Agfa's lenses in RF

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

Hi.

There are a lot of agfa's RF cams and very cheap. I found them with differents lenses Agfa Agnar 3.5/45mm, Color Agnar 2.8/45mm, Color Apotar 2.8/45mm and Color Solinar 2.8/50mm.

Anybody knows anything about them, like which is the best, etc?

Rino

Sevo · Expire: 2012-12-03

The Solinar is their Tessar clone. The others are triplets, with the Agnars the older designs - mine at least were rather mushy, best used with filters for black and white, or for intentionally soft pictures. The Apotar, with one rare earth element, is a very fine lens, and closer in performance to the Solinar than to the earlier triplet generations.

Sevo

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

There's also the somewhat rare Solagon, Agfa's double gauss lens. On 35mm it's a 50mm f2.0.

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

Sevo

Thanks. So The apotar or the solinar are the lens to go to.

ludoo

Very rare lens, I think. Very nice to find one. And in good price too.

Thanks.

Rino.

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

Ludoo.

Thank you, very much - again - Very Happy

Rino.

ludoo · Expire: 2011-12-05

Rino, I forgot to say that since you are in Argentina, it might make sense to look for Agfa RFs on US ebay. Most models sold in the US were rebadged and sold by Ansco, and have different names like Super Memar or Super Regent. A search like this one might yield something interesting.

The exception, once again, are the Karats which keep their model names. And they seem to be plentiful in the US, where there's about one a week for sale, often at attractive prices. The Karat IV is the latest model, and shares many similarities with the Super Silette: the rangefinder is the same, the top looks similar, etc. The earlier Karat 36 has a unique rangefinder type: the viewfinder is split horizontally in two halves, and when something is in focus the two halves match. Kind of like a split viewfinder in SLRs, only on the whole surface and not limited to the central portion.

What can you expect when buying an old(ish) Agfa? Well, for once they have surprisingly clear rangefinder patches which show little or no fading after all these years, contrary to what happens on most other RFs. A good clean of the viewfinder lenses and RF mirror (but not of the beamsplitter mirror) and you'll have an exceptional vf/rf by '50s standards, very usable even today. And the top is really easy to open, so you can clean it and register the RF yourself if needed.

The major problems with Agfas are the awful grease used to dampen the helicoid which hardens and makes focus really stiff, and sometimes a gummed shutter. Both problems are very easy to fix for any half decent repairman, or by yourself with some research and care (and the right tools).

If you are satisfied with a Tessar type, the Super Solinette is a wonderful little folder. Not as elegant as the Voigtlander Vito, but much more practical (and not only for the rangefinder) and with a no-nonsense design which I really love. The lens is also unit focusing which is better, while the Vitos have front cell focus. There's a nice page on the Super Solinette by Mike Elek.

If you want a f2.0 lens without waiting months for a Super Silette with a Solagon, the Karat is a very nice, and weird, camera with a scissor-like folding lens.

There are also later models like the Super Silette LS (or SL? I have one but can't remember), with a built-in uncoupled lightmeter. They are bulkier and uglier, pure early '60s German design, and only have the triplet or Tessar-type lens, but they are also very cheap.

Let us know what you find!

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

thanks, a lot.

Yes, the theme with ebay isn't ebay by itself. The office of customs here, in Argfentina. I bought two lenses by ebay and all OK. My wife imported four phones boght by EBAY and here, in Argentina they were lost. It's a risk and not only for the money, but the time, frustration of expectations and the
anger.

But in my country with a bit of pacience and with your information, I will find a good agfa to buy, sure.

Thanks again, and there are. . Embarassed

Rino.

dof · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:42 pm Post subject:

The Solagon is a 6-element 50mm f/2 found on some Super Silettes, Karats,
and Super Memars.

There is also the Ambi-Silette camera with its very nice interchangeable
lenses from 35mm to 130mm.