Zeiss Ikon's
Nettar series was a successful range of freestanding folding cameras for 120
film (often described as B2 6x9 film). Several types were offered for the 6×9
cm, 6×6 cm and 6×4.5 cm format, with different lenses in a variety of shutters.
Zeiss Ikon also produced a Nettar equipped with an exposure meter, the Nettax
(513/16).
Zeiss Ikon has
always promoted the Nettar series as being aimed at amateur photographers.
However, these cameras share many parts with the much more expensive Ikonta
series (e.g. body and mounts). The Nettar series may lack the higher spec
lens/lens combinations and things like type and film speed memo discs, but the
observed build quality is on par with the Ikontas.
The Zeiss Ikon
Nettar 517/2 is a 6×9 medium format folding camera from around 1951. All these years later, the simple Vario
shutter still reliably delivers its 1/200, 1/75, 1/25 and bulb speeds. The lens is a 105mm f 6.3 Novar Anastigmat,
which gives good image quality in the center of the frame and decent quality
around it when the aperture is stopped down to around f11. Wide open the lens creates a great look that
tends towards an old large format look, or at least as close as you can get
with a medium format camera. The 6cm x
9cm negative is about 6.5 times larger than a 35mm film negative. With a maximum shutter speed of 1/200sec,
though care must be taken not to induce camera shake. Also, the shutter sits at the end of the
bellows without preventing double exposure, making it a good camera for
multiple exposures.
Tags: Vintage Camera, Photocamera