?

 

Thanks Again!

 

Dave

I have a modest collection of "old folders" (Kodak and Zeiss mostly) that goes back to the beginning of this century, and:

1) None of them has interchangeable lenses;

2) None of them will make more than one size of neg.

These cameras all seem to fall into a sort of "serious amateur" class and it's possible (probable, even) that there are more advanced levels of old folders out there. I personally am not aware of any in MF, but that certainly doesn't meant that they don't exist. I have seen some LF examples of old folders with interchangeable lenses and the ability to make at least a couple of different sized negs.

I bought a Braun Norca folder with a Steinheil Cassar 105mm/6.3 lens a few months ago on eBay. It takes 120 films and has 2 flaps inside to support 2 1/3" X 3 1/4" and 2 1/4" X 2 1/2". I used it for the first time 2 weeks ago and am amazed by how sharp this lens is and also by the excellent tonal rendition with Fuji Velvia film.

 

I also bought a Bower-X folder a few months ago, again on eBay, it is made in Germany with SCHNEIDER RADIONAR 4,5/105 lens. It uses 620 film and supports 1 5/8" X 2 1/4" and 2 1/4" X 3 1/4" formats, but I have never used it.

Some of Voightlanderstake interchangable lenses but do not have interchangable backs..from what I've read some of lenses are quite good.

I know of no folders that take interchangeable lenses.

 

Concerning under rated lenses, let me add my two bits. Among other medium format cameras that I use, including a rolleiflex, I have a mint condition Tower 60 which was a Sears version of a Franka Solida III. It has an uncoupled rangefinder and a coated 80mm Schneider Radionar f/2.9 lens. Now the Radionar is a modest three element affair and at f/2.9 is very soft. But at f/8 the lens is very very sharp and remains so through f/22. I do lens tests on all my cameras and was surprised to find virtually no difference in resolution in the center, between the Franka and my wonderful Rollei T or my Fuji Folder. NOW, at the edges, the Radionar loses detail but by f/11, and even f/8, edge sharpness is surprisingly good.The Franka people should have limited the lens to f/4.5 but during the late fifties and early sixties, a camera without an f/2. 8 lens was passe. -----I found this so peculiar, several years ago, that I have since been testing all the modest and inexpensive lenses I can find. The results are easy to summarize. Good lenses are better wide open. Great lenses are great wide open. Modest lenses are not good wide open but are just as good as much better lenses once you close down. This should not be too surprising when you consider that even the famed Tessar four element is not real good wide open. This is true of all four element lenses I have tested. In short; you can make do with some pretty modest lenses, such as the Agnar on so many common Agfa cameras, or the Voigtlander Voigtar, as long as you do not use it wide open.

Would you consider a Linhof 23 with rollfilm back a MF folder? If so, I'd guess there were (and still are) lots of lenses available for it (whatever you could fit in a lens board that would focus in the range you wanted given the available bellows length), many of which could have cams made that coupled to a built in rangefinder. I have the impression that rollfilm backs could be had in 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9 formats, but have no first hand knowledge of this. One of these setups with two or three cammed lenses makes for quite an outfit - not exactly small and lightweight, but vastly capable. And you can always use single sheets for the odd shot that needs a different film.

Not a folder, but....

 

The Mamiya Press system had 6 x 4.5, 6 x 6, 6 x 7, and 6 x 9

backs. One back, the K could do all but 6 x 7. It also could

provide full coverage on 3.25 x 4.25 Polaroid with some (but not all)

lenses. It was an interchangeable lens/lens shutter/helical focus rangefinder, and did have one lens (the 100/3.5) that had a collapsable version. Some of the lenses are quite sharp, though none are multi-coated. Especially notable is the 50mm, a non-retrofocus design that easily covers 6 x 9, and usually sells for around $500 - a far cry from the multi-thousand dollar 43mm for the Mamiya 7, and, in 6 x 9, nearly as much angle of view.

I'm a little late on this, but what about the Plaubel Makina? It is a

folder, but a strut folder rather than a bed folder. Probably the

inspiration for the recent Makina 67. It was a rangefinder, had at

least 3 lenses, and had a 6x9 rollfilm back. 1940's or 50's, I

believe. Ebay had one a year ago, with 73, 100, and 190 lenses.

I don't know about lens coatings, but any postwar lenses no

doubt would be coated. I believe it was considered a good

camera in its day.