Zeiss Ikon Nettar w/ Novar Anastigmat 6.3 Lens

<p>I have this scheme. I'm attempting to replace my expensive cameras w/ cheap ones, w/o giving up image quality. So far so good, and my next step in the process is to replace the Super Ikonta III w/ Novar w/ a simple Zeiss Ikon Nettar. This one ran all of $20, shipped, and has a very different lens. It's an uncoated Novar 75 6.3 Anastigmat in a Klio shutter. When I got it the shutter was DOA and the lens was super cloudy. I took it apart, cleaned up the elements (tiny!), flushed the shutter w/ lighter fluid, cleaned up the blades w/ Q-tips, and its fine now. Getting the rear element out was tricky, as it was held in with a simple wire C clip which promptly popped out into the air when I was removing it. Took me an hour to find it, and it had been lying on the couch not 2 feet from me all that time.</p>

<p>The camera is limited by the simple shutter that tops out at 1/200 (an actual 1/150). In bright sun w/ Tri-X and a yellow filter it was stopped down all the way, but in less light I was able to open it up a little. Turns out no matter where the aperture is set it's crazy sharp. I had to back off on the sharpness quite a bit in PS. It's a little too contrasty for my tastes too, which is pretty strange for an uncoated lens. The Nettar is much lighter than the Super Ikonta, but I like the IQ of the Super better. Still, this Nettar may be a keeper because it does such a good job. One thing that puzzles me is the aperture settings. If I set it wide open (f6.3) it looks fine, but if it's set to f22 it isn't stopped down all the way. You can actually push the selector way past f22 and the lens will continue to stop down. So I have no idea where f22 really is, and if someone has any ideas I'd be grateful to hear them. Here's my day in New Smyrna Beach w/ the Nettar and Tri-X, and a yellow filter and hood. At home, it was souped in D76 full strength at 70 degrees for 6 1/2 minutes.</p><div></div>

<p>Novar 75 6.3</p><div></div>

<p>Mystery Aperture Selector</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 1</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 2</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 3</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 4</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 5</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 6</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 7</p><div></div>

<p>Shot 8</p><div></div>

<p>I seem to be wrong on the shutter. It's a Vario, not a Klio. Either way it ain't much, but it works.</p>

<p>The Novar isn't the most crisp lens in the world, but the results are very serviceable, aren't they?</p>

<p>Nice to see it at work.</p>

<p>Terrific</p>

<p>Stopped down these are very nice lenses. Why do I get the feeling that yours is an uncoated pre-war version?</p>

<p>Great quality, <strong>Steve</strong>, and your usual interesting images. That lens really is sharp; I have an old Contina with the 45mm Nova f/3.5, and it's also a very crisp lens, considering that it was considered the lowest of the Contina options. One just never knows quite what to expect with these old lenses, which is half the fun, of course. That's a nice tidy Nettar, BTW.</p>

<p>Damn cool stuff.</p>

<p>Your aperture scale should be right. The aperture can be closed down further than 22, but the quality pretty bad, so Zeiss Ikon didn't indicate the f/stop</p>

<p>You have a better eye than me Steve. My first roll looks and is just a bunch of rather dull test shots, most of them shot with focus at infinity. Be embarrassed to show them here. </p>

<p>Picked up mine in April. Exact same specifications and apperance. From what research I could do it it seems to be a post war model. I think the lens is coated but very lightly. I've only shot one roll and on that roll all 12 exposures, metered with a Gossen Pilot, were nominal. I did overlap a frame, clumsy. The day was overcast and I was shooting Arista 100 ISO so there was opportunity to try full aperture and even there resolution was adequate, especially for a camera that cost less than a Holga. Developed mine in HC110 1:60 as a one shot. </p>

<p>Ah, thanks John. That makes sense on the aperture issue. I may try some test shots w/ it pushed way past the f22 spot and see how it performs. W/ anything bigger than 35mm I have not personally seen any sharpness issues at f22 and beyond, at least on medium size prints. But then I don't study them w/ a loupe.</p>

<p>Right Starvey, it's an early uncoated lens. Why is it so sharp and contrasty then? I haven't a clue. The shot of the 3 wheeled motorcycle looks a little rough, but that's because it was drizzling that day and the bike had a lot of fine rain on it, giving it an odd appearance. The difference in IQ between this Novar and the coated Novar on my Super Ikonta is like night and day (this earlier lens exhibits that strange bokeh that triplets often show, while the later lens has bokeh as smooth as a Tessar). Having said that, I look forward to shooting it again and developing in Acufine, which tends to sharpen things. With a lens this sharp already it should be interesting. The limited shutter speeds actually make it like a P&S camera. Just stop it down, set it to 30' or infinity, leave the speed set at 1/200, and shoot away.</p>

<p>J.R,, your trouble was probably your film selection. Assuming that your lens is relatively clean, and your camera is loaded w/ something like Tri-X, HP5, Delta 100, FP4 etc (I would go w/ the Tri-X or Hp5 myself) you should get much better pics. A hood and yellow filter are almost required on these old lenses.</p>

<p>Great set of pics with the Zeiss combo. The contrast doesn't surprise me as they were well corrected for a three element lens and with just three elements the coating is not so important....less glass to go through!<br>

Are you sure that it is not coated? I have a similar looking lens on a Nettar that has a very thin (blue) coating. The aperture setting is by aligning the back of that little marker next to the desired number. They do go past F22, sometimes down to F64, but guesstimation is needed!</p>

<p>I have a very similar Nettar, post-war model with coated Novar; as said above the coating is very thin, blue, almost invisible. It is a great lens at f/8 and below. Very small and practical folder!</p>