Searching for a 120 film 6X9 classic manual camera...

As the title suggests I’ve been looking (not super intensively) for a 6X9 medium format camera- something that’ll shoot 120 film.In my search I’ve come across more than a few old school cameras - 30s, 40s, 50s Zeiss and Voigtlander folders and stuff, trying to figure out how I feel about them. It’d be fun to try one out before I spend the $$.

 

But one camera caught my eye... never seen one before and have zero idea how they are to shoot with etc.

 

It’s a Brooks-Veriwide. I guess it has a fixed lens? The one I saw had a 120 film back on it and also some other brand viewfinder. So from that I take the camera needs to be accessorized...

 

Anybody ever have one? Shoot one? Seen one in real life?

Ken Rockwell seems no longer active here but blogged about them.

What is your big goal / final kit? <- Film MF only.

Opinions about superwides vary. To me they seem like a reasonable choice on the 3rd carried camera. (Or as a maybe 3rd surely as the 4th packed lens.) Issue here: What could you do with it? On digital I have an f2.8 lens and when I let my ISO skyrocket, I can kind of hand hold it indoors. You might end buying an f8 lens. - I'm usually no advocate of insanely fast glass but the average press photo of "indoors action in front of huge audience" taken with a somewhat portable flash gun, dragging the shutter to keep the audience at least outside the shadow, although somewhat camera shaken, seems hard to do on film, at f8.

Walking around by daylight, shooting landscapes and architecture seems all you can do without a tripod.

Am I lusting after such a camera? - Not really. I think press photos can be taken well enough or easier with a more flexible 35mm or on digital. If I want to point an SWA at architecture for serious work, I'll surely crave camera movements.

 

If you have the world's bestest little travel tripod and don't mind carrying it around the camera might work for you as a quite portable one. I'd still want up to 2wo others to go with it. I think I haven't been in the mood to leave the home with just a 20 or 21mm mounted on 35mm. As much as I like that focal length once in a while; I can't shoot it all day (or trip) long.

Side note: Could you maybe name threads a tad punchier? - Tis one looked quite general and is about an oddball camera, I never heard of before.

I've never actually looked for a Brooks-Veriwide. I might have seen a few at fairs, but never one in use.

 

Relatively cheap other 6x9 cameras? Zeiss Ikon Nettar, Voigtländer Bessa, Franka Solida, Agfa Isolette.

There were two versions of the Veriwide. The original Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide 100 has an integral roll holder and shoots 56 x 100 mm. The later Brooks Veriwide accepts Mamiya Press roll holders and shoots 56 x 82 mm. Both have a fixed 47/8 Super Angulon. One trick ponies, but it is a good trick.

 

You can get much the same effect with much greater flexibility at the cost of more bulk and weight with a Century Graphic or 2x3 Crown Graphic. I have both, use lenses from a 35/4.5 Apo Grandagon ($$$$$) through a 47/5.6 SA ($$$) to much longer lenses. The longest lens of normal construction that will focus on a Century/2x3 Crown is around 200 mm but 250 mm teles were offered for the cameras. Roll holders that fit are nominal 6x6, 6x7 and 6x9 (56 by as much as 82, gate width depends on make and vintage).

I'm not familiar with the Veriwide. There are also the KMZ Moskva 6x9 folders, which I haven't used, but have seen some nice photos taken with them.

 

Moskva - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

I have, and use, the Bessa I, Ercona II & Agfa Record 6x9 cameras. All give superb negatives with the fixed 105mm lenses. One might be tempted by various "deals" all about, but I would buy from a known source that will back up the camera functioning correctly. All mine came from Certo 6 (Jurgen) on Ebay. CLA'd , and in the Record unit, a new bellows. By the way, the Isolette series from Agfa are 6x6 format. I have several of those, again CLA's from Jurgen. Aloha, Bill

A lot more choice if you include 6x7 in the mix, but that is hardly the point I guess!

I have, and use, the Bessa I, Ercona II & Agfa Record 6x9 cameras. All give superb negatives with the fixed 105mm lenses. One might be tempted by various "deals" all about, but I would buy from a known source that will back up the camera functioning correctly. All mine came from Certo 6 (Jurgen) on Ebay. CLA'd , and in the Record unit, a new bellows. By the way, the Isolette series from Agfa are 6x6 format. I have several of those, again CLA's from Jurgen. Aloha, Bill

 

I have Certo 6 saved in my Ebay sellers, maybe I'll contact him to see if he has anything not currently listed.

 

I got onto this idea of a 6X9 when at a recent location with a good many photographers all around me. People were shooting all manner of cameras- modern digital, somewhat modern film cameras, plus older film cameras and antique cameras of all kinds and ages all the way back to 19th century and early 20th century tintypes and film cameras. One guy had a Hasselblad X Pan, and I liked the few images I saw from it. Not really feeing like going all that far with it, but just to expand on my 120 capabilities, I thought perhaps a 6X9 would get me a little further down the pipe (or rabbit hole, if you prefer).

 

as to my "vision"of my "final kit".... I open, whatcha got?

I purchased a Zeiss-Ikon Ikonta 6x9 folderbfrom Certo6 on EBay back around 2006, 2007. It was described accurately on EBay, price was fair, and it has worked well. About $150 back then.

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I also shoot with a Widelux FV, but that is 2 frames of 35mm film for each exposure, and they go for $800-1,800 on EBay currently.

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The Veriwide you mentioned sounds extremely fun to me, but my budget for cameras, when it exists at all, is hundreds of dollars, not thousands.

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The medium format Widelux interests me, but that isn't an inexpensive camera either, so it remains on my wish list.

Yet another vote for the various Zeiss Ikon 6x9 120 film folders. Some of these for the immediate post-war period can be found in cheaper form made in the Soviet occupied zone (e.g. Ercona).

 

The Trioplan lenses are not as bad as some say they are, but other Zeiss lenses are better.

The Ensign Selfix 820 might be a contender. It's a solid and handsome British camera with a rather nice folding Albada viewfinder. It also gives one the choice of 6x9cm or 6x6cm format, using a couple of cunning foldaway shutters. This choice must be made at the time of film loading...

 

Exercise Equipment : The Selfix 820

Well, I've made an offer on a nice Voigtlander, the interior of which looks almost brand new. So let's see how this progresses- but thanks, Rick, for the suggestion & revelation, sir. Never knew the British ever entered the camera market!

 

EDIT: offer accepted, I'mnow the owner of a

"Voigtlander Bessa Rollfim Camera - 6x9cm - Voigtar 4.5 / 11cm - exc.+" for an acceptable (or um..- palatable?) amount of $$

 

whee.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Ricochetrider

Never knew the British ever entered the camera market!

 

Oh, dear. Photography was invented in France. The original process produced direct positives that could not be reproduced. The negative-positive process that is the basis of film based photography as is still practiced was invented in England. The UK had a host of lens, camera and film manufacturers, most long gone.

Dan, thanks for educating me.

Last year, I met a photographer who, with a partner, took the effort to get trained & certified (in France) for Daguerrotype. They went into the Amazon Jungle to shoot portraits using this technology, of indigenous people there, whose lives were being negatively affected by the mining of silver, copper, & gold and impacted by other heavy metals (mercury) in either the mining itself- or the aftermath. All the same metals used in the process of Daguerrotype!

 

They did a whole series of either 1/2 plate or 1/4 plate portraits. I got to see and handle a few of them. Pretty cool.

Please look at my two posts on a Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide 100.

 

Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide 100

 

Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide 100 (Sorry for screwing up)

To follow up on Dan's point. Britain had a very vigorous camera and optics industry, but like most everyone else (including Leica and Zeiss/Contax) this was eventually whittled down by the Japanese after WW2. The Reid Leica copies in particular are held in very high regard, and in my opinion are actually nicer than the original Leicas.

 

Reid Cameras 1946-1956

Please look at my two posts on a Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide 100.

 

Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide 100

 

Brooks-Plaubel Veriwide 100 (Sorry for screwing up)

 

Hello Dan,

 

I was looking at a newer Brooks-Veriwide, the seller is asking just north of a 1000.00. If but for that, I would have probably gone for it. instead I eded up with a very nice Voigtlander 6X9 folder. We'll see how that performs soon enough, I guess, eh? I'll be posting images once I run some film through t it.

As the title suggests I’ve been looking (not super intensively) for a 6X9 medium format camera- something that’ll shoot 120 film.In my search I’ve come across more than a few old school cameras - 30s, 40s, 50s Zeiss and Voigtlander folders and stuff, trying to figure out how I feel about them. It’d be fun to try one out before I spend the $$.

 

But one camera caught my eye... never seen one before and have zero idea how they are to shoot with etc.

 

It’s a Brooks-Veriwide. I guess it has a fixed lens? The one I saw had a 120 film back on it and also some other brand viewfinder. So from that I take the camera needs to be accessorized...

 

Anybody ever have one? Shoot one? Seen one in real life?

Your objectives/requirements aren't all to clear to me other than you seek to produce good 6x9 negatives.Is it price, size, or a wish to use a 1950"s camera?

 

Price, and pocket portability, put to one side here, you will not find a superior series of 6x9 cameras than the Fuji 690 series of cameras. Sharp lenses and reliable mechanics.

 

I've carried these, 690W and 690SW with me in the Southwestern US and in Europe and have, without exception, been pleased with the images which I brought home. Crisp 16x20 enlargements are routine with the negatives from these cameras.

 

Downside- the cameras are big (you knew that, it is 6X9 format) and heavy. No complications from pinholed bellows in a folder camera.

 

Your choice, just be aware that the Fujis are an attractive alternative.

I have a very old 6.3 Ikonta in 6x9, I also have the Bessa I. I am however most happy with the very old pre-war Bessa with a non-coated Skopar. I have toyed with the idea to buy 105mm or 110mm Skopar... whatever I can find. My plani s to fit it to the Bessa I which sports a Voigtar. It's in quite nice condition. I fear getting it collimated correctly... ie Don't mess with a running system. Otherwise I would have to find a Bessa I with a coated Skopar $$$$grrrr!!! Another camera.. more money.. it's a vicious circle!!

 

Others mention the flexibility of the Graflex Crown/Speed Graphics... of which I am also well invested too.

I have an Ercona II, bought CLA'd from certo6, that gives a decent account of itself. One thing sobering is only getting 8 shots on a roll, but so be it.

You can see the camera and some results in my PBase galleries.

The Brooks-Veriwide is really nice, but when I see them I always find them priced just a little above what I want to pay.

 

I've had my share of folder disappointments over the years, thus I'd only consider rigid cameras at this point.

 

A few years back I found this Fujica GL690 & Lens in Tokyo for the equivalent of less than 200 USD. It is visibly used and brassed but fully functional.

The 100mm Fujinon lens (a lovely 4 element Tessar design) is like new but comes from an earlier G690BL.

The lenses are interchangeable and the optical design the same, but the newer version had a rubberised focusing ring, which may account for the low price since the combination is not "original".

 

Regardless; over the years I have seen the earliest Fujicas from the late 60's to the early 70's (G690/G690BL/GL690), show up from time to time at very low prices - if you are willing to accept cosmetic imperfections.

 

These are solid and simple cameras, and if they work now, they will likely work for years to come.

 

AND the 6x9 negatives are stunning.

 

 

NHSN, does your lens (shown above, I assume, yes?) have the rubber or metal focus ring?

 

I don't care about cosmetic condition, I just wish to have a fully functional camera. Brassing etc, I would classify as "patina" ; -)

 

looking at Ebay, for Fujinon GL690 cameras, prices aren't exactly all over the place, but apparent quality is.

Edited November 25, 2019 by Ricochetrider

NHSN, does your lens (shown above, I assume, yes?) have the rubber or metal focus ring?

Mine, above, has the metal focus ring.

My *new* (1930s) camera arrived yesterday from Deutschland. Looking online, I found a manual for it, so I'm going to read thru the manual and probably print it out also.

Now to figure out which film to shoot in the (smaller than expected) beast. Currently in 120 format I have , I believe, Ilford HP5, some T Max and maybe a couple rolls of Tri X. I THINK I've shot thru any color film but if I have any at all it's going to be Portra 160 or Ektar 100.

 

 

After doing some reading here another around the world wide web, it seems a slower film should be within the working range of the camera itself? Then again, not having shot the HP5 yet, if I were to shoot it at lower than box speed, would that work out if I also develop it at whatever speed I shoot at?

 

What are you all shooting in your old cameras with. uncoated lenses?