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New in Tips & Info! Contax II and III film loading tips

1938 Balda Baldaxette II, 6x6 Coupled Rangefinder camera. This is a rather rare Balda Baldaxette. This was a 6x6 coupled rangefinder folding camera that was produced by the Balda Kamera-Werk in Dresden Germany in circa 1938. The Baldaxette II was a larger 6x6 version of the original Baldaxette which originally had been a 6x4.5 format camera. Both cameras used 120 roll film. Despite being unknown to most camera collectors, the Baldaxette had a host of high spec features that allowed it to compete successfully against its competition. The Baldaxette II was introduced in in 1938 and produced in a limited...

1939 Leitz Leica II with Elmar lens The Leitz Leica II is a classic prewar 35mm camera. It was first introduced in 1932 and featured a coupled rangefinder and accepted interchangeable lenses. A few years later it changed from its initial basic black paint scheme and evolved into a more expensive luxury version which featured a fine satin chrome. The Leica II and III were produced in various models until the late 1950’s. Historically important, early Leitz Leica, Zeiss-Ikon Contax and Retina rangefinder cameras were instrumental in establishing the relevance of 35mm photography. The result was that these superb little...

1936 Zeiss-Ikon Super Ikonta A The Super Ikonta A is a high-end medium format, coupled rangefinder camera that produces sixteen 6x4.5 negatives on 120 roll film. Small, elegant and pocketable, this camera was produced in Germany from the 1934 to 1956 in various models. It was a very successful design and it’s well respected for its excellent performance. A properly serviced and adjusted Super Ikonta is a joy to use and has been a favorite photographic companion for many photographers around the globe. This camera was one of the designs that marked the high point of European camera development for...

1933 Old Standard Rolleiflex This is an original “Old Standard” Rolleiflex produced by Frank & Heidecke in Germany between 1932 to 1938. It was the very first Rolleiflex specifically designed to use 120 roll film. (The previous model in addition to being rather fragile, had used 117 roll film, which only produced six exposures per roll.) The Old Standard was a very successful design and put Rolleiflex on the map. It defined what a great medium format TLR was capable of and the features it needed to do this expeditiously. Many of these cameras were used by war photographers during...