"How old is this?!!"

Months ago, my folks gave me their first ever camera, a Zeiss Ikon, Super Ikonta IV. Quite a mouthful! It's a medium format rangefinder, that they bought in Singapore in about 1956, and as it folds-up, it's not very big. It used to take great pictures, thanks to a good lens, combined with the bigger film size. Though they didn't like that it could only take twelve shots from a film, whereas the newer 35mm format that became popular (we're talking a long time ago!), could take at least 36.

It had lain about, unused, for many years prior to me gaining it, and we've no idea if it still works. Ordered some suitable Black & White film (120 size), a few months ago, along with some 35mm film. So today I decided it was time to give the camera a good clean up; read the instructions; load a spool; and give it a go. Hard to believe, but my Mum came up with the original 55 year old instruction book!

There's a little window on the back of the camera, that you can slide open to see if there's an unexposed film or not - no film. So after cleaning the outside, I decide to look inside. Low and behold there IS a film in there! And it has been fully exposed. Just waiting patiently for someone to send it off for developing. But waiting for how long? Initially I reckoned on about twenty years. But after consulting my folks, 30 years seams more likely! And of course, we don't know what the pictures would have been of.

Oh well, I'll just have to send it off, and keep the fingers crossed!


(Edit: Some of the results of having this film processed are here.)