Zeiss Ikon Icarex S

[john_woo3]

Good day. I recently acquired a Zeiss Ikon Icarex S camera. However

the metering needle is not moving when I adjust the aperture setting

or shutter speeds. Does the camera need a battery to operate the

exposure nmeter please?? If so where to put the battery please??

[john_shaeffer1]

I'm guessing PX625, that was a mercury battery originally, but there are alkaline and zinc replacements available. I think you still should be able to find some of the mercury batteries, too, although they are now banned.

 

Cameraquest has a write up on this camera:

http://www.cameraquest.com/zvicarex.htm

 

I would guess the battery comparment is on the bottom of the camera as shown in the picture in the article.

[connealy]

Wow, looks like quite a find. Would be interesting to see how that lens stacks up against the Super Takumar, and if the Pentax lenses can be used on the Icarex (assuming it is the screwmount model).

[john_shaeffer]

Mike:

The Icarex line was carried on in the Rollei 35 SLR line. The Rollei SL35 started out as a thread mount and then became a bayonet mount shortly after. The rollei SL35M and 35ME were enhanced versions of the last camera in the Icarex line, the SL706.

 

Unlike the S that the original poster was asking about, the newer Rolleis had open aperture metering and are nicer to use. Most of these cameras were made in Singapore and Rollei farmed out a lot of the lens making for them to different contractors, Mamiya being the largest. In fact the screw mount M42 SX lenses that won a bit of praise for Mamiya were all also made for the Rolleiflex SLR lineup and are know as Rolleinars.

 

The Rollei SLRs are relatively heavy cameras and were priced much higher than the Japanese competition at the time--so they never caught on. These days the cameras don't tend to be too expensive, but outside of the standard lenses, which are the only Singapore made lenses, most of the other focal lengths tend to be pretty pricey. The Planar 50mm normal lens is really an excellent performer. The only thing I don't like about the SL35M that I have is that the shutter doesn't like cold weather, which may indicate a need for a CLA.