Agfa Isolette I
- Kamera Ostalgie
- Oct 3
- 6 min read
A folding Roll Film Camera from the 1950's
One of my favourite types of cameras are folding roll film cameras which, if you are a regular reader of this blog, you will already have guessed. Especially those made in the period roughly between 1935 & 1955, give and take a few years. The Agfa Isolette is still quite common on the internet sites, as I sit at my desk writing this post, a quick check on E-bay lists over 600 examples ranging from £10 to £300, and everything in between. There are of course many models and variations, the production run was a long one, starting in 1937 and ending in about 1960.
That is a very long production run, and potentially a lot of cameras, which to some degree explains the vast number for sale today and why you can still buy a tidy looking one for a tenner! But there is another reason, which we can look at in more detail later on in this post. For now lets take a close look at the Isolette I.
The camera is quite easy to operate, even if you are not really used to using folding roll film cameras. The camera is opened by pressing the left hand button on the top plate with your left hand, the camera springs out automatically, ready for use. The central viewfinder is quite a good size and reasonably clear, I have no trouble with it even wearing spectacles. Focus is controlled by moving the outer ring of the lens. Remember to use a range finder if you are poor at estimating distances in feet! The three speed shutter is charged on the lens by the little lever sat just above the lens ring, you just push it over to your right. The shutter release button sits on the top plate and is operated by your right hand. Film wind on is by the round knob on the left side of the top plate, following the direction of the arrow, clockwise! It only goes that way. Slide down the metal cover over the red window and look out for the next number appearing. Take it steady or you will overshoot. Slide back the metal window cover to avoid fogging. When you have got to number twelve, that is it, film end, time to re-wind.
The Isolette I was produced by Agfa Kamera-Werk AG Muenchen in Germany between 1951 and 1958. ( Some sources say 1960, but that is most likely to be just selling off old stock) There is supposed to be two versions, the first one produced from 1951-1954, the second one 1955 to 1958. The difference being where the depth of field scale is placed, the later ones having it engraved on the face of the shutter like this example pictured above. The first version I have not seen in the flesh. I have also come across a third version, see C 61671 pictured below where 'Agfa Isolette' is also engraved below the depth of field scale ring.
The Isolette I uses 120 roll film to take 12 images of 6 x 6cm or 2 1/4 square if you prefer inches. The shutter is a Vario shutter with just three speeds, 25th, 50th and 200th of a second plus B. The lens is the 85mm Agfa Agnar 4.5. The lens is coated, so good for colour work, and the internet tells me that it is a 3 element lens. The lens focuses from 3 feet to infinity. There is no rangefinder on the Isolette I, so a separate rangefinder needs to be added to the accessory shoe (see picture below) if you want your pictures to be dead sharp!
As for exposure, there is no light metre with in the Isolette I, so the sunny 16 exposure rule needs to be followed, or Agfa produced their own hand held light meter, called the Agfa Lucimeter, which looks very retro and in keeping with a 1950's Agfa camera. Working ones do crop up on eBay.
Luckily I have two of these Agfa Isolettes, one I bought thirty or more years ago, the other I inherited off my Dad. They are more or less identical apart from the later one having 'Agfa Isolette' engraved on the lower half of the depth of field ring.
The cases are a different matter, both are totally different in colour and design. Lets have a good look at them, they are part of the camera after all!
The two cases are totally different, the light brown one on the left is German, whilst the dark brown one looks to be of English manufacture.
The German case has the Agfa logo nicely embossed into the right lower corner of the case. The leather is of top quality, and as the son of a shoe shop owner I had leather quality drilled into me from an early age! Why do we rarely see the case of an old camera described or pictured on camera reviews on the internet? After all they are a large component of the camera. We will redress this here at Kamera Ostalgie!
Again made of good quality hide, with a nice maroon lining material inside. The fasteners are by Newey of Birmingham, they are even patented, number 201430-22.
The camera door is easy to open, push the catch downwards following the arrow with your right thumb, push the door open with your left. Easy, and when the door is shut, it's shut.
What have we here, the original camera dealers logo? Lets have a closer look!
I know what you are thinking, who were Turners of Newcastle? Do they still exist?
That's who they were, I think this is their main shop in Newcastle City Centre. It seems they were originally a Chemists Shop, who started selling cameras in 1932 but rapidly expanded with four shops in Newcastle and further shops in Whitley Bay, South Shields and Darlington! Quite an empire, no wonder they made the claim of Britain's leading photographic dealers.
They closed down gradually in the 1980's, it seems that all their shops and their large processing lab were all gone by 1988. What a shame.
Well, I'm getting side tracked here, I could write a whole post about Turners of Newcastle, but lets get back to the Agfa Isolette I.
Earlier in the post I mentioned that there is another reason why Agfa Isolettes are still available cheaply. That reason is the camera bellows.
Unfortunately, the bellows on many, but not all Agfa Isolettes were made of a shiny plastic material, not the usual leather. This plastic has not aged well, resulting in that the bellows on Isolettes are quite often split or full of pinholes on the edges of the folds, resulting in serious fogging of the film, making the Isolettes virtually useless as a photographic tool.
Even these two examples, which have had a very sheltered life with me, whilst currently light tight, there is evidence of the start of some breakdown the plastic. I think that if put into regular use, they would soon start letting in light. This is a real shame, as the lenses on all the versions of the Isolette are capable of great results.
There is a solution of sorts. There is a gentleman in the USA, who goes by the logo of Certo 6. He will restore your Isolette and replace the bellows, fully service it, the works. He used to do a really good camera Blog and has been repairing Isolettes for the last 27 years or so. He is your best option. You can even buy a fully restored one from him. Go on take a look!
Another option is to buy new bellows here in the U.K from SL Bellows
You would have course have to then fit them yourself, which looks a bit tricky!
Well that is about it from me on the Agfa Isolette I, I hope you enjoyed the post, if I have sparked your interest in Agfa Isolette cameras, then here is a bit more reading for you!
Okay, that's it from me, I'm all Isoletted out!
Take care,
Phil