Agfa Silette LK pics

Agfa made many Silette models, and even a few different LK variants.

Some (like the Super Silette) had rangefinders and either Solinar

f/2.8 or Solagon f/2 lenses. Enrico Barsetti posted some nice photos

from Sweden on 4-25-2005 using his Super Silette.

 

Mine is a simpler variant, with a scale-focus, front-element focusing

45mm/2.8 Color Agnar lens, a nice bright-line finder (of about .6

magnification) and a selenium light meter. The Pronto-LK shutter is

extremely quiet. Camera feel is excellent. Negatives: The counter

counts down instead of up, the body lacks strap lugs and the very hard

gray leather case does not have a removable front flap.

 

In his book on Classic Cameras, Ivor Matanle refers to the

less-than-exciting Agnar lens. Maybe my lens is better than his, I

think results are good even at f/2.8; see below. All photos are on

Fujicolor 100.<div></div>

Here's an early-morning shot at f/2.8; there's plenty of detail there.<div></div>

The lens doesn't have any major flare problems either, here's a backlit shot at f/4.<div></div>

The camera is fun to use, not intimidating to subjects (nor am I, I hope!)<div></div>

And here's the camera itself.<div></div>

Top view. The meter deflects snappily, but the shutter speeds have become uncoupled. Sometimes, even changing the aperture won't move the follower needle smoothly. Now I know that with no more than a Leatherman tool and a 16 oz hammer I could remove the top cover and set all to rights...and then have another non-working German camera. I've been there before.<div></div>

Agnar?

 

I can clearly read Apotar on the picture... or is this not your camera?

 

Nice pics though..

Rainer

I liked the close ups. The out of focus background on the barrel really makes it stand out.

Is that your cabin? Very nice looking place.

 

I've seen Agnars in Isolettes frequently.

Rainer,

 

My apologies, you are correct. The Agnar is different than the Apotar which I have. My best Apotar is a 50/3.5 which, although a triplet, is outstanding in every respect. Thank you for your close attention to detail,

 

Dennis

Jorn,

 

Yes, it is our cabin. It was originally in Winchester, Virginia, but was dissembled, moved to our property and reassembled about 25 years ago. It has two additions. The roof is made of slate tiles, and is one of the few slate roofs in Loudoun County.

 

Dennis

I think the count down is a big plus, not a negative. Unless I shoot a whole roll in a day or buy only 36 exposure rolls I am unsure when I am going to run out of film. The only two cameras I used for years, a Retina and a Pen D both had count down counters. Using them mostly on weekends it might take a month (or longer in the case of the Pen D) to finish a roll.

I'll second both the positive nature of the countdown counter, and the excellent potential of a well-made coated triplet. I have triplets in both 120 and 35 mm cameras that are capable of single-pixel sharpness at 2400 ppi (which means more on 120 than 35 mm, due to the difference in film size). The main difference is that they're less likely to achieve that kind of sharpness when opened up -- but the f/3.5 44 mm Anaston in my Pony 135 is pretty good even at f/5.6. I haven't had a chance to check it at f/3.5 yet -- but my Jubilette's Baltar looks pretty bad wide open at f/2.9...

Nice shots Dennis! Neat little Silette too.

 

For some reason, the Silettes in general and those with triplets get little respect. The Triplophobes regularly bash Apotars and Agnars, but they are good performers, as yours shows, once again.

 

Keep it up!

The problem with countdown counters is that most of them stop at 1. That means you can't get the extra frames you can often squeeze in on a regular counter. I'd rather get the extra frames.