Billette

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The Billette is a metal-bodied folding camera for 6x9 cm exposures on 120 roll-film (Agfa size B2), made by Agfa in the 1930s.

The place of the Billette in Agfa's range is curious. Collection Appareils shows the camera in a page from a French catalogue dated to 1931. It is described as Agfa's latest product, and also as the 'younger sister' of the Billy. In this catalogue, the Billette is offered with an odd range of specifications:

• f/7.7 Igestar (Agfa's cheapest lens) and Automat shutter to 1/100 second (priced at 295 francs);
• the same specification, but with coloured leatherette (385 fr)
• the same, but with crocodile-skin finish and plated (not painted) fittings (575 fr)
• Modèle de grande luxe: f/4.5 Solinear and Compur shutter, and black morocco leather finish (875 fr).

That is, an entry-level specification, two expensive cosmetic variations on it, and one high-specification camera. The illustration shows a camera with the Billy's two-point ('near' and 'far') focusing control, and only a brilliant finder.

In another, German brochure, perhaps somewhat later in the 1930s (but not much; the brochure still lists the Standard cameras, discontinued in the mid-30s) the Billette is a distinctly better-specified camera than the Billy; whereas those still have two-point focusing, the Billette has front-element scale focusing, though still with 'near' and 'far' positions marked in the focusing scale. The camera is only offered with a rim-set Compur shutter and either an f/4.5 Solinar or an f/4.5 Oppar. Both of these lenses are Tessar-formula anastigmats, and this is the only known occurrence of the Oppar. In the brochure cited, the camera with the Solinar is listed at a price of 108 Marks, compared to 93 Marks with the Oppar. The camera has a frame finder as well as a brilliant finder. It weighs 450 grams.