Why Buy: Pocket Medium Format! A 6x9 negative is the equivalent of somewhere between 75MP and 100MP! Take that 24.5MP Nikon D3x. Not only can you further enlarge a medium format negative, but the quality at smaller sizes looks awesome.
Performance: This particular camera has the premium Zeiss Tessar and Synchro Compur shutter. Other models were sold with a slightly lower grade Novar lens.
Cost: As my price list shows, prices vary widely. Models with the Tessar and Synchro Compur shutter normally they sell for $250, but some BIN sales of CLA'd cameras go for over $400.
Focusing: An uncoupled rangefinder means that you must find the distance with the rangefinder and then focus to that distance on the lens. It's obviously slower than a coupled rangefinder, but since the rangefinder and the lens have the same scale, it's not hard. Clip on rangefinders that you can get for the 523/2 suffer from the problem that the rangefinder could be in feet and the lens in meters, or the rangefinder has marking for 5, 8, and 13 feet, while the lens has 4, 7, and 11 feet, etc.
Filter size: There are no filter threads but I use a Kenko 15/11 push in series 6 adapter.
The Camera:
Photo: with Provia 100:
Howdy.
ReplyDeleteThis can use 40.5mm filters (same as those that are used on the Zeiss Ikon Contax rangefinder).
The filters screw on to the outer knurled ring of the lens.
Like all Zeiss Ikon cameras from this era, workmanship is excellent.
Nice picture.
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