Agfa fans?

<p>so i've got nikon and pentax as my paid shoot equipment--accurate, dependable, professional classic cameras. and i've got 'toy' classics for 'doodling' as it were. i used to be into yashica's for said creative doodling but have found them unreliable and requiring service more constantly than my other cameras. i like really quirky creatively designed and well constructed classics though and somehow i made the leap from yashica for these qualities to agfa. </p>

<p>i was curious if anyone else out there was an agfa fan? i only have a few bodies as they seem to be difficult to come by in working condition in the states but i use them almost as regularly as my nikons and pentaxs. </p>

<p>so far i use an agfa optima parat (half frame 60's point and shoot camera,) agfa silette optima 1a (35mm full manual scale focus,) agfa optima sensor flash (late 70's point and shoot scale focus with built in flash.)</p>

<p>i love selenium meters and their simple 'dot' meters, chrome decor, symetrical look, strange ergonomics, compact size and it took a while for me to appreciate scale focus but it's something i've grown to love and helps me develop my ability to prefocus all my cameras.</p>

<p>even if you're not into agfa, are there any other quirky cameras you really love to use?</p>

<p>I have used an Agfa Billy Record for a while and liked it, but I was doing some work on it (cleaning some junk out of the 3-element lens) and bent a ring which disallows me from reassembling the front rotating metal ring. I was pretty disappointed. JR</p><div></div>

<p>I've got a Silette, Isolette III, Optima IIs, and a Billy Record that needs a bellows. Don't know if I'm an Agfa fan (the Agfas just showed up with hardly any effort on my part it seems). I really like the Chrome Age classic Optima. Nice rf and lens. I need to shoot the Isolette more. I'm fond of selenium meters, too. Every camera I have with a working one is a good shooter.</p>

 

<p>I have the Flexilette (35mm TLR) and the Agfa Optima Sensor 1535 electronic (AE rangefinder). They are on opposite ends of the "Quirky" scale, but both are fun to shoot and deliver great results.</p>

<p>Other weird but wonderful German cameras are the Zeiss Ikon/Voigtländer Vitessa 1000 SR, the KW <a href="00PX8K"><b>Pilot Super</b></a> and the Zeiss Ikon Tenax II.</p>

<p>Weird cameras that look cool but are unaffordably expensive here in Europe are the US-made Mercury II CX and the Argus C33.</p>

<p>The situation of Agfa cameras in the USA, as such, is complicated by the relation to Ansco. After 1928 the American company was "Agfa-Ansco", interestingly enough only dropping the Agfa part of the name in 1943 (I guess by 1943, under US govermment ownership, they may have realized that Hitler wasn't going to work out).</p>

<p>In the time that the company was Agfa-Ansco, it sold some Agfa models badged under the Ansco name. Ansco was generally very careless about names anyhow, so the folding cameras marketed in that period were often called by more than one name by Ansco. Many cameras were marketed under the Agfa name as well.</p>

<p>The company was seized by what was called the "Enemy Property Custodian" during the war, and was eventually sold to private owners and remained independent after the war. Eventually, it became General Aniline and Film Corporation, and eventually just GAF. They made films that were never quite competitive with Kodak, but they had some of the first really fast color slide film (it was originally a full 500 ASA!). Even after it became independent, some Agfa cameras were sold as Ansco, after WWII.</p><div></div>

<p>I have an Agfa Isolette III w/ the uncoupled rangefinder and Apotar 85 4.5 lens, and an Isolette I w/ the more rare Solinar 75 3.5 lens. These cameras take fantastic photos! As sharp as my Rolleiflex and a lot easier to carry around. In fact, I sold my Fuji GS645s because even though it had a killer lens the classic folders are a lot more fun to shoot and they take pictures that are just as good. I am really impressed w/ the build quality. My Zeiss Ikontas are made of better materials, especially the bellows, but the workmanship and finish of the Isolettes are second to none. The Solinar is razor sharp at any aperture and the Apotar takes wonderful B&W photos. I will never sell either. I think I paid $100 or so for the two of them. The only thing I've had to do is clean the green gunk from the front element threads.</p>

<p>Agfa Isolette III w/ Apotar</p><div></div>

<p>I have three Isolettes, all with the cheaper triplet lens. All three take absolutely wonderful pictures. I love them.<br>

<br /> Here's a sample:<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/3507458100_011ca8041d.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" /></p>

<p>Reed</p>

<p>I have many Agfas, I'm a real fan of their cameras. My favourite would have to be the later Karat 36's, I have two, one with a F2 Heligon, one with the 2.8 Xenar.<br>

These were well made with great optics, and the "full frame" split image rangefinder works a treat.</p>

<p>I have a reconditioned Agfa Billy Record II. My first rolls of film went through it last month in Yosemite. Some of the results are here:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00TR5e">http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00TR5e</a><br>

I love the huge negatives. The camera is fun to work with. The guy I bought it from did a great job making it "new" again. The only shortcoming really is that I meter with my Nikon F3HP first, then repeat the settings with the Agfa.<br>

Good fun! When I get a really good shot on the Nikon, now I double down with the Agfa.</p>

<p>I have a Super Silette I found at a flea market lying on the pavement, and brought home for 10 euros. It got a professional CLA and is now one of my favourite fixed lens rangefinders. I love its looks, the EV system pairs well with my Gossen Sixtino, and the viewfinder/rangefinder are easy to use. If only it had strap lugs...</p>

<p>Good to see so many AGFA collectors coming out of the closet here. I guess the AGFA situation is a bit like Kodak, with both companies producing such a wide range of cameras because their main interest was to sell more of their film. So a lot of AGFA cams were quite basic - but they also made some damn fine ones. Karats are a special favourite of mine.</p>

<p>Here's a link to my Flickr Photostream AGFA set, which is by no means complete! I still have several Standards from the late 20s/early 30s to add, for example.</p>

<p> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/32113303@N07/sets/72157612048279403/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/32113303@N07/sets/72157612048279403/</a></p>

<p>PETE IN PERTH</p>

<p>Pete, I'm going to creep into your house one night and steal that Karat collection, don't try to stop me, I'll be armed with a Nikon F.<br>

Tony</p>

I have had a couple of Solinettes and am (slowly) degreasing the focus on an Ansco Regent. I have also owned an Ansco Speedex but the lack of local purchase and process of 120 film led me to sell it. I also have a very neat looking Optima Sensor which has a mysterious apparently very even light leak.

<p>wow! i didn't expect soo many enthusiastic responses! i also moderate a classic cameras group on myspace and there aren't but a couple AGFA (is all caps correct? the Agfa Rhombus just capitalizes the A but i've seen it in all caps alot too) shooters.</p>

<p>i agree about the comparison to kodak--they made a TON of cameras, many of which are less than noteworthy with some very hip unexpected things thrown in. although i feel like AGFA cameras were always more futuristic and advanced than kodak. </p>

<p>with their recycling of names it's difficult to even know what models some of you are referring to and unlike japanese lines like pentax or nikon, everyone seems to have totally different collections of AGFA's because of the shear number of different models they put out. </p>

<p>how are the sensor rangefinders? my optima sensor flash is scale focus and takes gorgeous photos even with the flash (although i gaff taped a half stop of tufspun to it to diffuse it a bit.) are the rf's easy to focus through?</p>

<p>Reed, that isolette shot is incredibly sharp and clear. i can't say i've gotten anything quite as nice out of my AGFA's yet. but i lean towards the funny little gimmicky 35's also.</p>

<p>that reminds me of the ambi silette. anyone have any opinions on it?</p>

<p>JDM--the ad you posed features an agfa memo. my dad picked one of those up for me at a yard sale just because he thought it was interesting. and it is, although largely unuseable. the film advance is actually a thumb slider across the back door and it contains no spools. apparently these were modeled off cinema cameras in terms of the transport mechanism. really interesting. and who knows why it shares the name with those cameras you can write notes about the shot on the back door?<br>

Jeremy--my condolences! </p>

<p>Don--high five on the selenium! and i really admire the chrome age AGFA's too. i miss the chrome age cameras website. it was a big help sorting all these AGFA's with similar names! chrome agers seem to be difficult to find in the states in good shape. my first two AGFA's were sillettes, an LK and something else, that are totally dysfunctional but looked and felt great so i bought them anyway as 'specimens' </p>

<p>Charles--that's weird about the light leak in your Sensor, they don't have light seals so i'd think it'd be difficult to get a leak. i've had some REALLY strange ones with my sensor flash from prematurely opening the back. i think that since the bottom pops out too, the angles of light on the film can be really interesting. </p>

<p>btw, i forgot to mention i have a pair of clacks also--for miniscus lens cameras, they are pretty decent shooters too!</p><div></div>

<p>still learning photo.net but here's another shot...</p><div></div>

<p>I do have a small Agfa collection<br>

Agfa Silette w Agnar lens<br />Agfa Super Silette w Apotar lens<br />Agfa Super Silette w Solagon lens<br />ANSCO Super Regent w Solinar lens<br />Agfa Click<br />Agfa Isola<br />Agfa Isoly w Agnar lens<br>

I would like to add a Isolette, hopefully some day.</p>

 

Johnny, The back looks tight but when I look in the lens from the front the ID of the lens barrel has a silvery look and when I open up the back the shutter blade look to be a shiny grey color and I wonder if internal reflections are causing the problem.

<p>Hi, Tony L. It'll have to be your Nikon F and my Nikomat FTn at five paces, mate - and may the best boat anchor win! Seriously though, both bl**dy nicely-made cameras if a bit user-unfriendly.</p>

<p>On the subject of Karats, none of those in the Naylor Flickr Pic collection actually appear to have been sold originally in Oz. Most came via late nights on Ebay US and a twitchy bidding finger. The only one that I did acquire locally has a sticker in the lens cap from a German camera dealer in Augsburg, so I reckon that one came maybe via a migrant 'Down Under'. Which leads me on to ask - were Karats actually ever sold here? I suspect that the prewar 'Karat 12' models were, but I'm not so sure about the post-war Karat 36s. </p>

<p>Thanks to my BJPA library, I can say with hand on heart that the pre-WW2 Karats were definately sold in Britain. In fact my first Karat - a 1938-ish model with F3.5 Solinar and Compur Rapid, plus original lovely orange/blue box - came from the UK. However, post-WW2 I've never seen a single advert in any of my BJPAs for 'em. I suspect they were too expensive to import bearing in mind those strange economic restrictions in force during the late 40s and throughout the 50s, although other AGFAs certainly were sold in the UK.</p>

<p>PETE IN PERTH</p>

<p>I think it was 4 or 5 dollars</p><div></div>

<p>Just before sunset</p><div></div>

<p>I have a few Agfas although my favorite one is branded as an Ansco Super Memar, also known throughout the rest of the world as the Agfa Super Silette. Like Moises' example, it has the Solagon f/2 lens on it and is really a nice, compact camera that takes great pictures. No selenium meter, but it still has a classic 50s rangefinder look to it that I really like.</p><div></div>

<p>Hmmm, interesting contrast of Don's 60s Optima and Andy's 50's Super Memar here. I reckon one reason the German camera industry started to go 'kaput' in the 60s was because of the ugly, bulbous top covers they fitted on many 35mm cams like the Optima. I'm not having an AGFA-bash here of course - Balda, Voigtlander, Kodak AG, etc were all heading down the same path. Even my beloved Diax went the same path with their L-1 'Ugly Duckling', but that was more late 50s.</p>

<p>The Super Memar like Andy's and Moise's, or in Super Silette guise like mine, which look especially purposeful with the F2 Solagon, exemplify the better 'traditional' look to my jaundiced eyes. In contrast, the Japanese manufacturers somehow managed to keep away from that 'top-heavy' look. OK, so there was a need to go bigger with oversize viewfinders generally, but I reckon the Japanese managed to keep their 35mm stuff looking neater and meaner as we got into the 60s. But who can recall the 60s properly, if we're to believe the Gurus? PETE N.</p>

<p>My favorite is the Super Silette with the 2.0 Solagon. Bright finder, quiet shutter, fast good lens and compact size.</p>

<p><img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00C/00C2M1-23224284.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" /></p>

<p>Charles, that's interesting. i have not noticed any reflections in the viewfinder. i don't think it has any relationship to the film chamber though--no chance to cast light in there. the shutter shine sounds more likely but since mine takes excellent photos i can't imagine what might have occurred with yours to alter the reflective nature of the shutter.</p>

<p>btw, guys, i just picked up an ansco viking 6.3 6x9 folder. the focusing is smooth and so are the few shutter speeds it has! aperture blades are clean and move freely. i spent some tyme pliobonding the leatherette back down and liquid taping the bellows. now i just need to get out there and shoot some landscapes!</p>