Ikonta
Zeiss-Ikon's top product line of folding medium format cameras were badged Ikonta and were generally of superior quality when compared with corresponding folding camera models of Zeiss-Ikon's Nettar product line.
Super Ikonta B 532/16 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights) |
Contents
- 1 History & Models
- 2 Super Ikonta
- 3 Lenses & Shutters
- 4 Ikonta Models
- 5 Super Ikonta Models
- 5.1 Super Ikonta Format 4.5x6 cm
- 5.2 Super Ikonta Format 6x6 cm
- 5.3 Super Ikonta Format 6x9 cm
- 5.4 Super Ikonta A 530
- 5.5 Super Ikonta A 531
- 5.6 Super Ikonta B 530/16
- 5.7 Super Ikonta B 532/16
- 5.8 Super Ikonta BX 533/16
- 5.9 Super Ikonta III 531/16
- 5.10 Super Ikonta IV 534/16
- 5.11 Super Ikonta C 530/2
- 5.12 Super Ikonta C 531/2
- 5.13 Super Ikonta D 530/15
- 6 Images Ikonta viewfinder cameras
- 7 Images Super Ikonta rangefinder cameras
- 8 Links
History & Models
Launched in 1929, they were offered in four models: A, B, C, & D. The A, B, & C size took 120 film. The A, B, & C produced negatives in 6x4.5 format, 6x6 format, and 6x9 format, respectively. The Ikonta D produced larger negatives on either 116 or 616 format film. respectively. There was also a Baby Ikonta, which used 127 film. The first series of Ikonta were also labeled the 520 series. The Ikonta A, B, & C, were also 520, 520/16, and the 520/2,
Around 1940, the 520 series gave way to the 521 series which added a shutter release on the body and a double exposure prevention. Only the A, B, & C models continued. In the early 1950s, the 523 was launched for the B & C models. A chrome top plate with an integral finder and an accessory shoe was added. The 524 series added an uncoupled rangefinder and was also called the "Mess" Ikonta. Hubert Nerwin designed the Ikonta 35 for 35mm film. It was a viewfinder camera. Nerwin created versions with with rangefinder, the Contina with separate optical viewfinder, and the Contessa with a big optical viewfinder plus superimposed Super-Ikonta-like coupled rangefinder. The Ikonta 35 and the Contina were soon renamed to Contina and Contina II.
In the United States early Ikontas were sold under the name Ikomat.
Super Ikonta
Variants which included a coupled rangefinder which were named Super Ikonta. Especially the early Super Ikonta rangefinder cameras were copied by competitors and concurrents since they had an ingenious way to couple the rangefinder by means of one optical element of the rangefinder mounted at the lens standard. An example of such a copy is the Moskva-2.
The model numbers began with a 530 series and followed by the 531 series.
The final Super Ikonta folders were the Super Ikonta III and Super Ikonta IV. Both were in 6x6 format and had the advantage of a film winding mechanism which allowed the film to be advanced without having to watch numbers in red windows. The only difference between the III and IV, was that the latter had a selenium meter. Their catalogue numbers were 531/16 and 534/16, respectively.
After the second World War the Ikonta cameras were produced in West Germany's Zeiss-Ikon plant in Stuttgart. The East German Zeiss-Ikon in Dresden continued the production of a traditional Ikonta model, naming it "Ercona".
The West German plant launched a 35mm Ikonta viewfinder model which was continued as Contina.
Lenses & Shutters
Ikontas were fitted with a wide range of lenses and shutters and the cameras were originally priced accordingly. The primary difference between Ikontas and Nettar models was often the lens and shutter combination.
The lenses were f/6.3 Novar f/4.5 Novar, f/3.5 Novar and f/3.5 Tessar. The focal length was 75mm for 6x6 format cameras and 105mm for 6x9 format. Novar lenses were a triplet designed outsourced to another German optical company, typically Rodenstock or Steinheil. The f/6.3 was dropped after the 520 series. Tessar lenses were 4-element design made by Zeiss. They were uncommon on Ikonta or Mess Ikonta models and more often found on Super Ikontas.
Ikontas were also provided with a range of shutters, the simplest being a three-speed Klio on early models. Other shutters may include the Vario (3-speed), Prontor (4-speed), Prontor-S (8-speed), Compur (8-speed), and Synchro-Compur (10-speed).
Post-war Ikontas tended to have better shutter and lenses as the cheaper combinations were relegated to the Nettar line.
Lenses after the war were coated, which reduce the light reflections between the elements. Uncoated may flare more often and can lead to distorted colors if used with modern color film. Post-war shutters usually had flash synchronization. Immediately after the war, some models were fitted with Schneider Xenar lenses.
Ikonta Models
Ikonta Format 24x36 mm
- Ikonta B 522/24 or Ikonta 35, see Contina
Ikonta Format 3x4 cm
- Ikonta 520/18 , 1931 to 1937
Also called the Baby Ikonta or Ikomat 520/18
Ikonta Format 4.5x6 cm
- Ikonta A 520 , 1932 to 1937
- Ikonta A 521 , 1938 to 1954
Ikonta Format 5x7.5 cm
- Ikonta 520/14 , 1930 to 1931
Ikonta Format 6x6 cm
- Ikonta B 520/16 , 1937 to 1938
- Ikonta B 521/16 , 1938 to 1951
- Ikonta B 523/16 , 1952 to 1953
- Mess-Ikonta 524/16 , 1951 to 1954
Ikonta Format 6x9 cm
c.1930 Ikonta C 520/2 with Novar lens and Telma shutter image by polbar (Image rights) |
- Ikonta C 520/2 , 1929 to 1937
- Ikonta C 521/2, 1938 to 1952
- Ikonta C 523/2, 1952 to 1953
- Mess-Ikonta 524/2, 1951 to 1953
Ikonta Format 6.5x11 cm
- Ikonta 520/15 , 1931 to 1936
Also sold as Ikomat D
Super Ikonta Models
Super Ikonta Format 4.5x6 cm
- Super Ikonta A 530 , 1934 to 1937
- Super Ikonta A 531 , 1936 to 1953
Super Ikonta Format 6x6 cm
- Super Ikonta B 530/16 , 1935 to 1938
- Super Ikonta B 532/16 , 1937 to 1955
- Super Ikonta B 533/16 , 1939 to 1955
- Super Ikonta III 531/16 , 1953 to 1957
- Super Ikonta IV 534/16 , 1955 to 1959
Super Ikonta Format 6x9 cm
- Super Ikonta C 530/2 , 1933 to 1939
- Super Ikonta C 531/2 , 1936 to 1953
Super Ikonta A 530
Super Ikonta A 530 image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights) |
Super Ikonta A 531
Super Ikonta B 530/16
Super Ikonta B 530/16 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights) |
- Year of release: 1935
- Type: viewfinder folding camera
- Film/framesize: 11 exposures on 120 / 6×6cm
- Lens: Tessar 1:2.8/80mm uncoated
- Shutter: 1 - 1/400 Compur Rapid shutter
- Finder: integrated rangefinder
- Filter size : 37mm push-on
Super Ikonta B 532/16
Super Ikonta BX 533/16
Super Ikonta III 531/16
Super Ikonta IV 534/16
Super Ikonta C 530/2
Super Ikonta C 530/2 image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights) |
- Year of release: 1934
- Type: viewfinder folding camera
- Film/framesize: 120 / 6×9cm or 6x4.5cm
- Lens: Tessar 1:4.5/105mm
- Shutter: 1 - 1/250
- Finder: integrated rangefinder w/rotating wedge prisms
Super Ikonta C 531/2
Super Ikonta D 530/15
Images Ikonta viewfinder cameras
Ikonta image by Arthur Kamst (Image rights) |
Ikonta 2 image by polbar (Image rights) |
Ercona image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights) |
Ikonta 521/16 image by Markus Berndt (Image rights) |
Ikonta 522/24 (35mm) image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights) |
Ikonta A image by Süleyman Demir (Image rights) |
Images Super Ikonta rangefinder cameras
|
|
|
|
Links
General links
In English:
- Ikonta and Super Ikonta at Pacific Rim Camera
- Ikonta 520 A by luis triguez
- Super Ikonta C page at Aruku Camera
- Pages in David Richert's website:
In French:
- Pages on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand:
- Ikonta A 521 with Novar f/6.3
- Ikonta C 521/2 with Novar f/4.5
- Ikonta B 521/16 with Novar f/3.5
- Ikonta B 521/16 with Novar f/4.5
- Ikonta M 524/16 with Tessar f/3.5
- Ikonta C 520/2 with Novar f/4.8
- Ikonta C 520/2 with Dominar f/4.5
- Ikonta D 520/15 with Novar f/6.3 and Telma
- Ikonta D 520/15 with Novar f/6.3 and Derval
- Ikonta 522/24 with Novar f/3.5
- Super Ikonta family
- Super Ikonta A 530 with Tessar f/3.5
- Super Ikonta A 531 with Tessar f/3.5
- Super Ikonta B 530/16 with Tessar f/2.8 and distance in metres
- Super Ikonta B 530/16 with Tessar f/2.8 and distance in feet
- Super Ikonta B 532/16 with Tessar f/2.8 and Compur-Rapid
- Super Ikonta B 532/16 with Tessar f/2.8 and Synchro-Compur
- Super Ikonta BX 533/16 with Tessar f/2.8 and Compur-Rapid
- Super Ikonta BX 533/16 with Tessar f/2.8 and synchronized Compur-Rapid
- Super Ikonta III 531/16 with Tessar f/3.5
- Super Ikonta IV 534/16 with Tessar f/3.5
- Super Ikonta C 530/2 with Tessar f/3.8 and Compur-Rapid
- Super Ikonta C 530/2 with Tessar f/3.8 and Compur
- Super Ikonta C 530/2 with Triotar f/4.5 and Klio
- Super Ikonta C 531/2 with Tessar f/3.5 and Compur-Rapid
- Super Ikonta C 531/2 with Tessar f/3.5 and synchronized Compur-Rapid
- Super Ikonta D 530/15 with Tessar f/4.5 and Compur