Good quality, small, 6x6 folder?

[ricardovaste]

<p>Got my eye on a recently serviced Agfa Isolette 3. It seems pretty small. Are there any other hidden gems out there, in terms of size and quality? I've looked at the Voigtlander Perkeo, but can't find any later versions with the coupled rangefinder yet... which is something the isolette doesn't have.</p>

<p>Anything I should consider?</p>

<p>I've given up the idea of having a light meter, as even if I do find a rare model with one, it's unlikely it'll be that reliable (got a small gossen digi something). But I think having it as small as possible, well made, and with a coupled rangefinder would just be great :)</p>

[jean_moxhet]

<p>Voigtlander Perkeo are known as the smallest 6x6 camera made. And they are small and can be seen as pocketable. Really a lovely little camera :-)<br />The late version, Perkeo E, with rangefinder is rare and expensive... but is the rangefinder needed?<br>

Don't forget that the Perkeo II (and last bunch of I) even if without rangefinder is with double-exposure prevention what means no need to look in the little red window for advancing the film. That's great, no way to have to look at the camera while winding film. Off course, it's better to find version with Color-Skopar 3.5 lense.</p>

 

[ricardovaste]

<p>Thanks Jean :-). Didn't realise it was the smallest! Apparently, roughly: 122 x 89 x 45mm. That's only a tough larger than my 35mm fixed lens hi-matic! And of course 'shallower' as no lens protrudes. Perhaps I can give the rangefinder a miss then. I'll try get this Isolette first, as it's been serviced, but will keep my eye out for a Perkeo :-)<br /></p>

[steve m smith]

<p>The Ansco ASpeedex Special R is the American Ansco badged version of the Isolette III. I have one and it is nice to use.<br>

The un-coupled rangefinder takes a little bit of extra time to transfer the reading to the lens but it's not the sort of camera to use in a hurry anyway!</p>

 

[jean_yves_mead]

The Perkeo E has an uncoupled rangefinder, so you're not giving up anything by opting for a Perkeo II

plus accessory rangefinder instead. What you gain is a fine little camera with automatic frame counter,

and some extra beer money in your pocket. In daylight with Tri-X, scale focus is easy enough that even

the rangefinder is optional.

[paul_wheatland]

<p>My Ansco Titan is an attractive capable 6x6 120 camera with a great lens and shutter but no rangefinder.</p>

[jonathan_james]

<p>It depends what you are going to use the camera for. I use my folders almost exclusively for landscape. Hyperfocal distance is how I focus almost invariably. Although most of my folders have coupled rangefinders, they rarely actually get used. The rangefinders often lose alignment anyway. If you are going to use it for candids or portraiture, a rangefinder might have some benefits.<br>

How about the super baldax? It's small and light, has a coupled rangefinder, uses unit focussing and has a selection of available lenses. Mine has the Schneider Radionar. It's just three element but stopped down is indistinguishable from any of my four element lenses. If you shoot at f11 to f16 then something like this is great.<br>

The Perkeo is a good choice too as already described. The Super Isolette is more expensive but a good one is really the best 6 x 6 ever made. The lens is well up to modern standards and the build quality is far and away better than any other folder I have ever encountered. <br>

You could end up with a long list of candidates - why not look at Jurgen Kreckel's website at certo6.com for some other alternatives?</p>

[mark_olwick]

<p>I'd also seriously consider a Mamiya 6. It's not a folder, but the lens collapses into the compact body, making for a very small package (along with stunningly good lenses)</p>

[marco_ristuccia]

<p>Also consider the soviet "Iskra", one of the best cameras produced by KMZ. Two main versions : the first version (without meter) and the "Iskra 2" (with light meter).<br />Both have a very bright ragefinder (coupled with the lens focusing ring) and a very good lens : the Industar 58, an incarnation of the famous Tessar scheme, very sharp and single coated.<br /> The first version sells on eBay for around 100-150$, the "Iskra 2" for around $200. The "Iskra 2" has unusable light meter nowadays, but also has a more precise and robust film advance mechanism. Pick one with a working frame counter.</p>

[kerkko_kehravuo]

<p>Mark's point was good. Mamiya 6 is modern, compact, high quality, etc. Exellent device instead of decade's old folders.</p>

<p>K.</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>I've always been curious about something on the Balda's. I've seen them with several lenses (I think I recall these correctly): Baldanar, Baltax, and Rodenstock. Are there quality differences in these lenses, or were they basically rebadged Rodenstocks?</p>

[ricardovaste]

<p>Hey, thanks for all the follow up posts/info!<br /><br />Steve, you make a good point, as I'm using a handheld meter anyway, what's the extra few seconds with focusing going to cost me? :)<br /><br />Jean-Yves - Do you mean the Perkeo |||e? I've not heard of a 'Perkeo E', but a frame counter does sound good.<br /><br />Jonathan, thanks for your thoughts and info. It'll be a mix of things really. All 'scenics' in some way or another though, so not really any precise focusing needed. I'll likely be using small apertures too, so I'm guessing anything of decent quality will be more than acceptable for my use. BTW, that website is brilliant, thanks for recommending it! www.certo6.com Not all technical information, but great hands on advise which I prefer.<br /><br />Mark, thanks for your thoughts. A Mamiya 6 (later, non folder) is not of interest though. It's quite a bit larger, and importantly considerably more expensive. I'm looking for a 'cheap thrill' ;-)<br /><br />Marco, thanks for the recommendation. I've used a couple of Russian 35mm lenses and really liked sort of images they produced, so I'll definately look into this further.<br /><br />Okay, now a couple of stupid questions :-). <br /><br />How handholdable are these 6x6 folders? I assumed I'd be able to go quite low, with the shutter being so small, but I've read they're quite prone to vibrations, so perhaps not. How slow can I go, with good technique, with something like Isolette?<br /><br />If there is no frame counter, do you literally have to count yourself? I imagine that would get me into all sorts of trouble!</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Agree with Mark. Have a serious look at the Mamiya 6 (the new but discontinued version, predecessor to the current Mamiya 7 and not the original pre-warII folder).</p>

<p>The better small folders (the models with the very good rather than ordinary lenses) from the 50s and 60s tend to be expensive and there is always the question of bellows condiotion and their often not so rigid folding mechanisms. Plaubel Makina (the DOI company of Japan version) made a compact but somewhat heavy 6x7 folder (meter + RF), but I had bad experience with its ruggedness over time.</p>

<p>The Mamiya 6 is silent, has great lenses (+ meter + RF) and folds with the normal lens to quite a small package. A great wedding and street photography camera but equally happy for landscapes, architectural or other work. A mint condition one is often best acquired from Japan and can be had for about $1200 US (I would guess roughly 800 Pounds). The 6MF is a bit more expensive and less interesting to my mind (more cluttered VF) </p>

[gene_aker2]

<p>I just shot two rolls with my new Perkeo II that I bought from Certo6.com for $230. Jurgen rebuilds and sells them. Mine is very small, and the neat leather case is in good shape! Here are my thoughts about using in. I also shoot with a Yashica mat and a Rolleicord. The lenses seem about even. The TLR groundglass is vastly superior to the Perkeo--for framing. However, the Perkeo is so small and discreet--that I will take it to Paris as an extra camera. You have to get used to the wholly manual---lens cocking and focussing--but it does have a double exposure prevention. It may be a little hard to find lens shade and filters. But I think it will be great for street shooting--if the subject is more than, say, 10 feet away. I'm glad I bought it. I'm sure I'll use it more. check Flickr for various samples.</p>

[jonathan_james]

<p>A bit slow catching up with this thread. Folders are easy to use, but not nearly so user friendly as a tlr. The main thing to get used to is the viewfinder. These can be very difficult to use. Both Zeiss and Voigtlander had devices to assist. Zeiss made an albada viewfinder to slot into the accessory shoe and Voigtlander made the kontur finder - very weird but effective. Either of these will help you frame your shots. Alternatively, the Ensign Selfix cameras had very good built in albada finders.<br>

Frame counting is usually by looking through a red window on the back of the camera to check the number on the paper backing of the film. Although I have several folders with automatic winders, less than half of them wind accurately so the red window is usually the better option.</p>