Why is an AGFA Record III referred to as a "Billy" ?

[frank_a._bridges]

The instruction manual refers to it a a Record. But people on this

forum call it a Billy record.

[gene m]

The Record III is not a Billy. There <i> are <i> Billy Records however and one of them is called a Billy Record III.

 

Agfa's line of Billys ran from 1928-1960.

 

Clear ?

[gene m]

The Record III is not a Billy. There <i> are </i> Billy Records however and one of them is called a Billy Record III.

 

Agfa's line of Billys ran from 1928-1960.

 

Clear ?

[dan_fromm1]

Clear? Sorry, no.

[gene m]

Yeah, I know.

[canfred]

Complicated this is , too many models to go into detail. To be sure all had the name Billy but there are some Billy Record and at least one model Billy Optima from 1932 as well as Billy Compur ( a reference to the shutter )and it goes on a Billy Clack a Billy Luxus and last not least a Billy O . Gene is right the Billy range was made from 1928 - 1960 I hope now its clear but let me state not to me. I own one Agfa Record III with a Apotar lens in Prontor a Billy for sure even though it does not say so.

[patric_dahl_n]

Maybe Agfa dropped the name "Billy" for the later Record III?

[xenotar28]

The Agfa Records used the same body as the Billy Record. The main difference was in the viewfinder. Couple of examples included. Far as I know the Agfa Record III is called that and not Agfa record III Billy. Photos enclosed. Hope this clears it.<div></div>

[xenotar28]

2nd Example<div></div>

[peter_naylor1]

Hi, Frank Look, mate, this is really a lot simpler than it appears. As Patrick D. has said, it's just that AGFA finally dropped their venerable name "Billy" around 1952, not just with the "111" but with all the Records. Actually, that name of "Billy" had never been used in the US, Australian or British markets for any cameras - the term "Speedex" was used instead. Maybe they thought it was a Silly Billy? ~~PN~~

[david_m]

Just to confuse the situation even more there were Ansco versions (called the 'Viking') of some of the Agfa folders.

[rob_murray]

the viewfinders were different between the record and the billy.

I had a Billy Record with a Solinar but sold it before replacing

the bellows and shooting it. Sure wish I had kept it now. Would

love to see a huge velvia slide from it.

[patric_dahl_n]

Rob Murray wrote: "the viewfinders were different between the record and the billy. I had a Billy Record with a Solinar but sold it before replacing the bellows and shooting it. Sure wish I had kept it now. Would love to see a huge velvia slide from it."

 

True! They must have changed the name when they gave the camera a new top.

 

The 4,5/105 Solinar is a superb lens. It's just as good as the Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 3,5/105 I have on my Ercona II.

[astral]

Somewhere I have an Agfa Billy Clap (!) .. I occasionally think about using it but I just get the giggles. Anyway it looks a 'clap' sort of camela!

[astral]

Nope! Just checked the cupboard ... it's a Billy Clack. Stupid name all the same.

[gordon_ian_stalker]

Hang-on, I think the question was does anyone know where the name 'billy' came from. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

I have one, based soley on the fact that it's a German camera first produced between the wars at a time when German nationalism was on the rise. That is it is short for 'Wilhelm' as in Kaiser Wilhelm.

 

If that is the case it is hardly surprising that the designation was not used in America, Britain, or Australia. After all no one would be expected to buy a camera celebrating name of the WWI Kaiser in any of the allied nations, nor any British colonial posessions!

 

This is of course speculation, but it does fit the facts!