Difference between revisions of "Optima"
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==Links== | ==Links== | ||
*[http://www.ukcamera.com/classic_cameras/agfa3.htm The original Optima camera series] at ukcamera.com [http://www.ukcamera.com] | *[http://www.ukcamera.com/classic_cameras/agfa3.htm The original Optima camera series] at ukcamera.com [http://www.ukcamera.com] | ||
| − | *[http://www.collection-appareils.fr/ | + | *[http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard.php?id_appareil=72 Optima I], [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard.php?id_appareil=667 optima Ia], [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/agfa/html/optima_II.php Optima II], [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard.php?id_appareil=12321 Optima III] on [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/francais.php www.collection-appareils.fr] by Sylvain Halgand |
Revision as of 22:02, 16 March 2012
The Optima is a family of 35mm cameras made by Agfa in the 1960s and beyond. The original Optima from 1959 was the first camera manufactured with automatic programmed exposure, using a selenium-meter-driven mechanical system. (The Paxette electromatic may have also appeared in 1959, but it was a simpler camera with just automatic aperture.)
The first (un-numbered) Optima appears to have a shutter release on the "wrong" side; in fact this lever is held down to operate the light meter. (The actual shutter release is on the top deck, in a conventional location.) But later models used a front-mounted shutter release operated by user's the right hand.
 Optima |
 Optima I |
 Optima III |
Optima Ia (1962)
The camera has an optical bright frame finder with parallax marks, a distance setting ring with symbols around the front lens element, and an aperture setting ring with separate aperture setting scales for B-mode or flash synchronized speed 1/30 seconds. The automatic exposure mode (A-mode, without flash) has to be switched on with the same ring. Film speed setting is possible only up to 200 ASA. The camera's bottom & back part can be removed very easily for loading the film. Film advance has to be done with a tiny advance lever. Other than the Optima I's lever it's mounted on the camera top. The exposure counter is readable from the side. Its advantage over the Optima I of 1961 is its hot shoe and maybe a different shutter. A similar model was the Agfa Agfamatic Ia.
 The Selecta, a half-automatic variant |
 Agfamatic Ia (like Optima Ia) |
 Optima IIS (S stands for coupled rangefinder) |
The Optima name was continued with the Optima Sensor range.
Links
- The original Optima camera series at ukcamera.com [1]
- Optima I, optima Ia, Optima II, Optima III on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
