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03-30-2020, 08:33 AM   #1
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Ikonta 521-16 help request

Good morning all,


I apologize for the lack of pentax-ness on this question, but i'm hoping someone can shed some light.

Please see attached. This is from the first roll through my "new" Ikonta 521. Price was too good to not get it. Where are all the black bits coming from? Most (all but one) of the images have these somewhere, and they're all different. So, i'm pretty sure it's not lens scratches, etc.

What's dirty? Is it something I can clean? Damage from transport or processing? Otherwise, i'm pleased enough with the performance of the camera. Could use a CLA, but that's a challenge these days. Anything a minimally skilled person can rectify?

Thanks for your time.
Anthony

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03-30-2020, 09:27 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpottyReputation Quote
Good morning all,


I apologize for the lack of pentax-ness on this question, but i'm hoping someone can shed some light.

Please see attached. This is from the first roll through my "new" Ikonta 521. Price was too good to not get it. Where are all the black bits coming from? Most (all but one) of the images have these somewhere, and they're all different. So, i'm pretty sure it's not lens scratches, etc.

What's dirty? Is it something I can clean? Damage from transport or processing? Otherwise, i'm pleased enough with the performance of the camera. Could use a CLA, but that's a challenge these days. Anything a minimally skilled person can rectify?

Thanks for your time.
Anthony
I think it is dust. There are tiny hairs and so on. And as it moves I am sure it is dust somewhere in or on the lens maybe?
03-30-2020, 09:33 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by AfterPentax Quote
I think it is dust. There are tiny hairs and so on. And as it moves I am sure it is dust somewhere in or on the lens maybe?
I wiped off the front of the lens when i got it, so i think the dust is in the lens. was looking for confirmation while pondering how to take it apart lol. I mean, it was cheap enough to toss if i muck it up, but was hoping to keep it a little longer than that.

Thank you.
03-30-2020, 09:42 AM - 1 Like   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpottyReputation Quote
What's dirty?
The film is what was dirty and the junk likely came from the inside of the bellows.


Steve

03-30-2020, 09:59 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
The film is what was dirty and the junk likely came from the inside of the bellows.


Steve
Is this solveable by compressed air, or ??? or should this camera be decor instead (not worth replacing the bellows...)

Thank you,
03-30-2020, 10:24 AM - 1 Like   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpottyReputation Quote
Is this solveable by compressed air, or ??? or should this camera be decor instead (not worth replacing the bellows...)

Thank you,
Google is probably your friend here. That is where I would start. The problem is not uncommon and there is probably a conventional solution.


Steve
03-30-2020, 10:55 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
Google is probably your friend here. That is where I would start. The problem is not uncommon and there is probably a conventional solution.


Steve
Thank you Steve. I needed just enough to figure out what to google.

03-30-2020, 11:33 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpottyReputation Quote
Thank you Steve. I needed just enough to figure out what to google.
"Clean dirty camera bellows"??


Steve
03-30-2020, 12:27 PM   #9
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I think compressed air is worth a try.
03-30-2020, 12:59 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by SpottyReputation Quote
Good morning all,


I apologize for the lack of pentax-ness on this question, but i'm hoping someone can shed some light.

Please see attached. This is from the first roll through my "new" Ikonta 521. Price was too good to not get it. Where are all the black bits coming from? Most (all but one) of the images have these somewhere, and they're all different. So, i'm pretty sure it's not lens scratches, etc.

What's dirty? Is it something I can clean? Damage from transport or processing? Otherwise, i'm pleased enough with the performance of the camera. Could use a CLA, but that's a challenge these days. Anything a minimally skilled person can rectify?

Thanks for your time.
Anthony
For a CLA, I would recommend Certo6 (Jurgen Kreckel, Certo6 – Vintage Folding Cameras). As far as I know, he's the US expert in repairs to medium format folders.

To your question, grab a rocket blower, open the bellows, open the camera back, point the camera up as if you're taking a photo of the sky, pump a few blows into the bellows, wait a few seconds for gravity to move the dust out. Repeat a few times. Angle the blower so you're blowing into the pleats, getting at all 4 sides.

Luckily, it doesn't look like you have any pinhole light leaks in the bellows!
06-17-2020, 11:43 PM - 1 Like   #11
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as someone who loves his 530 (Super Ikomat A, 6x4.5 70mm f3.5 Tessar), those are definitely just dust on your film. If you're scanning yourself (and scanning color film), you should probably turn on digital ICE, but tbh photoshop's healing tool can absolutely clean these up easily with basically no loss of apparent-detail. Here's a quick pass over your image, one from my Ikonta, and a raw scan (without any healing tool cleanup). The healing tool definitely works better the more detail you have in the image. Beyond that, also if you're scanning yourself, you might want to look into an anti-static brush. they're cheap and very effective at getting dust off negatives and your scanner.


I've also included a self-developed image from my Ikonta and what it looks like with a little cropping, cleanup, and contrast correction. If you're going for a hybrid workflow, use the strengths of the digital side to your advantage!
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06-18-2020, 05:12 AM - 1 Like   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by TerryL Quote
I think compressed air is worth a try.
Nothing stronger than a air puffer! You don't want to screw something up or put a hole in the bellows with an air compressor blow gun. (Just my two cents.)
06-18-2020, 11:35 AM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by bobbotron Quote
Nothing stronger than a air puffer! You don't want to screw something up or put a hole in the bellows with an air compressor blow gun. (Just my two cents.)
yeah, I agree, a puffer is probably your best bet; if a puffer won't dislodge it, it probably won't fall on your film any time soon given normal use anyway!
06-18-2020, 02:46 PM - 1 Like   #14
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I have a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta B...531. They are very good cameras. Even if you're not happy with it, I would try to resell or just keep it. These are very good cameras. I wouldn't toss it into the 'muck'.
06-19-2020, 02:02 AM - 1 Like   #15
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Blowing air sometimes just moves just dust around .... particular in a bellows.

With an adapter, a small nozzle and a vacuum cleaner with adjustable suction (set on low) one has a very handy possibility to control airflow and does not push anything into the folds of the bellows.

There is no need to worry about electrostatic charge but if one wants to avoid it completly, one inserts the strands of the end of a cable into the nozzle (they are sucked in and cannot harm) and connects the other end to earth (I have a long cable like this which is connected to a mains-power-plug just on the earth-terminal)
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