Tenax II

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The Tenax II was first named Tenax in short, and became Tenax II after the Tenax I was released. Its Zeiss Ikon code number was 580/27. Launched in 1938, it was a 24x24mm rangefinder camera with a rapid-action advance lever placed around the lens.

The coupled rangefinder was integrated in the viewfinder. It included a wedge-shaped rotating lens, that was actually attached to the interchangeable lens. This system was much like the one on the Super Ikonta, Super Nettel or Nettax.

The shutter, placed behind the lens, was a Compur Rapid OS leaf shutter to 1/400.

The Tenax II was certainly inspired by the Robot camera, a small 24x24mm camera with spring-driven motorized film advance, launched in 1934. The format was indeed the same, as well as the emphasis on rapid action shooting. The rangefinder Tenax II was more sophisticated, but it was not commercially as successful, and did not survive the war, unlike the Robot.

The Tenax II existed with Luftwaffeneingentum engraving. A special version of the Tenax also existed for X-ray pictures, called the Röntgen-Tenax.

Tenax II lenses

The lens was interchangeable but only very few wide angle and tele lenses were produced. The very limited range of lenses was the following:

  • Carl Zeiss Jena 4cm f/2 Sonnar standard lens
  • Carl Zeiss Jena 4cm f/2.8 Tessar standard lens
  • Carl Zeiss Jena 2.7cm f/4.5 Orthometar wide-angle lens
  • Carl Zeiss Jena 7.5cm f/4 Sonnar tele lens

Tenax II accessories

  • the close-up Contameter set, in a special version for the Tenax II, with code number 1339. It was sold in a case with a special close-up finder and three close-up lenses matched by three lenses for the finder device.
  • accessory finder for the 2.7cm Orthometar
  • finder mask for the 7.5cm Sonnar, #580/7
  • Albada finder for 4cm and 7.5cm, #433/17

Links

In English:

In Japanese:

Zeiss Ikon Classic Cameras
Contax | Contaflex (TLR) | Super Nettel | Nettax | Tenax II | Tenax I | Ikoflex | Super Ikonta

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