The Zeiss Ikon Nettax is a stellar folding camera - but it is not a great fit for me.
Author: Natalie Rosella Boonzaier
Website: https://rosellaprojects.com/
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieRosellaBoonzaier
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/rosellaprojects/
Novar-Anastigmat 75mm F/4.5 with Pronto manual loaded shutter: B, 1/22s, 1/50s, 1/100s and 1/200s.
Aperture Values: f/4.5, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16 & f/22 (smooth & continuous, no hard stops).
Four Minute Read
The Zeiss Ikon Nettax is a mid century 6x6 medium format camera from Germany. Introduced in 1954, the Zeiss Ikon Nettax was manufactured from 1955 to 1957. What makes this camera different to the popular Nettar is the incorporation of an uncoupled selenium light meter and the winding knob is in a different place. Medium format 75mm on a 6x6 square is roughly equivalent to a 41mm field of view on a full frame or 35mm camera.
I found this one at a market in London. Not particularly cheap considering the bargains I am more attracted to but I couldn’t help myself at £30. It seemed to be in decent shape and I was keen to try out a new old camera.
The Zeiss Ikon Nettax does not include a rangefinder (neither coupled nor uncoupled) so this is a scale focusing or a zone focusing camera - you need to guess your distances. Alternatively, you can attach a separate uncoupled rangefinder like I did for these photos. Fortunately, my range finder and my Zeiss Ikon Nettax are both devices that measure distance in feet, so there was no need to convert to meters or vice versa.
For a fully-detailed and visually immersive review of my experience shooting with the Zeiss Ikon Nettax, I encourage you to check out my Youtube video, in which I share all of my photos and where I reflect on my time operating this camera up on Table Mountain in Cape Town (Kentmere Pan 100) and in Cheshire East in the UK (Kentmere Pan 400). This video also covers everything you need to know to operate this camera smoothly, from loading film, setting up the uncoupled selenium light meter, shooting in ‘snapshot/red dot/hyper focal’ mode and working the shutter.
Considering this is a medium format camera, its size and compactness, especially when closed, is attractive. This camera can slide into your small bag with no issue and knowing that the lens and buttons are protected when closed, it is easy to just grab and go and you can even slide it into cargo pants/shorts pockets. My general opinion based on the black and white photographs taken with the Zeiss Ikon Nettax is that this lens carries the potential to produce beautiful imagery that is clean and sharp. Even at f/4.5 your images can come out crisp (see photo, below - Kentmere Pan 400). 
I had some particularly lovely results at f/16 in the bright midday sun on Table Mountain (see photos, below - Kentmere Pan 100).
I have read that the uncoupled selenium light meter is likely to last long and still be functional with the Nettax, but I have found mine to have lost sensitivity. If I were to use mine I would end up with severely overexposed images, which is why I just used my external dedicated light meter. For a detailed explanation on how to set up the Selenium light meter on your Nettax, I, again, refer you to my Youtube video that covers this topic in detail.
The only difficulty I had with this camera was the uncoupled rangefinder process - it just isn’t for me. “Difficult” is not the correct word because it is quite simple: you ‘set your focus’ with the rangefinder and whatever distance you read on the rangefinder, you apply to your lens. Easy. But I get in my head too much. And that just takes the fun out of it for me. And considering that medium format film is not particularly cheap, it adds pressure. I know some pressure is normal, but I much prefer the process with a TLR where, if the device is in working order, what you see in the viewfinder is what you will get (in terms of focus).
With all that said, I am glad that I gave this camera a run. I have just loaded film into its 35mm sibling, the Zeiss Ikon Contina ii. I will be using the same rangefinder with this one because it seems its built-in rangefinder is faulty. But what I will do this time is put myself in situations where I am under no pressure to make the exposure in any time limit. I will try to shift my mindset to expect decent results instead of the opposite. I will be sure to report back!
Overall, this is a great little camera…unless zone focusing stresses you out.
\ Thank you xx
Here is the film I used to produce these images - they are available in various formats, Includingm 120 and 35mm stocks. Please note that, as an Amazon affiliate, these links might earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Kentmere Pan 400 : https://amzn.to/3BZG5gw
Kentmere Pan 100 : https://amzn.to/3BT8aWB