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Agfa Isolette 1 with issues: repair or write-off?
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 4:39 pm    Post subject: Agfa Isolette 1 with issues: repair or write-off? Reply with quote

Here are some rather awful, wet Sunday limited light mobile phonecam images of an Agfa Isolette 1 which came my way via EBay.



I bought it in auction. On arrival it was immediately apparent that the film wind knob (the pot metal disc which looks like it belongs under a Christmas Tree with some other chocolate money!) was detached from the spindle/drive shaft/spigot providing no way of winding on the film. I immediately contacted the vendor who agreed to a full refund so I arranged to post it back to him. He has now refunded the purchase price and postage and has contacted me to say don't bother to send it back as he's going to throw it in the bin.

So, I've unpacked it and I'm wondering whether an economic repair is feasible. I need to find a way to repair/replace the film wind knob on its spindle so that winding one winds the other.

Also now looking further, the focal distance adjustment is frozen.

The shutter works nicely, the lens is due a bit of a clean, the bellows are good.

So, the camera has cost me nowt. A professional repair and CLA is presumably uneconomic so the question really hangs on whether a replacement film wind spindle might be available?

Would you bother? Would you try? Is there an online resource where I can find strip-down instructions?





PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can't understand how distance scale would be anything but simply stuck, because it is just a screw thread.

Does it have a double exposure prevention?


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unless it's a 10 minute fix, I'd just get another. Go for an Apotar lens though rather than the Agnar.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On most of these the focus screw is indeed stuck because of the awful Agfa green grease.
After all these years in most cases its become like epoxy cement.
Thats a serious problem.

Heat seems to be one way to open these for regreasing, but its a tricky operation.
My luck in similar cases is about 50/50.

The knob should be fixable. Probably a missing setscrew or something.
More pictures would help.

This isn't one of the better specs on these. The lens is a triplet and the shutter is the low-end model.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

martinsmith99 wrote:
Unless it's a 10 minute fix, I'd just get another. Go for an Apotar lens though rather than the Agnar.

+1 even with Apotar cheap camera, prepare your self how to fix light leaks on bellow Sad otherways a great camera I have several copies from them.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

luisalegria wrote:
On most of these the focus screw is indeed stuck because of the awful Agfa green grease.
After all these years in most cases its become like epoxy cement.
Thats a serious problem.

Heat seems to be one way to open these for regreasing, but its a tricky operation.


Whaddya think - blowlamp? 40 minutes on gas mark 4? Laughing

My luck in similar cases is about 50/50.

luisalegria wrote:
he knob should be fixable. Probably a missing setscrew or something.
More pictures would help.


More pictures? Daylight my friend but it's like the hole in the centre of the disc is now bigger than it should be.

luisalegria wrote:
This isn't one of the better specs on these. The lens is a triplet and the shutter is the low-end model.


Wassa triplet please? You make it sound undesireable.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On most of these the focus screw is indeed stuck because of the awful Agfa green grease.
After all these years in most cases its become like epoxy cement.
Thats a serious problem.

Heat seems to be one way to open these for regreasing, but its a tricky operation.
My luck in similar cases is about 50/50.

The knob should be fixable. Probably a missing setscrew or something.
More pictures would help.

This isn't one of the better specs on these. The lens is a triplet and the shutter is the low-end model.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

luisalegria wrote:
On most of these the focus screw is indeed stuck because of the awful Agfa green grease.
After all these years in most cases its become like epoxy cement.
Thats a serious problem.

Heat seems to be one way to open these for regreasing, but its a tricky operation.
My luck in similar cases is about 50/50.

The knob should be fixable. Probably a missing setscrew or something.
More pictures would help.

This isn't one of the better specs on these. The lens is a triplet and the shutter is the low-end model.


You've told me this already... Rolling Eyes


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A triplet is a lens with three glass elements.
The problem isn't that they cant give excellent results, its that they generally have lower resale than say a four-element lens.


As for heat-treating -
- Get the front group off the shutter. This should unscrew (no grease, but it might be tight)
- Remove the fancy aluminum or brass bezel (that has the engraved numbers). This is usually held on by some tiny screws.
- You will find there are two brass cylinders held together by the focusing screw.
- get the glass out before you try this. This is where things can fail, if the glass is not easily removable.
The problem is that the glass can crack as a result of the heat or the force you will have to use to unscrew.
- I have used a toaster oven and a large soldering iron.
- Try different times and heat levels.
- Find a place to get a firm grip with two pairs of pliers or wrenches. Use force.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As for the knob, you could try epoxy.
Rough up the inside of the hole on the knob if you can, for a better grip.

Or think of something else. This is the easy part. Your big problem is probably the lens.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

luisalegria wrote:
As for the knob, you could try epoxy.
Rough up the inside of the hole on the knob if you can, for a better grip.

Or think of something else. This is the easy part. Your big problem is probably the lens.


Thank you. Looks like the lens could be removable from the back. Photo tomorrow.

The hole on the inside of the knob is rough enough already. Crying or Very sad


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, the part of the lens you have a problem with is removable only from the front.
You do NOT need to remove the shutter.
You just need to remove the portion of the lens IN FRONT of the shutter.
Get the bezel off (to avoid cosmetic damage) and just unscrew it from the shutter.
Then you can work on the frozen focusing screw.


PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 11:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the bellows are good, keep them for another Isolette, if none of that works.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

luisalegria wrote:
Heat seems to be one way to open these for regreasing, but its a tricky operation.


You think electric heating could work? Use like a 12 volt current thru the metal parts?

Just don't explode your source of electricity.