Ercona

The East German VEB Zeiss Ikon resumed production of folder cameras after the war with the Ercona. It was a 6x9 format camera based on the Zeiss Ikon model 521/2, the Ikonta C.

The earliest batches of the Ercona were almost identical to the Western Ikonta. This simple model was then developed further in Dresden, and later batches are equipped with a dual format system, allowing the photographer to chose between 6x9 or 6x6 format. These cameras were equipped with two red windows, a removable 6x6 mask in the film chamber and an additional flip-up square mask in the finder.

The Ercona I can be found with Novar (later Novonar) 4,5/110 or Tessar 3,5/105 lenses.

The simplest models have Junior shutters from Gebrüder Werner (GW), with three shutter speeds (1/25, 1/50 and 1/100). Early cameras can be found with Compur shutters, while later models can have either a Tempor or a Prontor-S, all with shutter speeds from 1 to 1/250 sec.

Zeiss Ikon Ercona I Images by Antonio Carlos Castejón. (Image rights)

Ercona II

Pentacon Ercona II image by Hans Kerensky (Image rights)

The Ercona II from 1954 was very similar to the Ercona I, but the finder was now built into a chrome top. It can be found with the same Novonar or Tessar lenses as the Ercona I, but only with Tempor shutters with speeds from 1 to 1/250 sec., or a (somewhat rare) Prontor-SVS with speeds from 1 to 1/300 sec.

Exona was an export version of the Tessar Ercona II.