AGFA Isopan IF 17 (Agfacolor 120) ??? Modern substitute?

Granted, this is a strange request on a site devoted to serious

photographic work. I recently bought an old(er) "toy" camera called

the Agfa "Clack". It uses 120 film, and has no aperature settings

(except for the precise "bright" or "cloudy"!). There is also no

shutter speed adjustment (the wonderful "instant" vs. "time").

Anyway, the thing takes remarkably decent 6x9 negatives. I tried 2

rolls of Kodak's C41 B&W film, and was amazed at the results

(assuming you use a monopod). I want to try some color print film,

but am unsure what ISO would correspond to what passes for the

shutter speed (you snap a lever, and the spring-loaded shutter slips

across the focal plane!). Anyway, the sticker on the inside of the

camera reads: "Designed for Agfa Isopan IF17 - Agfacolor". Problem

is, I am unsure what this translates to. I would suspect most 120

cameras of this "era" were set for 160 film speed, but this hardly

corresponds to the #17 (ISO 40-60?). Am I missing something

obvious? Any help appreciated.

Hi Michael,

 

Agfa, being a German company subscribed to the old DIN (Deutches

Industrie Norm - German Industrial Standard) system of light

measurement. It can still be seen on light meters and older cameras.

On my light meter the closest I get is 18 DIN which is 50 ASA/ISO.

On that basis it is safe to assume 17 DIN is around 45-48 ISO which is

closer to the sort of film speed around at the time.

Have fun,

W

If you want to use colour print film then you can use something rated at ISO100 and still get acceptable negatives. The film will be overexposed one stop (approx) but the latitude of most colour print films will tolerate this much overexposure

17 DIN is equal to 40 Asa. Isopan was a B/W film. If you want your color prints to look as they did when your camera was young, try Agfacolor Portrait film. It gives softer pastel-like colors!