Photographica Pages
An online guide to collectable cameras and related
stuff
Ikoflex
Zeiss Ikon was trying to offer a camera in every market segment (and it seems at every price
level) except subminiature (and had Germany not gone to war, who knows, they may have
even competed with Minox). The twin lens reflex was onearea that they found themselves in a
bit of a bind in. Franke and Heidke pioneered the market with the Rolleiflex, and later
Rolleicord. Their cameras were very successful, and became one of Carl Zeiss' biggest
customers for Tessar lenses. Carl Zeiss owned Zeiss Ikon. Carl Zeiss put pressure on Zeiss
Ikon not to alienate Franke and Heidke by competing too strongly.
Generally Zeiss had multiple models offered concurrently, the higher the number, the more
advanced the model was. As I have mentioned elsewhere in these pages, Zeiss Ikon had a
confusing tendency to reuse camera names and even model numbers. But I can't think of any
line of cameras where they left a bigger mess than with the Ikoflexes. Read on, and you'll see
what I mean..
All of the Ikoflexes are 6 x 6 twin lens reflexes.
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex I (2nd model)
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex Ia
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex Ib
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex Ic
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex II (851/16)
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III/II (852/16)
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex III
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex IIa
Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex Favorit
