Agifold single

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

Fomapan 100 in Agifold 6x6 with Agi's own anastigmat f:4.5 lens. Looks like it's single coated. 1954 or so.

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19

Nice one, Dave. Is that a triplet lens?

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Wow- I had to look up agifold, never heard of it. Is this what it looks like?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39076108@N00/3620723342/in/set-72157604063828308/

And a pretty nice result too, the focus is well set

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Nice capture. It has a classic look about it.

I'd like to hear more about the camera and maybe a pic?

Xpres · Expire: 2014-10-28

There were four versions of the Agifold folder, all built like tanks but very useable. I have a feeling they made their own lenses.
The bellows are very good and quite useful as a replacement for those in an Isolette.

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Agilux_Agifold
http://www.marriottcameras.co.uk/advertising/agilux/agifold_1950.htm This is the Mark 1 and look at the amount of Purchase Tax! No wonder there was a thriving black market in unofficially imported German cameras back then.

Mine is the earlier rangefinder one, so effectively a MkII. The extinction meter actually works fine, much to my surprise. Several shots on this roll were taken purely with that, after I'd satisfied myself it coincided with my handheld meter, to within half a stop. The VF is remarkably good, close cropping in the VF gives pics that are exactly what I saw. In use, it's dead simple, I don't know what the flickr poster was on about. It's easy to induce a bit of shake if you don't caress the release button - mounted on the camera top.
One thing that lets it down is the quality of the back. The rest of the camera is solid, dead chunky, but the back is like a piece of cheap tin can stuck on as an afterthought. Disappointing, considering that Voigtlander had been making good quality backs for decades already when this came out.

Amusingly, or not, some previous bodger had been trying to open the front by butchering the shutter release button - actually an easy mistake to make. The whole top assembly slides to the left to release the front drop-down board.

(addendum)
I've just discovered the f:4.5 lens is a Cooke triplet type and was the only lens fitted to the range of Agifolds, except for variation in focal length.

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19

Looks like a sturdy camera and having the RF even uncoupled is a boon.
I've been looking for the Ensign, but they are rare over here on the 'bay.

mikeinlagardette · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Central France

I think that what the Flickr poster was on about, was that compared to other MF folders, it does take a bit of care in use.

I didn't make any criticism of the quality of the resulting pictures, on the contrary, I mentioned that the lens was capable of very acceptable results.

If you actually set about designing the most awkwardly placed shutter cocking lever ever, this version of the Agifold would be the target to beat!, and the way the meter speed setting lever sticks into your finger when it's on the shutter button is another design masterpiece!

Despite all this, I love it! Heavy, well made,(except the back!), nice touches like the sliding rangefinder to open the front, the tripod bush unscrewing to level the camera, and the extinction meter, which, as you said, works remarkably well.

The earlier version had no rangefinder, but an odd mirror arrangement to enable a vertical viewfinder, in addition to the normal one. These cameras were a civilian version of a camera designed & supplied to the Royal Navy during WW2 by AGI, Aeronautical & General Industries, of Croyden, Surrey. The company is still in business, still making imaging & detection equipment for the military, but not in Croyden.

Enjoy your new find,
Best wishes, Mike

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

Welcome, Mike!
Now that it's had an inaugural roll of cheapy black and white through it, I'll be trying some colour soon. Some of the colour results I've seen from these have been fine, so that lens is capable enough. It might not be a Tessar, but it does itself some justice.
The reason I found it so easy to use was old memory pathways firing up - I grew up with these and similar cameras in the family and got used to them having various idiosyncracies. No such thing as a totally standard layout then - or now, for that matter.

mikeinlagardette · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Central France

Dave,
Thanks for the welcome! I'm pleased I found this site, lots of interesting stuff here, I was looking through the referalls list on my flickr stream, and your comment came up, and I couldn't resist replying!

I know just what you mean, they are really rather fun, my comment was rather tongue in cheek, but I can think of quite a few MF folders that are a good deal more user friendly!

As to the lens, it's very good, capable of good definition right into the corners when it's stopped down a bit, and quite contrasty. As already mentioned, the whole shooting match was made in-house by AGI, and they clearly knew a thing or two, it's certainly as good as a Novar or Nettar, and I know it's probably heresy on this site, but I'm not that sure that a four element lens is, automatically, superior on a front element focussing set up.

If I can work out how to post a pic, here's an example from the Agifold:

Best, Mike

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Welcome!

And great image!!

PaulC · Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 2318

Hi, Mike. Actually, lots of us quite like triplet lenses. I think the advantage with the Tessar type is mainly that it doesn't vignette so badly. However, the triplets may have better contrast because they have fewer surfaces.

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Folder enthusiasts are always welcome!

I agree re triplets - nothing wrong with them when they are well made. Like Paul says often they have better contrast etc. than more complex lenses.

As I'd never seen or heard of Agifold, this sure is a feast! What else did AGI make?

PaulC · Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 2318

They also made the Agiflex. This is an interesting article:

http://www.pratty.org.uk/cameras/agiflex.html

Xpres · Expire: 2014-10-28

They also made a little Agimatic 35mm rangefinder

mikeinlagardette · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Central France

They also made these:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1048/873248515_4ba0f96394.jpg

Something of a post-war design icon, they used 127 film, were made from Bakelite, had a fixed focus lens, fixed aperture & shutter speed. Made from 1954 until 1958. (Image from Camerapedia)

Cheers, Mike