Photographica Pages

An online guide to collectable cameras and related stuff

Zeiss Ikon Maximar

Introduced in 1914 by Ica, the Maximar became very popular after the Zeiss Ikon merger. It was a good quality folding plate camera, drop bed style, with double extension bellows, rise and fall, plus shift front movements, brilliant finder with built in spirit finder and a wire frame finder on the larger two models. It was available in three sizes.

The 6.5 x 9cm model 207/3, was reffered to as the Maximar A. It was rarely offered finished in green, the black finish is by far more common. It can be found with 105/4.5 Tessar or 105/4.5 Preminar, both in Compur.

The Maximar B 207/7 is the 9 x 12cm size, available only in black. It was sold with the 135/4.5 Tessar in Compur, or either the 135/4.5 Dominar or 135/6.3 Novar in Klio shutter.

The least common size is the Maximar C 207/9, for 10 x 15cm. It too was available only in black, and was fitted with a 165/4.5 Tessar in Compur.

The Maximar C was discontinued in 1937, the other sizes were victims of the war effort, and were stopped in 1939. Zeiss did not re-enter the folding plate camera market after the war, sealing their fate.

The Maxiamr 207/7.