A friend’s dad died and I ended up with this Agfa, a Kodak Retina, a Brownie, some Polaroid gear (hey! did the earth shake just then?) and some movie camera stuff. The Isolette is your typical pop out camera. You press a little button and out pops the bellows. You can focus it, you can set the shutter speeds, it has F-stops. It’s the big time. It takes 12 exposures on 120 film. It’s kind of neat when it’s all folded up and you press the button and the bellows pops out. I could do this time and time again. In fact, I do do this time and time again. Anyway, the viewfinder doesn’t tell you when you’re in focus (but, remember, focus is overrated anyway) so you have to kind of guess.
These images could have benefited from some filtration…but then I feel every one of my images could benefit from something. I rather like the doggie tracks in the sand though. Still, the camera did its job. I have always loved that little cabin. It’s a doorbell. [See terms and definitions.]
McKeown’s PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS (2005-2006) states: “Isolette 4.5 1945-50. 6x6cm exposures only. Top housing with accessory shoe above finder is cast-Hydronalium [whoo-hoo!] alloy, developed by Agfa’s parent company Bayer. Body release, double exposure prevention. Apotar f4.5/8.5cm in Prontor II, Prontor-S or Compur-Rapid or Solinar f4.5-8.5cm in Compur-Rapid. Lenses are mostly uncoated and only the Prontor-S (c1949) shutter is synchronized. $25-35.”
Dad passed away and I’m trying to thin out a lot of his belongings for my mom.
He has an Agfa Isolette camera and I’m not sure if I want to display or sell it.
I looked at a lot of photos and info online but I can’t determine the “model”, Ex: 1,2, 5 ?
It has VARIO and a V or 5 on the outside rim of the camera lens and Agfa Agnuar 1:4, 5-85 and A65535 on the inner rim.
If possible, I could send photos of the camera.
Hi Doug: hmmm… I’m not any sort of Isolette expert. I do have a book I can look it up in however. Go ahead and send me some photos. [I’ll try to check my email, ha!] marcy@junkstorecameras.diamondarchitectural.com
My dad bought this very camera (post-war aluminum top, no accessory shoe in top), during his post-war stint in Germany (1947-1949??) He was still using it in the 60’s, when his acquisition of a big heavy Nikkormat SLR rendered the Agfa camera a white elephant.
His is in perfect shape, with an intact leather case. Inside is the metal spindle from the last roll of 120 film that he shot.
Make an offer. I’d rather sell it directly than through an auction site.