Medium Format Folder

Kodak Junior No. 1A Autographic – Song of the Centenarian – from the 1920s to the 2020s – By Simon Foale

This camera was one of several given to me recently by my dad. I have already posted on another from this lot – the Zeiss (Ikon) Contina 1 (522/24). The Kodak is by far the oldest of the batch, having been originally sold between 1914 and 1927. This specimen was mostly used by my grandfather, Cyril, a farmer in the Mallee district of eastern South Australia. I don’t know exactly when Cyril first obtained this camera, but my Auntie Yae sent me a collection of negs made with it, some of which we know were shot in the 1920s, though the exact year is not clear for all of them. I will present below images made by my grandfather and then some that I have made since restoring the camera, along with some notes about the camera and its restoration.

6x9 folder lineup

Finding my ideal 6×9 folder – Largest Negative in a Compact Travel Format – by Zheng Li

I have owned and used many different types of medium format cameras (TLR, SLR, folder, rigid body rangefinder), and I enjoy all of them for different reasons. But this article is specifically about medium format folders, which provide a large negative in a compact and travel friendly form factor. Sometimes they are not much bigger or heavier than a 35mm rangefinder, while producing almost six times the film area.

Kodak 616 Camera

Kodak Six-16 Camera – A Gifted Camera Experience – By Kevin Montanaro

I was at work one day when a friend/client came in with something in a weathered leather case. At the end of our service he handed me the case with “and this is for you.” This is a particularly gifty friend, he’s previously gifted me everything from a stereo receiver to a pair of socks… and it’s clear that he is dialed into all my favorite things, because today he’s handing me an old film camera.

Super Ikonta 532/16 Review – An Ikon – By Bob Janes

The Ikonta range of folding medium format cameras complemented Zeiss Ikon’s Contax ‘system’ camera. They combined quality optics with leaf shutters in sophisticated bodies. The ‘Super Ikontas’ even featured a coupled rangefinder. They were made in three formats for 120 film. The A bodies were 6×4.5, the B’s were 6×6 and the C’s were 6×9. Other Ikonta models catered for 127 film (3×4) and 616 film (a huge 6.5×11 negative). The particular camera I’m basing this article on is a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 532/16. One of the ‘B’ models, producing 6×6 negatives on 120 film. This model was first produced in 1936 and carried on in production for nearly 20 years.

Zeiss Ikon Ikonta – Lost and Found, a 70 Year History – By Conor O’Brien

My Dad was always a keen photographer. When he bought his Zeiss Ikon Ikonta in the early 1950s, it would have been a substantial outlay for him as a civil servant. While he didn’t opt for the Super Ikonta, he paid for a few optional extras; a leather case, the 75mm 3.5 Tessar lens and …

Zeiss Ikon Ikonta – Lost and Found, a 70 Year History – By Conor O’Brien Read More

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