kmac

Here they are, 4 pages of them ... https://www.photo.net/profile/892064-bravo/content/?type=gallery_image&change_section=1 Click on symbols at top right for thumbnails or full size

Folders can suffer from misalignment if they have worn side struts. Side struts on Zeiss Ikons wear where the two chrome pieces link together, which is where you push them to close the camera ... and if the struts are excessively worn, they won't lock the lens standard in place. I've owned two Ikons like that, I replaced a strut on one camera, and scrapped the other camera, both struts were worn beyond usefulness on that second one. The way to avoid the problem is to buy Zeiss folders that are obviously in very good to excellent condition, which includes of course, spotless lens glass. The Tessar (4 element) is the common lens. The Novar (3 element) is plentiful but of lesser quality. You can get really good shots with the Tessar. Focusing is not a problem on early Zeiss folders that have no rangefinder, but later ones with coupled rangefinder can be awkward because the cameras aren't very ergonomic. I always attach a handle grip so the focusing can be done easier, without having to worry about how I'm going to grip the camera. I have only one Voigtlander folder, a Bessa 1, viewfinder only model, with Vaskar lens. It was a recent acquisition and I haven't exposed any film in it yet. It needed lubricating because the double exposure mechanism wasn't releasing the shutter button properly. And even after lubrication, the shutter button still has a tight spot which caused camera shake while I was testing the mechanism without film. I would regret buying it except it came with everything, box, mask, instructions, leather case, all in very good condition ... but it's wasn't an exciting buy like my most recent acquisition was, a Zeiss Ikon 530/15, which came with nothing, but survived the decades to be still in as-new condition, and I have loads of 70mm film for it to consume. I think the Vaskar lens in Voigtlanders is the bottom of the range, maybe the Voigtar is, but next comes the Skopar, then the Heliar, then the Apo Lanthar in the Bessa 11, however, the Apo will cost thousands to buy, so I'd say the Skopar lens would be ok to keep the cost down and to get reasonable quality. Later folders came with coated lenses, and they are worth considering, f3.5, as against f4.5 of earlier un-coated lenses. Both Zeiss and Bessa 11 folders had coated lenses in the 50s For another brand of 6x9, the Franka Rolfix with Rodenstock Trinar lens is not bad. The only problem it has is the slow top speed of 1/250sec, but when everything is going good, this is what it can do ... Air Show - Expired Fuji Superia Xtra 400, home processed. As with all old folders, you need to be conscious of depth of field. One day I'll get it right.

Here's another link, but in Italian. You could ask someone to translate who speaks Italian, the whole link is made up of what looks like screenshots, and therefore can't be translated in an online translator, unless you type the words into the translator manually. https://bencinistory.altervista.org/002B fotocamere 47/02G1 FAF ACIES.html Yours appears to be the first model, having 1/150sec top speed. All the others had 1/300sec, and the last two models were just 24mm x 36mm, with no half frame capability. It looks like a previous owner had a flash sync fitted to the one you just bought, note that it covers the "e" and "s" in the name "Acies".

This link might help ... http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Acies

OK then, I have films in these cameras at the present time. Minolta Hi-matic 9 - B&W Olympus DL-270 Zoom point & shoot - color Olympus Infinity Zoom 80 - color Rheinmetall Perfekta (the boxy looking one) - B&W Franka Rolfix II (with rangefinder) - color Kodak 2A folder with modern Tominon lens - color Too many at the one time I'm sure, but it means I have a good variety of loaded cameras to select from when I'm out and about. The Rheinmetall Perfekta is a new acquisition, a fun camera that produces very acceptable photographs. Just one speed, and "B", and three aperture settings.

Yes they must be put back. They are factory shims for fine tuning the focal length (75mm) before the camera leaves factory. Without them, the camera's front focus scale will be slightly out from the specified focal length of the camera, resulting in blurred parts of images where you don't want them to be blurred. Here's the specs of the camera if you want them ... http://www.artdecocameras.com/cameras/agfa/speedex0/

Locking ring, locking nut, same thing. It tightens the lens against the lens standard.

Usually the bellows is attached to the lens standard with rivets making it easier to refit the lens. The way to refit the lens on this Agfa is to half close the front door with the lens inside and by using a pointer, start revolving the locking nut being careful not to damage the bellows. It helps if there's a thin film of grease on the thread. Another way is to glue the front of the bellows to the lens standard making sure no glue gets on the locking ring. With the bellows glued in place, attach the lens and if you can't reach the locking nut with a lens spanner (those double prong things), again close the front door to a point where you are able to use a pointer to start turning the lens nut and get it to catch the thread. The lens must be held in place while doing this, otherwise you may never get the thread started. Final tightening of the lens nut is best done with a lens spanner.

If yours is a 45 CT4, then it's the same as what I have and I've set mine up to take six AA non-rechargeable batteries which need an after market, or third party holder. The voltage is 9V, but rechargeable batteries would be something less that that.

There shouldn't be any focus on the lens, the focusing is done via the helicoil. Try loosening the nut holding the lens and see if the helicoil comes free again. Some pics might help us also, to see if you are fitting the lens on correctly.

I searched for a while and found what John was asserting, only 6x9 numbers were on early backing papers ... Camerapedia Wiki "Frame numbers for the main frame formats (4.5×6, 6×6, 6×9) are printed on the back of the backing paper. The three series of numbers did not appear at once: at the beginning only the '1' to '8' numbers for 6×9 format were present, and this explains why the very first Rolleiflex models used not 120 but 117 film, specifically designed for 6×6, and why the first 4.5×6 cameras like the Ikonta A had two red windows to control the film advance, using each of the numbers for 6×9 twice." https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/120_film

Now that you've removed the lens, it'll be ok to squirt some WD40 into the ends of the helicoil, using tissue paper to soak up the excess. Then you will need to heat the outer half of the helicoil with a hair drier to get it to expand. It may take several goes, and a few nights of applying WD40, but eventually it will come loose. I normally don't advise using WD40, but this is one job on a camera where it's necessary. You can clean it all off the camera after, using cotton tips and tissues, before refitting the lens.

The film needs to reach the film gate and cover it fully for the first shot. So it seems that by using the number "1" on the 6x9 side, enough film is drawn up to give you the first full frame ready for shooting. If the 6x6 number "1" was used, only about half the film gate would be covered for the first exposure. Try it with an old backing paper, hold the 6x9 number "1" near where the red window is, and you'll see that the old masking tape on the film will be just past the film gate. It appears the 6x9 "1" is being used as a "starting" arrow, which as you know is set opposite two white dots on later TLRs with the door open ... but of course, your Ikoflex door must be closed when setting the number "1"

Apparently the red window is only for number "1". After that, the film winder automatically takes care of the rest. But the "1" is on the 6x9 side of the film. Why it's like that is anyone's guess, and it's probably why the film has a blank frame at the beginning. You need to set the frame counter after you wind the film to No1, otherwise there might be overlapping.

Which Solinette do you have, one with the lens unit on a helicoil, or with front lens focusing ? With the helicoil type, you could dribble some lighter fluid down at the back of the lens next to the focusing ring. Heat from the Sun also. After several attempts, it should free the two parts of the helicoil, but you may need to carefully lever the focusing ring with a wooden lever to get it to finally "break the seal". The two halves can come free enough without you knowing it, all that's left is a little extra persuasion. If all attempts fail, you will need to undo the nut holding the lens/shutter to the camera, then remove the lens/shutter, and that will make it much easier to work on the helicoil, you can apply more heat and lighter fluid. I wouldn't recommend removing the helicoil from the camera, focus settings might be lost and it could be quite tricky to recalibrate. On the front lens focusing type, do the same with lighter fluid and heat, and if necessary, use something that acts as a lens spanner with soft packing around the front lens and gently rotate it to again "break the seal". Try to protect adjacent surfaces as you are doing this.

I would suggest water based and a clean soft cloth.

Thanks for pointing that out Rick. I tried Rodinal semi stand development the other night for the first time, weird results though, two indoor flash shots were excellent, but the rest on the film, outdoor sunlit but overcast, were crap. The camera was an unusual camera for me to be playing around with ... a bakelite first model Rheinmetall Perfecta, fixed focus single speed and "B", doublet, two elements cemented. Classy thing lol, self cocking as the film is being wound. The flash shots were shot on "B", with the flash fired manually using the red test button. I'll post some pics from my second film when I get it done.

Fine shots Luis .. where did you get the Paterson Acutol ? I'd love to get some.

Whooah! I'd advise against acetone, it tends to soften paint and plastics, it will dissolve super glue even. That sounds like a mechanical problem, it could have come out of place and got jammed at the inner end where it actually releases the counter and thereby preventing the counter dial from flying back to zero. You may not want to do it, but the top will have to come back off to see what's really going on with that "button". Most likely it will need prodding to get it back into place, and it's spring tension checked. This might be the reason the release button is kaput. Do you think the camera might have been dropped sometime in the past, or received a substantial knock ? How bad was it, was it bent out, or in ? If it was bent in, the door may have pushed the button in further than it's normal limit and the button got jammed tight in the works and jerks inside. If you can't easily get to the release button with the top cover off, perhaps you'll need to weigh up the economy of your love for the camera against the time and effort to repair it.

Here's another old link that might answer your F3 question about the frame counter. The thread is only two posts long but the reply seems informative and it's also what I would have advised that you do. You won't really know what the problem is until the top cover is removed and the frame counter is inspected. It could be accumulated dirt, it could be jammed, a broken, worn, or bent part, or a displaced spring. Without removing the top cover, the only option is to dribble some lighter fluid past the re-set pin on the back that the door works. The idea of the lighter fluid is to loosen dirt and hopefully move it enough to free parts up. If that doesn't work, the top cover removal will be necessary for further inspection.

I've edited my post best I could to attempt to deflect it away from what you said Sam.

Some Youtubers use B&W to censor the red color of the blood and guts of a lions prey, segments of B&W in an otherwise color video. The saturation is reduced to B&W to spare sensitive viewers the colorful gory details. But at least it's not blurred out, as in many Youtube vids. Back to the OP's question ... my opinion is, if the scene is colorful and the subject is enhanced by the color, use color. If the subject is stark with little color or the color impedes the power of the subject, use B&W, for example, the job sites and workers that you mentioned.

Yes of course ... my regrets on missing out on the two desirable Kodaks I wanted waned when I picked up a few near new folders. An all original 3A red bellows Kodak for US$39 (strange auction that was for this beautiful 3A, bidding slowed early in the auction, then nothing. I waited the remaining days, and stepped in with my bid at the last seconds and grabbed it with no opposing bids. Good 3A red bellows usually go for over US$100) A maroon Kodak 2A Rainbow Hawkeye without a scratch or blemish for US$100. Very nice camera but with course pleat black bellows. I'll be changing the bellows to the correct fine pleat and paint them redish maroon. A truly near mint 70mm film Zeiss Ikon 530/15 for half the price that others are listed for, and I only had to make a new bright line plastic piece for the viewfinder, not rough, I spent a week trying different ways to make it right, finally succeeded. A new looking No1 Pocket Kodak with gleaming chrome work and bright shiny stylus mounted on the lens standard, for very few dollars. One last one, a very neat new looking bottom of the ladder 4.5x6 Zeiss Nettar Anastigmat f6.3. Well kept little camera for US$46 IIRC, a good buy IMO Yes, I don't feel so bad now.

It's impossible to tell if you will win an auction anyway. You could just keep bidding until you go into hock to get the item, win it that way, not me though. I was watching the last seconds of an auction once and the highest and the second highest bidders both threw in insanely high bids hoping to outbid each other on a cheap camera that both bidders obviously wanted, but hardly anyone else would. The winning bidder ended up paying about four times in excess of the real market value of the camera. There was nothing special about that camera that I could fathom.

Two folding cameras, online, 1) A true near mint Kodak No4 and, 2) a fairly rare, I would say quite rare, red Kodak 2A Model B Rainbow Hawkeye with it's original red bellows. Right at a time when I was putting the brakes on buying more cameras and became half-hearted. Only later on did I really regret not bidding higher on both, I was the second highest bidder in each case.