Ansco Super Regent

From Camera-wiki.org
Jump to: navigation, search
Ansco Super Regent in leather case

The Ansco Super Regent is an Ansco re-badged version of the Agfa Super Solinette, all cameras have a plate in the folding bed that says "Made for Ansco by Agfa Camerawerk in Munich, Germany".

It is a 35mm folding camera, which has a coupled superimposed rangefinder combined with the viewfinder. The lens is an Agfa Solinar f/3.5 50mm; a 4 element, 3 group design similar to the Zeiss Tessar. focusing is by moving the front group, which moves the rangefinder coupling. The rangefinder can be adjusted with a screw located in the front, next to the lens assembly. The camera's folding bed is opened by a release button on the end (seen on the photo just below the rewind knob).

The first model, from 1954, has a Synchro-Compur shutter. The second model, from 1955, has a Synchro-Compur LVS shutter [1] with the shutter speed ring scaled in Exposure Values and a pointer coupled to the aperture setting lever.

The frame counter is manually reset, and, surprisingly, the camera uses a round knob for the film advance, although the Agfa Karat 36, its predecessor, had had a rapid advance lever since the late 1940's. Another "step backwards" is the manual shutter cocking. Despite the aforementioned cost savings, the build quality is excellent. However, as with most post-wars AGFAs, the bellows might develop pinholes and has to be carefully folded and unfolded.

  • Shutter: Synchro Compur, 1s–1/500 + B with self-timer and X & M flash sync
  • Lens: Solinar 50mm f/3.5, stopping to f/22 (takes 30mm push on or 27mm screw-on filters)

The Ansco Regent is a viewfinder version (without the rangefinder), similar to the Agfa Solinette, which has a different styling in the top plate (rounded) and which also has a different lens and shutter combinations.

  • Shutter: Prontor-SV -SVS, 1s–1/300 + B with self-timer and X & M flash sync
  • Lens: Agfa Apotar, 50mm f/3.5, stopping to f/22

Some of the Ansco branded carrying cases have a compartment for filters, hidden on the top. A small leather pull tab hides a snap fit compartment for Series V filters and an adapter

Notes

  1. 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). Page 61.

Links