Nettar

Nettar lens on a Nettar 515/2 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

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

• 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

Bob 510/2 image by bottledog (Image rights)

• 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 1:6.3/105mm in Derval leaf shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/100 sec; aperture 6.3 to 32
  • Nettar 1:6.3/105mm in Nettar leaf shutter, speeds 1/25 sec – 1/100 sec; aperture 6.3 to 32
  • Nettar 1:6.3/10.5cm in Telma leaf shutter, speeds 1/25 sec - 1/125 sec; aperture 6.3 to 22
  • 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 6.3 to 32

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

Nettar 515/2 with Nettar f/6.3 in Telma shutter image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)

Zeiss Ikon Nettar 512/2 version C with hexagonal face plate (~1935) fitted with Nettar Anastigmat f/6.5 10.5cm in Nettar shutter images by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)

Zeiss Ikon Nettar 512/2 version D (~1937) fitted with Novar Anastigmat f/4.5 11cm in Telma shutter images by Dirk HR Spennemann (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.

• Year of release: 1949 (until 1957)
• alternate names: Signal Nettar, Nettar IIb
• Film Format: 120 roll film (6×6cm exposures)
• Shutter/Lens Combinations:
  • 518/16 IIb Novar Anastigmat 1:4.5/75mm in Pronto (manufactured: 1949)
  • 518/16 Eg Novar Anastigmat 6.3/75 (Rodenstock) in Vero shutter (manufactured: Jul 53 - Nov 54)
  • 518/16 Ev Novar Anastigmat 6.3/75 (Rodenstock) in Vario shutter (manufactured: Dec 53 - Jun 54)
  • 518/16 Iv Novar Anastigmat 4.5/75 (Rodenstock) in Vario shutter (manufactured: Jul 58 - Dec 59)
  • 518/16 Ih Novar Anastigmat 4.5/75 (Rodenstock) in Velio shutter (manufactured: Apr 53 - Jul 58)
  • 518/16 Its Novar Anastigmat 4.5/75 (Rodenstock) in Prontor shutter (manufactured: Jul 52 - Feb 59)
  • 518/16 Ips Novar Anastigmat 4.5/75 (Rodenstock) in Prontor S shutter (manufactured: Feb 55 - Mar 56)
  • 518/16 Ipms Novar Anastigmat 4.5/75 (Rodenstock) in Prontor SVS shutter (manufactured: Apr 53 - Jan 59)
  • 518/16 Fps Novar Anastigmat 3.5/75 (Hensoldt) in Prontor S shutter (manufactured: Jul 53 - Dec 55)
  • 518/16 Fpms Novar Anastigmat 3.5/75 (Hensoldt) in Prontor SV shutter (manufactured: Jul 53 - Jul 55)
• 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 (sub-models Ev, Ipms
  • indicated by red dot in window on top of housing when film advanced (sub-models Ih

Links

image by Mario Groleau (Image rights)

• manual for old Nettar at David Richert's R&R Photo
• Zeiss Ikon Nettar 518/16 at From the focal plane to infinity
• 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