Agfa Standard
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| Agfa Standard, 6.5×9 cm plate model, with 10.5 cm f/4.5 Agfa Anastigmat; about 1926. Most examples do not have the folding Newton-type finder; this may have been added. image by John Nuttall (Image rights) |
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| Agfa Standard 208 (9x12 cm) showing front rise mechanism image by Miikka Skaffari (Image rights) |
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| Roll-film Standard, showing hinged spool-holders image by Adam Greig (Image rights) |
Agfa Standard cameras are a range of metal-bodied folding cameras, some models for plates and pack film, and others for roll film. They were made by Agfa from about 1926, when the company had recently become part of IG Farben and taken over the Rietzschel factory, until the early 1930s.[1] It is clear from patents filed by Rietzschel that the Standard range of cameras was already planned by the company before the change of name.[2]
There are plate cameras in 6.5×9 cm and 9×12 cm sizes, and roll film models for 6×9 cm on 120 film and 6.5×11 cm on 116 film. Both plate and roll film cameras were available in a normal finish, with black leather and bellows, or a Luxus finish with light brown leather. All are easily identified by the name 'Standard' below the lens and shutter.
The cameras have a variety of lenses, including the Double-anastigmat Helostar, and the Trilinear (one of Rietzschel's lenses). The Agfa Anastigmat was available as an f/7.7, f/6.3 or f/4.5. The lens is mounted in a unit-focusing helical mechanism (i.e. the whole lens moves, not just the front element). This mechanism is frequently stiff because of dried grease. Plate model 208 (for 9x12 plates; the second camera illustrated here) has front rise. The lens carriage on this model latches at the infinity-focus position, but can be drawn further forward to obtain closer focus than the helical scale allows.[2]
The shutter is usually the Automat everset shutter illustrated here, with speeds 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50 and 1/100 second, plus 'B' and 'T'. This has the Gauthier logo on it. The cameras were also available with a Compur shutter, giving 1 - 1/200 or 1/250 second plus 'B' and 'T', with a self-timer.
The cameras all have a brilliant finder, which rotates for portrait and landscape orientation, and a wire frame finder. Plate models can be used with a ground glass focusing screen.
A Luxus roll-film model was available with a slim coupled rangefinder.[3]
The roll-film cameras have spool-holders that hinge out of the camera body for more convenient loading.[2]
Notes
- ↑ McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). p36-37.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 For example, British Patent 249383, Improvements in Roll-film Cameras, filed on behalf of A. H. Rietzschel GmbH on 3 July 1925 and granted 25 March 1926, describes the swing-out spool holders of the roll-film Standard and other Agfa roll-film cameras, and German Patent 438404, Photographische Kamera, deren Objektivtraeger durch einen einen Stift umfassenden federnden Schieber in der Stellung auf Unendlich festgehalten wird (Camera whose lens carriage is held in the infinity position by a sprung fastening pin), filed by Rietzschel 12 March 1926 and granted 2 June 1927, describes the combination of a lens carriage latching at the infinity focus position, with a helical focus mechanism, as on the plate cameras; patents archived at Espacenet, the patent search facility of the European Patent Office.
- ↑ 1929 Agfa Standard 6×9 Luxus roll-film model, with coupled rangefinder, 10.5 cm f/4.5 Solinar lens and Compur shutter; a lot in an auction in October 2005 by Auction Team Breker in Cologne.
Links
- Cameras and documents at Sylvain Halgand's Collection d'Appareils:
- Type 255 (1926) for 6.5x11 cm on 116 film, with 13 cm f/6.3 Trilinear anastigmat
- Omnium-Photo catalogue listing (1927) for cameras including the Type 255 (above), the Type 254 (similar but for 6x9 cm on 120 film) and the 264 with compact rangefinder. The 255 and 254 are both listed with Agfa anastigmats with aperture f/7.7, f/6.3 and f/4.5
- Photo-Plait catalogue listing (1928) for Type 204 plate/film-pack Standard, listed with f/6.3 or f/4.5 Agfa anastigmat, and offering a Compur shutter with speeds to 1/200 second, at considerable extra cost.
- Type 208 (1928) for 9x12 plates and film packs, with a 13 cm f/4.5 Agfa anastigmat (the notes state that an f/6.8 was also available), and with front rise.
- Roll-film Agfa Standard cameras at Malcom Grant Purvis' Fellsphoto site: a 6×9 Luxus model, with (curiously) an f/6.3 Trilinear in the Automat shutter, and 6×9 and 6.5×11 cameras with Agfa Anastigmat lenses in the Automat shutter.
- Agfa Standard plate and roll-film models, at UK collectors' site Roland and Caroline.
- 9×12 cm plate model Standard with an f/4.5 Agfa Double-anastigmat and Automat shutter, at Le Vieil Album.
- 6.5×9 cm plate Standard at Rob Dunne's Vintage Camera Collection.
- User's manual for roll-film Standard cameras, at Mike Butkus' Orphan Cameras.
- List of serial numbers of Agfa Standard cameras
