Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III (853/16) camera

My Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III camera

My first real camera, a Univex Uniflex, was a gift from my Uncle Bud, my mother's younger brother. He was a free-spirited soul, living a bohemian lifestyle that left a lasting impression on me and my older brother. This camera, a symbol of his unique spirit, became my gateway to the world of photography. 

 Uncle Bud was the photographer in the family gatherings, went to art school in Chicago, where he met his wife, made wine, went antiquing, purchased an old school bus, and was converting it into a camper for the family, was health-conscious, all of this in the 1960s, as I was young and impressionable. 

 I tell you this because the Univex Uniflex was a somewhat inexpensive twin-lens reflex camera that I used for many of my early years taking photos, so the twin-lens reflex style has always felt comfortable to me. I've always enjoyed looking through a larger viewfinder and framing my subject, albeit backward when looking down into the camera. It's similar to looking through a view camera, although the view camera isn't backwards, just upside down. 

 Last week, as my wife and I were in Yosemite and the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the reasons we went there was that on the first Sunday of the month, there's a large flea market in Alameda, which I miss since moving away from the area about 9 years ago. I planned the trip partly to visit the flea market and look for cameras and other photo items.

 I arrived at the flea market early and started looking over the many tables. At one of the tables, I found this fantastic Zeiss Ikoflex III camera I've been looking for for many years. As I picked up the camera, the shutter worked at higher speeds and lagged at lower speeds. The lens was clean and the transport worked well. 

 After a bit of negotiation, I left the flea market with the Ikoflex III and a few other small items. The joy of this find was so great that I couldn't wait to share it with you, my fellow camera enthusiasts. Even though I had recently written about the Zeiss Contaflex camera, the Ikoflex III was a gem that I couldn't wait to put a roll of film into and share its story on my camera blog.

Ikoflex History:

 The Zeiss Ikoflex emerged in 1934 as Zeiss Ikon's direct answer to the burgeoning success of the Franke & Heidecke Rolleiflex. The inaugural model, affectionately nicknamed the "Coffee Can" for its distinctive upright, cylindrical body, marked a departure from the more conventional TLR design. This initial offering was a clear statement of intent from the German optics giant to compete in the professional and enthusiast photographer market.

Ad for Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III camera

 Throughout its production, which spanned until 1960, the Ikoflex series underwent significant evolution, with a clear demarcation between its pre-war and post-war iterations. Before World War II, Zeiss Ikon introduced several models, progressively refining the design and features. The early lever-wind and knob-wind "Coffee Can" models gave way to more streamlined, traditionally styled TLRs. These pre-war cameras often featured high-quality Zeiss lenses, such as the Tessar and Novar. They were equipped with Compur or Klio shutters, offering photographers a range of options in terms of both price and performance. A notable pre-war innovation was the Ikoflex III, introduced in 1939, which boasted a fast f/2.8 Tessar lens and a unique Albada direct-vision viewfinder integrated into the focusing hood, setting it apart from its contemporaries.

 Following the end of the war, Zeiss Ikon resumed production in West Germany and continued developing the Ikoflex line. The post-war models, such as the Ikoflex Ia and IIa, reflected the technological advancements of the era. These cameras often featured coated lenses for improved contrast and flare reduction, as well as synchronized flash capabilities. The final models in the series, like the Ikoflex Favorit, even incorporated a built-in, uncoupled light meter, a significant feature for the time.

 Despite its innovative features and the esteemed Zeiss pedigree, the Ikoflex line always existed in the shadow of the Rolleiflex. While highly capable and well-regarded for their robust build and excellent optics, the Ikoflex cameras ultimately ceased production in 1960, leaving behind a legacy as a compelling, if not dominant, force in the golden age of twin-lens reflex photography.

My Camera:

 My Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex is in very good condition, except for some of the slower shutter speeds, which I'll exercise and hopefully bring back to life; otherwise, I'll have it CLA'd. The camera's serial number is 836152, and it has a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 8cm f/2.8 lens, serial number 1851589. The camera is 6" tall when the light chimney is closed and 8" tall when it is open, by 4" wide, including the focus knob and film winding lever, and by 4.25" deep when the camera is focused at infinity.

To open the light chimney and look into the viewfinder, on the back of the camera, behind the closed chimney, is a button to press to open it. Unlike many twin-lens reflex cameras, the light chimney opens from the front rather than the rear, which I find interesting. On the right side of the back wall, the small switch locks and unlocks the flip-up magnifying glass for critical focus on the ground glass. On the side walls of the light chimney are "Zeiss Ikon" on one side and an exposure index on the other.

 If you want to use the Albada sports finder, it shows bright frame lines as you peer through it, and the front of the light chimney is a very polished, mirror-like surface, very similar to the previously mentioned Zeiss Ikon Contaflex TLR camera. To close the chimney, fold down the sides, then the front, and finally the rear portion. 

Similar to the Rolleiflex, both the aperture and shutter speed settings can be viewed when peering down the light chimney. Two separate windows show the aperture setting on the left and the shutter speed on the right. To move either setting, there's a lever on each side of the lens; slide it up or down to change the setting. The shutter speeds go from 1/400 to 1 sec, along with "B" for timed exposures. The aperture goes from F/2.8 to F/22. Just behind the shutter-speed slider is the cable release socket. Just to the right of the lens is a small round window that shows black when the shutter is tripped, and red when the shutter is cocked and ready to shoot.

On the right side of the camera, from top to bottom, is the frame counter in a stylized circular window, placed directly behind the shutter release. To activate the shutter, you press down on the shutter release to take the photo, which I prefer to pressing into the camera's body. The main object on the right side of the camera is the transport/winding lever. It is so much more than just a film transport lever; it also cocks the shutter with only about half a rotation. 

On the left side of the Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex II camera is the focus knob, which has a minimum focus distance of 4' to infinity. Just above the focus knob is the depth-of-field scale for the different apertures. Above and below the focus knob are two knurled knobs that can be pulled out to load and unload the film once the back of the camera is opened.

To open the back of the camera to load the film, there is a small disk on the back that is pulled down to open the back. The back will flip down, unlike Rolleiflex cameras, where the back pulls up. Loading the film is just like any other twin-lens reflex camera. Once the new film is on the bottom, bring the lead to the top spool and thread it into the slot, and wind the transport lever. Do this until the arrows on the paper backing point to two white dots on the side of the film chamber. At this point, close the back and wind until you see frame number 1 in the frame counter. Do not go past the first frame (frame 1) in the film counter, or you'll lose images on the film. This may be a flaw in my camera, but at first it doesn't stop at frame 1.

 

My Results:

 The forecast for the end of last week called for rain, so on Wednesday, I loaded up the camera with film and took a short drive to Duggan Falls in Washougal, WA. It's about a 30-minute drive. While it was overcast, it wasn't raining, and I wanted to try the Ikoflex III before the rain hit.

 The camera produced very sharp images. Here are a few photos I took at the falls.

Conclusion:

 The Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III camera was an absolute pleasure to shoot with. It was similar to many other twin-lens reflex cameras. The viewfinder could have been a bit brighter, but the focus knob was smooth and easy to move. The shutter speed and aperture windows seem a tad dark, but the camera is close to 90 years old, so a good CLA would brighten them up nicely.

 I really enjoyed the short turn of the transport lever. I was surprised that such a small motion would properly transport the film AND cock the shutter, too. It does a fantastic job, and it's one of the reasons I enjoyed the camera so much. Overall, an excellent camera to have in the collection, and one I'll be taking out more often to shoot with, given how sharp the images are.

 Thank you for taking the time out of your day to learn about this fantastic vintage German camera.

 Here's a link to my other Camera Reviews.

 I also have a store on eBay, Cuny's Camera and Photo. Stop by sometime and see what cameras and other photo oddities I have for sale.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Contessa Nettel Cocarette I DeLuxe

My Contessa Nettel Cocarette I DeLuxe camera

As I've mentioned in other posts, colored cameras are some of my favorite cameras to collect. That's a good thing when the camera is a different color than the standard drab black camera and a beautiful, rich brown-toned camera. When the camera is a rich brown-toned camera and is a rarer version, that makes the camera even more special to me. When the camera is a rich brown tone, a rarer version of the black model of the same camera AND, the camera is in good working condition and has a clean lens, then to me, it's, as we say in the U.S. and to use a baseball term  "a real home run."

 The Contessa Nettel Cocarette I Luxus camera was purchased from a seller in Florida five or six years ago. I purchased this camera along with a few other wonderful cameras, like the Zeiss Super Nettel, a Zeiss Tenax II, a Zeiss Nettax, and a few others, which were real gems in my collection for a long time until I sold them, which at times I look back and regret. That's all part of the collecting world.

 The camera appeared to be in great working condition. The bellows seemed to be light-tight, the aperture moved smoothly, and the camera came with an upgraded Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar lens and a Compur shutter, which, upon inspection, were in excellent condition. Also, the exterior leather was without tears and with minor scuffs, and the Cocarette I handle on the camera was still intact.

 When I received the camera, I wanted to find out more about the camera, so as I usually do, I saw if there was a manual or catalog on the camera. My go-to website for camera manuals is www.butkus.org , which has an extensive collection of manuals. They did have the Zeiss Cocarette manual,

According to the manual, Contessa Nettel made three different Cocarette models, each with four cameras of various sizes.

 The three  Cocarette models are:

Special: Called I/0, II/0, III/0, and IV/O, covered in black leatherette and with hinged metal front.

Standard: Described as Cocarette I, II, III, IV, With real black leather coverings, leather bellows, and hinged "Stirrup" front.

DeLuxe: Styled respectively "de Luxe" I, "de Luxe" II, "de Luxe" III, and "de Luxe" IV. This type is covered in the finest brown Morocco leather and has bellows of the same. ​ All the edges are bound in German silver.

 The different negative sizes of the models described above are as follows:

l/0, I and "de Luxe" I . Film 3 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches

II/0, II and "de Luxe" II . Film 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches

III/0, III and 'ode Luxe" III . Film 4 1/4 x 3 1/4 inches

IV/O, IV, and "de Luxe" IV. Film  5 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches

History

Contessa-Nettel AG was a prominent German camera manufacturer based in Stuttgart. It was formed in 1919 by merging two influential companies: Contessa Camerawerke Drexler & Nagel and Nettel Camerawerk. This merger combined the innovative strengths of both firms—Contessa Camerawerke, founded by Dr. August Nagel, and Nettel Camerawerk, known for its advanced strut folding cameras and focal plane shutters. Dr. Nagel, who began his camera design business 1908 as Drexler & Nagel, quickly rebranded it as Contessa Camerawerke before acquiring Nettel in 1919 and establishing Contessa-Nettel AG.

Ad showing the different negative sizes.

 Contessa-Nettel became renowned for its diverse and technically advanced range of cameras. The company offered approximately forty different models, including many variations of the Cocarette, a folding camera that became one of its most famous products during the 1920s. Other notable models included the Deckrullo-Nettel series, which featured self-capping focal plane shutters—a significant innovation. The company also specialized in stereo cameras and produced various compact and portable designs, such as the Piccolette and the Stereax.

 The Deckrullo-Nettel cameras, initially developed by Nettel, continued to be produced under the Contessa-Nettel name after the merger. These cameras were admired for their engineering, particularly their strut folding mechanisms and reliable shutters. Contessa-Nettel's products were recognized for their build quality and design excellence, reflecting Dr. Nagel's eye for detail.

 In 1926, Contessa-Nettel became part of Zeiss Ikon, a new conglomerate formed by merging several major German camera manufacturers, including ICA, Ernemann, and Goerz, alongside Contessa-Nettel. This consolidation aimed to strengthen the German photographic industry and create a powerhouse capable of competing internationally. After the merger, many Contessa-Nettel designs and models continued under the Zeiss Ikon brand, and the Stuttgart factory became a critical Zeiss Ikon site.

 Although Contessa-Nettel, as an independent brand, ceased to exist after 1926, its influence persisted. Feeling out of place at Zeiss Ikon, Dr. August Nagel left to establish the Nagel-Werke factory, which Kodak later acquired. Nagel's subsequent innovations, such as the Kodak Retina and the first pre-loaded 35mm film cassette, trace their lineage to the design philosophy he honed at Contessa-Nettel. The Contessa-Nettel name also lived on in Zeiss Ikon's product lines, most notably in the Zeiss-Ikon Contessa cameras of the postwar era.

 Contessa-Nettel's history is marked by technical innovation, quality craftsmanship, and a legacy that shaped the evolution of camera technology in the 20th century.

My Camera:

My Contessa Nettel Cocarette I Deluxe camera is 6 5/8" long by 3.5" wide, 1.5" deep when closed, and 5.5" deep when opened, with the lens extended from the body. It weighs 1 Lb. 6 oz. My camera's serial number is 422872. It also has a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 10.5cm f4.5 lens, serial #588166.

 To open the camera, there is a button on the side of the camera, which is similar to another folding camera, which you press, and the front door opens, exposing the front of the camera. Just below the shutter is the company name, Contessa Nettel, and on either side of the name are two knobs which you grab and pull the front standard of the camera out from the camera body until they stop. You're now ready to take a photo if you have film loaded into the camera

Pulling the front standard from the camera body lets you see the controls on the camera much better. Looking down at the camera, you have a bright waist-level viewfinder with indents on each corner representing a vertical or horizontal format for framing your photo. Currently, the camera is in the vertical position or, in modern terms, in portrait mode. The viewfinder can also tilt to the side if you plan on using the camera in the horizontal position to photograph in landscape mode. Right next to the viewfinder is a red bubble level to ensure the camera is level for straight photos and does not have crooked horizon lines.

On the camera's bed, just to the right of the shutter, is a focus lever, which allows the photographer to get closer to their subject and take clear photos. The focus lever can go from 2 meters to infinity, with a few different distances in between.

 When you look at the front of the camera and focus on what is on the Compur shutter, on the right side is the shutter release lever, and on the left side is a dial with Z, D, and M. These are used for different shutter functions. Z opens the shutter when you release the shutter lever and closes when you pull the shutter release again. D opens the shutter when you pull down on the shutter release and closes when you release it, and M is for the more normal use of the shutter speeds built into the shutter. The shutter speed ranges from 1 second to 1/250. All the shutter speeds on the camera seem reasonable, even the 1 sec, which is fantastic for a 100-year-old camera.

A small lever is on the bottom of the shutter. Sliding the lever from one side to the other changes the aperture setting, which you can see on top of the shutter. The camera's operations are very easy to see while holding it. You can view the shutter speed, the aperture settings, the focus distance, the viewfinder, and the bubble level, all while composing the photo in the vertical or portrait position.

 On the right side, as you're holding the camera, is a chrome knob on top of the lens standard. This slightly raises the camera lens, which will correct for vertical distortion. It doesn't do much, but it gives you a little movement in several of the better-quality folding cameras from this era.

For horizontal photos, you can swing a wire finder around the lens. On the back of the camera, a small eye finder slides out to create an action or sports finder from the two pieces. Using the camera in this position is a bit more clumsy due to where the shutter release is positioned.

Eyepiece on back up, and wire frame in place for action photo.

Fortunately, the Cocarette I cameras can use the popular 120-size film. The film chamber slides out from the camera body to load the film. On the left side of the body is a lever that you slide to unlock the film chamber from the body. Once the film chamber is unlocked, it can slide up to reveal the take-up spool and the film area. To put the film in the film area, there are holders that you flip up to get the take-up spool and the film into the respective areas.

 When loading the film, slide the paper packing under the thin channel to keep it flat across the opening. Another oddity of this camera is a large cut-away on the top of one of the corners of the exposure areas. I don't understand why this is there, as it did produce the cutout on the negative. If you know why that is there, I'd love to know. It may have had something to do with the older films of that time.

Once the film is loaded into the film back of the camera, slide it back into the camera and lock the back onto the camera body to prevent it from getting exposed to light. A small square red window with a cover is on the back of the camera. Winding the film with the take-up spool will take you to the number 1 photo, and now you're ready to make your first photo.

 

My Results:

I loaded the camera with a roll of Rollei RX100 film and walked through the neighborhood with my trust Sekonic L-308 meter. The day was somewhat overcast, so the contrast in the images wasn't the best. I also used the focus control on the camera. Since the day was cloudy, the settings on many of the photos were a shutter speed of 1/100 and aperture settings of f/4.5, which means there's not a lot of play when it comes to depth of field, and the photos show that.

 Here are the results I got from the Contessa Nettel Cocarette I Deluxe.

Conclusion:

The camera is straightforward to use, which I’m used to because I often use folding cameras. The controls were straightforward to define and comfortable to hold for composition purposes. However, the results I received weren't the best when I used the focus control on the camera. It's very possible my distances were off, and having to use a shallow depth of field didn't help.

 It wasn't bad, but my expectations were too high. Getting a 6x9 format negative with a Zeiss lens, I was hoping for better results. That shows I'll need to take this camera out and try again.

 Thank you for taking the time to read about this beautiful and very functional camera. It certainly looks terrific in my collection, and I enjoy having it.

 Click on the link if you're interested in reading some of the other camera reviews. 

 If you are interested in some of the cameras and other camera oddities I have for sale, I have a store on eBay called Cuny's Camera.

 Until next week, please be safe.

Zeiss Ikon Super Nettel

Upon my first encounter with the Super Nettel camera, I was immediately drawn to its understated elegance and subtle Art Deco influence. This is my second Super Nettel, having previously owned the Super Nettel II, a similar model with a few distinct modifications.

My Zeiss Ikon Super Nettel Camera from 1934

 When my wife and I were in Paris earlier this year, I always enjoyed visiting local flea markets to look for anything photographic, whether it's cameras, lenses, old negatives to digitize, daguerreotypes, or just photo nickknacks or accessories. I made my way to their larger flea market area on a Saturday morning, and in one of the stalls, a lovely gentleman had some Leicas and other rarer cameras. I would have liked to purchase more than I did, but I'd pick up this very nice looking and working Super Nettel camera. In the back of my mind, I always pictured myself doing a blog post on it, especially since the camera was in good working condition, especially for a camera built 90 years ago.

 The Company:

Zeiss Ikon, a company formed in 1929 through the merger of four prominent camera companies in Germany, including Ernemann, Goerz, Ica, and Contessa-Nettel, was a significant investment by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. The company had two main divisions: the camera and the optical. 

 With the new company's formation, almost all of the cameras had Carl Zeiss lenses, and the other companies that had optical manufacturing, like Goerz, had to shut down their optical divisions. With the formation of the new company, almost all of the cameras were using Compur shutters, and like the optical companies, the majority of the shutter companies were also absorbed within the new company.

This group was one of the biggest manufacturers of cameras and lenses in the world, producing many top-quality 35mm cameras like Contax and several high-quality folding cameras like Super Ikonta, which to this day are highly desirable due to their workmanship and quality optics. Until WWII, Zeiss was also a major manufacturer of movie cameras and medical optics.

The cover of the instruction manual. Thank you Pacific Rim Camera.

 After WWII, Zeiss was split into East and West German companies. The company was in Stuttgart in the West, and there were disputes with East Germany about the trademark. The West German ceased production of cameras in 1972. In East Germany, many of the factories were dismantled and sent to the Soviet Union. The Soviet camera manufacturer Kiev received much of the equipment, and in 1948, the Zeiss company became government-owned

 In 1948, the company introduced the new Contax S model, which had a different look from their earlier line of rangefinder cameras, but due to the split between different countries, there were trademark and naming disputes with West Germany, so in 1958, the company changed the name to VEB Kinowerke Dresden and later was rolled into Pentacon.

 After Germany's unification, Carl Zeiss reintroduced the Zeiss Ikon name and produced a rangefinder camera that was introduced at Photokina in 2004. The camera was built by Cosina in Japan and had the Leica M mount for lenses. Like the Contax G and G2, there were lenses made in both Japan and Germany for the camera.

My Camera:

For me, the reason I enjoy shooting with a Rangefinder 35mm camera is due to a few different reasons. The cameras are smaller and more compact to carry. They are less noisy to photograph due to the shutter system and not having the noise of the clunking mirror flopping up and down. Granted, the rangefinder focus is more challenging to use. It takes some time to get used to, or the ability to see what you're getting when you put on different lenses, so there is a trade-off between an SLR and a Rangefinder-style camera.

 The Super Nettel camera was made in 1934 as a "less expensive" camera to their Contax line. To open the front door to expose the lens system, there is a button on the top center of the top plate you press in, and the lens, which is attached to the bellows, pops out. My camera has the less expensive Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm (50mm) f3.5 Triotar lens. The camera had a more expensive Zeiss Tessar 5cm f2.8  or 5cm f3.5 lens. Around the lens are three screws in the 2 O'clock, 5 O'clock, and 8 O'clock positions, which are for holding on an accessory filter or the lens hood.

When closed, my camera measures 5.5" wide by 3" tall by 1.5" deep. When the lens is exposed, it is 4" deep, including the front door, which folds down. The camera weighs 1 lb, 6.3oz. 

 Around the lens is the aperture control, which goes from F3.5 to f22. The Super Nettle incorporates the same or a very similar rangefinder system as the Super Ikonta cameras. Around the outer rangefinder window is a knurled ring that you turn to focus the rangefinder system, bringing the two images together to get a focused image. On the outside of the knurled ring is the focus distance in meters, along with a small depth of field scale.

Note the three screws aaround the lens to hold the accessory filters and hood.

 To retract the lens and close the front door for travel, there are two knobs on the outside of the door that you press in, and at that point, you can press the lens back into the camera body, which will also close the front door, which will lock once pushed in.

 On the back of the camera are two windows. The window on the left is the viewfinder for composing the photo, and the window on the right is the rangefinder window for focus. They are both pretty small windows, but they do an adequate job.

The left window is the viewfinder, and the right is the rangefinder.

On top of the camera is an accessory show for putting on an accessory viewfinder, which has a few different options according to the instruction manual. Next to the accessory show is the frame counter, and next to the frame counter is the advancing knob which also incorporates the shutter speed settings and cocks the shutter. Inside the winding knob is the shutter release. On the far left side is the camera's rewind knob to retract the film when you're finished shooting the entire roll of film. In between the frame counter and the winding knob is a small button. This button unlocks the winding sprocket, so when you rewind the film into the canister, you don't rip off the sprockets of the film.

From left to right are Rewind knob, Viewfinder window, Accessory Shoe with Opening button in front of AS, Frame Counter, Rewind unlock, Winding knob with Shutter Speeds.

To take the back off to load the film, you'll need to look at the bottom of the camera, where there are two handles on either end of the camera. Flip up the handle and turn the handle 90 degrees. One knob will go clockwise and the other counterclockwise. The back will slide off the camera, exposing the incredible metal rolling curtain-style shutter system, the same as the Contax and other Zeiss cameras have incorporated into them.

 You load the camera like you would any other 35mm camera with the film canister going on the left, pulling the leader to the take-up spool, and making sure the sprockets are engaged with the "advancing" sprocket, which is advancing the film across the shutter. Once on the take-up spool, I always take up the slack on the rewind knob, so when I put the back on and advance the film, I watch for the knob to turn when the film pulls out of the canister s. I know the camera is loaded correctly. To put the back on, slide the back into the camera and turn the locking handles the opposite way, and the back is locked into position.

My results:

I need to practice what I teach. I only got a few good photos from this roll of film, as after the sixth frame, the film sprockets tore, and the film didn't advance through the camera. However, the frames I did get were well-exposed and very sharp.

Conclusion:

What another fun camera to shoot with! I enjoyed the camera's ability to focus and handle when out and about shooting. Since I had a mishap with the film tearing, I wanted to get the blog out. I will add more photos down the road when I take the camera for a trip some weekend, and I want a great-quality camera with a very sharp lens to be creative.

 I already have the camera picked for my post next week, which I hope you'll come back to look at at your leisure. 

 Until next week's post, please be well and safe.