By far the most mechanically robust folding cameras I’ve ever handled are the Ikonta and the Nettar. I find this extremely important in folding cameras; with many, for example, the front standard wobbles, which means you can’t get any sharpness. It’s a factor I cannot emphasise enough. So my recommendation would be an Ikonta or a Nettar with a Tessar lens. There are no problems with the bellows either. I also shoot with a Bessa 66 (Skopar) and a Jsolette (Apotar). It always depends on the individual condition. Many are simply worn out. But they’re nowhere near as stable as my 6x9 Nettar. I find the Skopars at least on a par with the Tessars. The post-war colour Skopar was even apochromatically corrected, with the exception of the IR range. Clean lenses and correct adjustment are crucial for both, though.
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Incidentally, I find the older folding viewfinders much more pleasant than the ‘peephole’ viewfinders, which are almost always far too small.
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In my opinion, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a Prontor or a Compur, as long as they work. Even the Rapid-Compurs aren’t faster than 1/350 in practice, even if they’re marked 1/400 or 1/500. Prontors always have a self-timer, whereas Compurs sometimes do and sometimes don’t. I prefer the Prontors. These days, you almost always have to clean both of them, as well as the lenses, if you haven’t already done so. Then just readjust the focus to infinity, and nothing stands in the way of your enjoyment. If you don’t feel confident doing this yourself, you’ll need to budget another fifty to a hundred quid for servicing.
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Rangefinders that clip on or are simply held in place are useful accessories; I find the Voigtländer ones best, as they can be easily adjusted yourself from the outside using a knurled screw. This allows you to take pictures with good sharpness even at close range with the aperture wide open. Incidentally, the distance scales are aligned with the distance to the front edge of the lens.
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Example with a Bessa 66, an uncoated Skopar and a Voigtländer E-Messer:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/4972512552/in/photostream
It’s only a small image, but in the original you can see every pore.
