The Super Ikonta repaired by Alex

[Bennybee]

The Super Ikonta 532/16 that I purchased online recently wasn't technically as good as the camera looked on the outside. The diaphragm was damaged : one iris blade was dislodged and floated around in front of the rear lens element and the iris opening was almond shaped instead of round. Also the focusing wheel was rather stiff and needed some work and perhaps infinity recalibration. The Tessar lens was clear and free of dust and fungus, and the viewfinder was very clear too. So now that Alex was back in Spain I asked him if he was willing to repair my camera. Shipping back and forth between Belgium and Spain is a lot easier and cheaper (no customs and taxes involved) than to Russia...
Alex did a terrific job on the camera : the iris and shutter were fixed, the focusing was recalibrated and a small hole in the bellows was skilfully repaired. I am really very pleased with how the camera now operates and Alex was the right person for the job, after what I had seen online what he can do on all sorts of vintage cameras.
Last week I found some time to shoot a test roll, and here is a picture from that first roll of HP5+ developed for 5 minutes in HC-110 dil.B
The shutter speeds and iris seem to work fine and the frame spacing is correct. Only 11 frames on one 120 roll though, which is how the Ikontas usually work.
Thanks again Alex !

[Bennybee]

Here is another one from the same roll.

[alexvaras]

Thanks to you, Benny, for trusting me for the job, it was a delightful to work with this camera.

[Julio1fer]

Very nice results! It seems that Alex did an excellent repair job! Is the lens coated?

I have one of those beautiful classics, but never got further than the test roll - went to TLRs or my Super-Isolette instead.

[Bennybee]

Julio, the Tessar 8cm/F2.8 on my camera is uncoated. After doing some post work on different images of this first roll, I found that the images are not as sharp as I expected or as I hoped for, although most were taken at F/22 at 1/400s. As per various comments online elsewhere this lens is said to be softer than the older F/3.5 version. Of course, it could be 'operator error' from my part during shooting, or maybe I should scan at a higher resolution, although that should not make the negatives any sharper. I will investigate them with a loupe on a light tablet and re-scan a few at max. optical resolution of my V600 Epson flatbed scanner.

[alexvaras]

Benny, in this link the tiff files from my scan and after post, only a little of sharpening was done in the scanning.

https://mega.nz/folder/ytYzALbB#GnJCWb4bCTGAPjB6o3u1cg

Scanned at 1200dpi (setting in scanner, dunno if they are real 1200dpi)

Shots in sun where at f/11 or f/16, shaded ones at f/4 or f/5.6

As you I read this Tessar at f/2.8 is really soft so I didnt try that, I dont know if you had some diffraction at f/22 I never went that far.

I hope it helps.

[Bennybee]

Alex, thanks for the image files. Your images do look sharper and have more contrast. Perhaps I should have used the Acros 100 film instead of the HP5+ because then I could have used a different aperture than the F/22 that was required at 1/400sec. The weather was bright enough for an ISO100 film after all. Tomorrow I will rescan a few of my negatives at 1200dpi.

[titrisol]

Alex, thanks for the image files. Your images do look sharper and have more contrast. Perhaps I should have used the Acros 100 film instead of the HP5+ because then I could have used a different aperture than the F/22 that was required at 1/400sec. The weather was bright enough for an ISO100 film after all. Tomorrow I will rescan a few of my negatives at 1200dpi.

Acros 100 is a wonderful film!

Also, do you have a lenshood? that will help a lot with those old tessars
I can design and 3D print one for you if you don't have one
Just let me know the diameter of your lens (outside) I think those were either 37mm slip on or 35mm slip on

[Bennybee]

Hi Julio,
The outer dimension of the lens is 37mm. I do not have a lens hood yet but the original metal ones have an asking price between 120 and 200 dollars on that auction site! Your offer is very kind, but I'm afraid the shipping cost across the Atlantic will be high as well...
So for now I will just avoid sunny days

[titrisol]

Ach, that is true
I can send you the STL file so that you can have it printed in a Maker space over there
There are several in the Brussles area

PS There is one already designed here: https://www.printables.com/model/94938- ... g-a37-hood
Design looks solid