Zeiss Ikon Nettar/ Nettax

On holiday, I bumped into someone with a few film cameras and struck up a conversation. He had what I thought was a Nettar, but possibly it was a Nettax? Shooting 6x6, it had a coated tessar f3.5 75mm lens and an uncoupled light meter he told me was working and accurate. Now I want one! A brief search on the net hasn’t revealed much other than lots of Nettars with Novar lenses, which I think is a three element lens. Can anyone provide more information?

Zeiss Ikon's model names and numberings were never particularly logical. The Nettar invariably had the Novar triplet, which has a good reputation. The Nettax name was used when it had an uncoupled rangefinder. Cameras with Novar lenses and uncoupled rangefinders were also called Mess-Ikonta, mess meaning measuring. Ikonta and Super Ikontas were the upmarket cameras, usually with four element Tessar lenses, the latter having coupled rangefinders.

 

Personally I think uncoupled rangefinders are a waste of time, they are very laborious to use, and most old rangefinders and are faint and hard to see nowadays. Estimating distance is the way to go.

Thanks John. Armed with at information I think I’ve found what it was, Super Ikonta 534/16. Not sure why he confirmed it was a Nettar when I asked? Looks like these are a bit more pricey too. Why 534/16 and not 12?

Why 534/16 and not 12?

 

I refer you to the first sentence of my response. Others may come in and explain.

 

Another difference is that the Nettar's film advance is via a simple and therefore reliable red window on the back. Ikontas have automatic or semi automatic film advance mechanisms, more convenient but also more complex and potentially fallible,

12 and 16 are the number of frames that fit on a 120 roll in 6x6 and 6x4.5 format respectively.

Maybe that's the key.

From the Camera-wik article about the Mess Ikonta 524/16: "The 524/16 is a folding camera in the Ikonta line, produced by the German company Zeiss Ikon.

It makes 12 size 6x6 cm images on 120 type rollfilm and comes equipped with a variety of lenses and shutters."

I've always used this list for film/frames list for ZI cameras

 

No code: 6x4.5 on 120 (16 exposures) [but see below]

 

/1 4.5x10.7cm plate (stereo) or 8x10.5cm rollfilm (maybe Kodak 124?)

/2 6x9cm on 120 (8 exposures)

/3 6.5x9cm sheet/plate

/4 13x18mm(?) stereo

/5 8x10.5cm plate

/6 5.5x3.25 inch (9x14cm) sheet or 8x14cm rollfilm (Kodak 122/3A)

/7 9x12cm sheet/plate

/9 10x15cm sheet/plate

/11 13x18cm (5x7 inch) sheet/plate, for US/UK market?

/12 4x6.5cm on 127 (8 exposures)

/14 5x7.5cm on 129 film

/15 6.5x11cm on 116

/16 6x6 on 120 (12 exposures)

/17 Quarter plate (3.25 x 4.25 inch)

/18 3x4cm on 127 (16 exposures)

/20 18x24cm sheet/plate

/24 24x36mm on 135 (standard 35mm)

/27 24x24mm on 135

Thanks Greg, John, Q.G. So there is a code, thanks. That follows what he said as a 6 x 6.