Zeiss Ikon super ikonta 532/16 a couple of questions

[seanmckinney]

Years ago my old man gave me his Zeiss Ikon super ikonta 532/16, as read from the outside of the camera back, I have just rediscovered it. I have found a manual on the web but the camera covered differs slightly from my camera and the differences are not covered in the manual.

Difference 1)
The lense front is marked "synchro compur" with the lense ring being marked "Zeiss-Opton Nr ........ Tessar 1:2,8 f=80mm" followed by a red "T". Looking at the lense assembly from the front there is, at 9 o'clock, a green painted, sliding 'switch'/lever/knob with two marked positions which are "X" and "M". A few degrees clockwise of the switch, say at 9.30, looks to be a flash connector. That I have seen, this 'switch' and a flash connector? are not detailed in the manual.

Question 1) Is this flash connector actually a flash connector?
If it is, I guess the 'switch' might be related to it, I recollect some of my old minolta manuals mentioning an "X" position in connection with use of a flash. That might also tie up with the lense front being labelled "synchro". That being correct, presumably the switch should be at "M" for non flash shots and "X" for flash shots, would that be correct?

Question 2) If the flash connector is NOT a flash connector what is it and what is the 'switch' for?

Difference 2)
The shutter speed on my lense goes up to "500" but the manual lists and shows 1/400th" as the fastest speed available with no 1/500th" mark present. However the shutter wont trip if I choose speeds around 1/500th". The speed ring movement stiffens about 2/3s of the way from the 1/250th" mark to the 1/500th" mark, ( there are no speeds marked between 1/250th" and 1/500th" and the "250" and "500" marks would be about 3/8"/10mm apart). If I try to set the speed anywhere in or 'touching' the 'stiff' area the shutter wont trip even if the release lever on the front of the lense is manually moved. It trips as soon as the speed ring is moved OUT of the 'stiff' area.

Question 3) Am I doing something wrong or is there a problem? If there is a problem is it likely to be fixable and/or get worse? Though there might be a bit of haze on the lense the camera seems servicable in all other respects and passed a quick "once over" by a shop that I think knows their stuff. Would it be worth getting the camera serviced (UK)? In


I would like to use the camera for scenic spots rather than action shots so the loss of 1/500th" may not be much of a problem. My 35mm cameras or digitals can handle those.

Thanks for any help.

[wau]

The "X" and "M" switch is indeed for the flash synchronization. "X" is for instantaneous trip with small flash bulbs (e.g. AG-1) or electronic flash. "M" is for medium delay flash synchronization with flash bulbs (e.g. M2 type).

For the 1/500th shutter speed, see if you can change the setting while the shutter is uncocked. If you can't trip it, then the shutter may need a CLA (clean, lubrication, and adjustment) for those speeds to be useable.

As for the lens haze, if there is only a little bit, it may not be too noticeable unless you are shooting towards the sun or some other bright light. I'd try to take a few photos first to see if it is a problem.

[seanmckinney]

Ta I will give it a go.
I am actually quite surprised I havent found my old mans manual yet, I have turned up some, what I think are, quite surprising manuals, eg something relating to a home developer/enlarger and a Sangamo Weston MasterII exposure meter manual complete with the Weston film speed values booklet