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Ensign Selfix 220
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 4:28 pm    Post subject: Ensign Selfix 220 Reply with quote
Hi folks

I'm trying to collect British cameras and lenses so today I snapped up a good condition Ensign Selfix 220 folder for 6ukp inc shipping, going to put some BW 120 film through it as soon as it arrives.

Not been able to find much info on the 220 model, I think it's 6x6 although some Selfix models were 6x9.

Be interesting to compare this camera to my Zeiss Nettar 6x6 of the same vintage, they both have 75mm anastigmat lenses.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats! If you have a good copy of Nettar , hard to beat it ! I have no clue about British cameras.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I would say this camera is Houghton & Butcher's competitor to the Nettar I have as it is overall a similar camera - 6x6 folder with a 75mm anastigmat lens and simple viewfinder.

Nettar:





Selfix 220:





PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This Ensign has radial lever for unit focussing which is similar to the Newman & Guardia Sibyl, but not quite as well-engineered. The whole idea of using this costly system is that the focussing system in the camera body itself can drive a coupled rangefinder, and that's the Autorange variant, which is rather sought-after. The top model sports a Zeiss Tessar lens which Ensign sourced from Zeiss when it was still possible before WWII broke out.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I posted the wrong pics, this is the actual Selfix 220 I have bought, it is the same only it has a 4.5/75 rather than a 6.3/75.

I'm happy with this purchase for only 6ukp. Even if it provves nto to be a good picture taker it's a nice collectable to own imho.

The unit focussing sounds like an improvement over the front cell focussing of the Nettar.








PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The camera has been in my posession a little while and it's in lovely condition. Everything seems to work apart from the top speed of 1/125, 1/100 seems fine although is probably slow, I'll make sure to use this on a tripod!

All I've done is give it a quick dust and polish, looks lovely and the lens is bright and clear. I've loaded it with film and will shoot it shortly.



PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've just posted a detailed review of one of these here: http://fotoblogzone.com/2012/01/27/the-ensign-selfix-220/

There are several features of it that you may not have spotted - the early frame counting mechanism and the arrangmentes for shooting in either 6x6 or 6x4.5 that make this model far more sophisticated than the Zeiss Ikon Nettar.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have / have had Autorange versions of the camera; the Selfix offers just the same range of optical goodness. I have used versions with the early (uncoated) F4.5 Ensar (as in iangreenhalgh1's postings above, but in the early model Epsilon instead of Prontor shutter), an uncoated Tessar f:2.8 in Compur Rapid, and a late model with coated F4.5 Ensar in the later-model Epsilon.

Thanks to the excellent frame counter method, I have kept an Ensign in preference to a Super Ikonta III, as the latter had the customary frame spacing problem (also, the controls were a bit too small and fiddly for my fingers Confused ).

A specimen picture from the uncoated Ensar , taken in January 2010 on Fujicolor Pro400, is at

January 2010 by johnnyh4, on Flickr

A specimen picture from the later, coated, Ensar , taken in July 2010 on Fujicolor Pro400. is at

The Knot of Rope, Thornbury by johnnyh4, on Flickr

(Sorry, linking directly to the images, or via URL style works for me in the Preview, but not in the Submitted posting ?! Shocked )


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
johnnyh4 wrote:
I have / have had Autorange versions of the camera; the Selfix offers just the same range of optical goodness. I have used versions with the early (uncoated) F4.5 Ensar (as in iangreenhalgh1's postings above, but in the early model Epsilon instead of Prontor shutter), an uncoated Tessar f:2.8 in Compur Rapid, and a late model with coated F4.5 Ensar in the later-model Epsilon.

Thanks to the excellent frame counter method, I have kept an Ensign in preference to a Super Ikonta III, as the latter had the customary frame spacing problem (also, the controls were a bit too small and fiddly for my fingers Confused ).

A specimen picture from the uncoated Ensar , taken in January 2010 on Fujicolor Pro400, is at

January 2010 by johnnyh4, on Flickr

A specimen picture from the later, coated, Ensar , taken in July 2010 on Fujicolor Pro400. is at

The Knot of Rope, Thornbury by johnnyh4, on Flickr

(Sorry, linking directly to the images, or via URL style works for me in the Preview, but not in the Submitted posting ?! Shocked )

Hey, glad you made it across here John!!

The images don't work on the 1st post; you'll be ok on future ones (just copy the BB code from Flickr). It's an anti-spam feature.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
johnnyh4 wrote:

A specimen picture from the uncoated Ensar , taken in January 2010 on Fujicolor Pro400, is at

January 2010 by johnnyh4, on Flickr

I believe this is also Thornbury, opposite the entrance to the castle?


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
martinsmith99 wrote:

Hey, glad you made it across here John!!

The images don't work on the 1st post; you'll be ok on future ones (just copy the BB code from Flickr). It's an anti-spam feature.


Thanks, Martin, it really puzzled me! Thanks for 'rescuing' the pictures. And as you say, an attempt just sorted itself out on re-loading the page.
I didn't find this level of advice in the FAQ, but maybe that's to deny information to potential spammers.

Last edited by johnnyh4 on Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:04 pm; edited 3 times in total


PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
martinsmith99 wrote:

I believe this is also Thornbury, opposite the entrance to the castle?

Yes, the Glebe Field Smile


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ooh, those samples are excellent. I must put a roll of film through mine.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks, The light was good and positioned in my favour. Pictorially, both would benefit from cropping down: the snow (causing strong blue cast) and road surface respectively. However for demonstrating a camera, I like to show the picture as produced, then would crop a 6x6 if appropriate for landscape or portrait Smile

PS ... and if you're confident of getting the framing that you want with 6x4.5, you can set the camera to give 16 frames per roll Very Happy

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
...
I'm happy with this purchase for only 6ukp. Even if it provves nto to be a good picture taker it's a nice collectable to own imho.
...

A real bargain Wink
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