Nettar

The Nettar series by Zeiss Ikon was a successful range of self-erecting folding cameras for 120 roll film. Several types were offered for 6×9cm, 6×6cm and 6×4.5cm format, with different lenses in a variety of shutters.

Vertical Folders

Nettar 510

Bob 510/2 image by bottledog (Image rights)

• Year of release: 1934
• alternate name: Bob 510
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×4,5cm exposures)
• Shutter: Derval leaf shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/100 sec.
• Lens: Nettar 1:6.3/75mm
• Aperture: 6.3 to 22
• Viewfinder: two frames

Nettar 510/2

• Year of release: 1936
• alternate name: Bob 510/2
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×9cm exposures)
• Shutter: Gauthier leaf shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/75 sec.
• Lens: Nettar 1:7.7/105mm
• Viewfinder: optical indirect vision viewfinder on the lens, additional viewfinder frames on body

Nettar 515

Nettar 515 with Klio shutter and Nettar f/4.5 lens image by fulvue (Image rights)

• Year of release: 1937
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×4.5cm exposures)
• Shutter: Klio leaf shutter, speeds 1 sec – 1/125 sec.
• Lens: Nettar-Anastigmat 1:4.5/7.5cm
• Aperture: 4.5 to 32
• Viewfinder: two frames

Nettar 515/2

Nettar 515/2 with Compur-Rapid and f/3.5 Nettar-Anastigmat image by Alf Sigaro (Image rights)

• Year of release: 1937
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×9cm exposures)
• Viewfinder: optical indirect vision viewfinder on the lens
• Lens/shutter combinations:
  • Nettar 1:3.5/105mm in Derval leaf shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/100 sec; aperture 6.3 to 32
  • Novar Anastigmat 1:4.5/11cm in Telma leaf shutter 1/25 – 1/175; aperture 4.5 to 32
  • Novar Anastigmat 1:6.3/105mm in Compur-Rapid shutter 1 – 1/400; aperture 3.5 to 32

Leaflet for the Nettar 515/2 in French, dating c.1934. (Image rights)

Nettar 515/16

• Year of release: 1937
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×6cm exposures)
• Shutter: Telma leaf shutter and KLIO 1/25 – 1/175
• Lens: Novar Anastigmat 1:4.5/75mm
• Viewfinder: two frames

Nettar 516/16

• Year of release: 1940s
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×6cm exposures)
• Shutter: Telma leaf shutter and KLIO 1/25 – 1/175
• Lens: Novar Anastigmat 1:4.5/75mm
• Viewfinder: two frames

Horizontal Folders

Nettar II 517/16

Nettar 517/16 with f/6.3 Novar Image by Uwe Kulick. (Image rights)

• Year of release: 1949
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×6cm exposures)
• Shutter: Vario leaf shutter (or Pronto or Prontor-SV) , speeds 1/25 sec – 1/200 sec.
• Lens: Novar Anastigmat 1:6.3/75mm, other version with a 1:4.5/75mm
• Aperture: 6.3 to 22 (or 4.5 to 22)
• Viewfinder: optical direct vision viewfinder below flash shoe

Nettar II 518/16

Nettar 518/16 with Vario and f/4.5 Novar image by Bill Strong (Image rights)

The viewfinder housing has a more stepped appearance than the housing of the 517/16. The camera carried the Zeiss Ikon logo on the front (left of the door) and the name 'Nettar' on the front door. Variations exist in the style of lettering in 'Nettar.'

• Year of release: 1949 (until 1957)
• alternate names: Signal Nettar, Nettar IIb
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×6cm exposures)
• Shutter:
  • 518/16  : Vario shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/200 sec.
  • 518/16  : Vero shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/200 sec.
  • 518/16 Ih : Velio shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/200 sec.
  • 518/16 Its : Pronto shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/200 sec.
  • 518/16 Ipms : Prontor-SVS shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/200 sec.
• Lens:
  • Novar Anastigmat 1:4.5/75mm (standard)
  • Novar Anastigmat 1:6.3/75mm
• Aperture: 4.5 to 22
• Viewfinder: optical direct vision viewfinder below flash shoe
• Other: double-exposure prevention
  • indicated by red dot in viewfinder window when film not advanced
  • indicated by red dot in window on top of housing when film advanced

Nettar 518/16 with Novar-Anastigmat 1:6.3 f=75mm in Vero shutter, in ever-ready case Photo by Arty Smokes. (Image rights)

Links

image by Mario Groleau (Image rights)

• manual for old Nettar at David Richert's R&R Photo
• Manual available on the Favorite Classics section of kyphoto.com
• short overview of Nettars
• a more illustrated overview
• Nettar 515, Nettar 515/2, Nettar 515/2, Nettar S, Nettar 515/2, Nettar 515/16, Nettar 517, Nettar 518/2, Nettar 518/16 on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
• Nettars on Retrography.com by Simon Simonsen, Denmark
• Zeiss Ikon Nettar/Nettar II instruction manual English on www.orphancameras.com