Isolette III

Hello

Tried to post this in the weekend thread but for some reason I couldn't on Firefox so here I am on Explorer

 

This is from a roll I just finished scanning.

This is from the "new" Agfa Isolette III I just got from certo6, it has the Solinar 3.5 75mm lens.

This is HP5 Plus HC110 dil. H 11 mins. 20C.

I am really pleased with the camera, one issue I had a couple that it did not seem like the shutter fired so I cocked again and I got double exposures so I guess it fired but it did not seem like fired, at least I did not hear it and the indicater did not go red??

I will check with Jurgen and see what he says.

Anyway here are a few and I will probably post some more later

Great camera you have there ! The edge to edge sharpness of the Solinar lens vrs the Apotar lens is really noticeable in the wider f stops. You had better "warn" your significant other that a new love affair has been started ! !

If you want a nice kit bag for this camera, look up on Ebay & get a Lowepro Edit 110 bag. This is a discontinued item of there's and many are popping up for sale , around $10-15 delivered. You can also find the accessory filters & lens hood there. Enjoy that beauty! Aloha, Bill

Played tourist for a day with my Iso III. Great fun. Iso3 (Apotar lens) , UFX400, OA & V600 scan. Aloha, Bill

Lovely results from the Isolette III, Don! I think I'll have to start watching for one with the Solinar lens; I have several other Agfa cameras with versions of the the Solinar and it's an impressive lens. Still, the Isolette II with the Apotar lens is a remarkable camera though,as Bill has noted, the corners of the frames show the triplet restraints at apertures wider than f/5.6. Here's a sample shot at f/5.6, hand-held in poor light at 1/60th.

 

Opening Time

 

Thanks Bill and Rick

 

Bill, since I have you if I can pick your brain a little have you had any issues with it not sounding like the shutter trips and recocking the shutter and getting double exposures?

 

I pressed the release on three frames and it did not sound or feel like it went off so I recocked and shot again and got the doubles.

 

is that anything you have noticed ?

 

Thanks

Don

Rick - that Apotar @f/5.6 doesn't look to shabby to me. I love the tonality. What film did you use?

Howdy. Next time the camera is empty, do a series of "dry" fires. Start with the highest speed on your shutter and work down to 1/25 or so. The camera will "unlock" the shutter about 1 full turn of the right side, film advance knob. This might be just before you would hit the first "bubbles" if you were looking thru the red window if the camera was "loaded"

Cock the shutter and push the shutter release while looking into the lens. Repeat 3-5 times and if OK, advance to the next speed. You should hear a "distinct click" when advancing the film knob. This "click" sets the double exposure prevention. My shutters are super quiet, your's might also be super quiet, that's why you need to look into the lens. I have never had this type of problem (2x setting) and if the hang up shows up, I would contact Jurgen. I did have a problem with the Prontor-S shutter not working in self-timer mode & he quickly fixed it. Nothing but praise for his work from me.

As a rule, if my Iso's are on a tripod, I use the 10 second self time. Your III might have the Compur shutter housing, which may not have a time in it (space problem per Jurgen).

Do look for a Solinar lens Rick. My first II & III were working "finds" off Ebay, so I have no heart aches on the lenses. Aloha, Bill

Edited April 10, 2017 by Bill Bowes

Thanks Bill

I will give that a try.

I did just order on of the Lowepros

Don, a glance at the shutter cocking lever should indicate whether or not the shutter has fired. Providing it's functioning correctly, if the shutter cocking lever has returned to the uncocked position at the top of the speed dial, you can be fairly certain that the exposure has been made.

Andrew, the film was Arista EDU Ultra 100 developed in PMK Pyro. You can just see the image beginning to "tear" at the bottom corners.

Edited April 11, 2017 by rick_drawbridge

Lovely images, Don, Bill and Rick!

Hello

Thanks Rick, Bill and Raj.

 

I did go through all the speeds and it was fine every time so it was probably just me?

 

I will run some more film through it once i finish a couple rolls I have in other cameras

Hello Bill

just reporting back, I received a LowePro Edit 110 bag and it is perfect for the Isolette and will be great for the Retina

I might even get another.

Thanks

Don

The Apotar is a much underrated lens; below f/8 there is not much difference wiith a Solinar. Thanks for this excellent post.

Hello again everyone. If Apotar lens negatives exposed in the f11-f32 range are enlarged to 20x20 inch scale, one will notice the edges are "off" a bit, but in the process of arriving at one's "final" image, that fact becomes moot. The 6x6 neg has a large area & once the crop is about 1/32 inch in, the center area is right on for sharpness. Some time ago I selected a 6x9 neg from my Solinar Record 3 & compared it to my Apotar Isolatte 3. Only the center 6x6 of the Record neg was used, and both negs were exposed at f8, same type film & developer. Comparison was at a 20x20 inch scale. Perhaps I need eye transplants, but there was no noticeable difference.

The picture is a "progression" of my editing work to the final "print". This is posted in the Film Camera for April 14 thread. Aloha, Bill

Edited April 17, 2017 by Bill Bowes

Hello again everyone. As a general "rule", I do most of my shooting hand held but keep a monopod with me for those shots that get below f11 or 1/50th second. This is one from the same roll as the cruise ship above. 3 stops down from the open wharf area, the tall buildings put a premium on good exposure. Iso3 (Apotar), UFX400, OA & V600 scan. Aloha, Bill