Agat 18k problems

[Kat]

My Agat 18k finally arrived. The advance wheel seems a little tight, and the indicator seems to be quite stiff and hard to move between the red and white dots. Is this normal, or am I doing anything wrong?

 

[clintock]

Maybe it's between 'teeth' or something. With the camera open turn the spool some and see if the button will press back in and turn.
In other words all I can figure is to try to 'jiggle' it and gently keep trying.

 

[rbiemer]

Kat,
Mine has gotten a little easier to wind as I've used it but it is not close to smooth--I suspect the mainly plastic construction has a lot to do with this.
And the rewind button is fairly hard to turn. I find that I need to push down/in fairly firmly to get it to move from red dot to white dot or vice versa.
Don't know if this is "typical" or not.
Some of this may also be due to not having much leverage and not a lot to hold on to while turning.
Rob

 

[Kat]

clint, you were right, apparently this camera's shutter and advance can't be "dry tested", as it is the turning of the teeth by the movement of the film, not the advance wheel, that will tell the shutter to fire.

Rob, thank you for the reply, it's a real workout on the fingers! Maybe if I stick to going from casette to casette instead of using the removable spool I can just keep the pointer on the white dot all the time...

 

[clintock]

I've found twelve exposure rolls of fuji print film in some stores, which is good because you don't have to rewind as much, and if you can talk to a competent minilab tech, the price will be the 24 print price, but you need a compentent tech to figure out how to not wind up with two images on one little print.

 

[Kat]

Yipee, everything seems ok now. Trying it out with a roll of 12 exposure film.

Just one more question: does anybody know if the VF of the Agat can be opened? Mine has a lot of dirt inside, it's a little hard to see.

 

[clintock]

The viewfinder guts pull right out via that little tounge you see if you have the camera open, that plastic panel with the tounge on it holds the eyepiece and mask, the front element stays with the rest of the half-body. Don't wipe too hard- I think things are plastic and might even have semi-reflective coating that could wipe off..

 

[Kat]

clintock, you're a lifesaver! I just opened up my VF and now it's 5-10X better! I can even see the framelines in less than bright light with my glasses on. Thank you, thank you!

On a sidenote, I'm amazed by this little magical plastic box.

 

[clintock]

I like the agat too, I was still learning to guess focus in meters when I shot these..
It turns out meters are a bit larger than feet!
This is as slow and as open as the little plastic thing will go.. The lens aint no T* but it's still ok maybe if I would focus right. Watch for glare!

 

[Kat]

Not bad, that little girl is really cute! Lots of potential in the pics if the focus had been spot on...

Oh yes, I have been a victim of flare and a light leak. I'm still thinking of repainting the inside of the film chamber, since it's quite shiny and probably reflective. My sunny 16 could use a little brushing up. I have some problems with focusing, too, I kept thinking the numbers were in feet instead of meters, and the focus ring is so easy to accidentally move. I bought a Blik RF, and still waiting for it to arrive, I just don't know how useful it will be...but I do like the guestimate focusing better than the zone focus of the XA3 I had before.

On the bright side, this camera squeezes out more shots in a roll than I've ever seen before. I managed to get 33 frames out of a 12-exposure roll!

 

[clintock]

I looked at your flikr,
you and your agat do well! I suppose I should take mine outside into the sunlight and try..
You may be able to find a small bottle of flat black paint at a hobby store, the type that sells plastic model cars and trains. If they have only one color, it will be flat black..
A teeny bottle of 'testors' model enamel will last forever making things flat black inside of the body. I think I'll need to paint mine too inside..
I painted the inside of the rear shell of my russian kiev 35, the copy or the minox,
and that seems to have helped some with it, I could hold a strong light to the back of it before and see through it!.

 

[Kat]

thanks, clint, I guess we both have to go out and shoot some more with this little wonder.🙂 I'm starting on my second roll, hehehe!

 

[motrhead]

HI,
I have an Agat, and I really want to use it more, but the flare is awful. Has anyone tried making a lens shade, and can anyone tell me the angle of view of the lens so I can allow for it if I do try to make one?
I don't have a manual, so I'm figuring it out for myself. I did find a table somewhere online showing the supposed settings for the various icons.(Probably more trouble knowing than not.)
If I'm out of the sun, or even with flash, it takes great pictures.
I happen to have a Fed Micron as well, the USSR copy of the Konica Eye half frame, and it is in a whole different league.
It's my favorite half frame. (Besides my now dead Samurais.)
I still want to be able to use this Agat. The idea of a cheap piece of plastic doing everything I need is just irresistable. Do I need to find another example, or is this flare normal?
Dean

 

[Kat]

Sorry, I haven't used a lens shade. My problem is more on light leaks, which I haven't been able to solve (worsened when I tried putting seals). Perhaps I'll just tape it next time. I use the camera more as a toy than a "serious" camera, I rely on the picture symbols and don't really dwell too much on actual exposure values. The symbols have proven to be quite effective and accurate, at least for colored negative film.

Perhaps a DIY shade can help you? E.g. a black, matte cardboard around the lens? Good luck.

 

[motrhead]

I'll get around to cobbling something together one of thes days! I have too many other interesting cameras on the go right now. I'm shooting my Micron, and trying to fix my dead Samurai Z, which I think is a lost cause. This is deceased or defective Samurai number 4. Of course I haven't learned, I'm looking for another.
It's probably my all time favorite camera.
It seems like some of the Agat 18 models have light leak problems, but most don't. It's kind of like with the Kiev 35A. Some leak light, or don't work, but some are amazingly good with no problems. You pay your money and you take your chances...
Dean

 

[motrhead]

I just checked out your website KAT. You are getting great results with your Agat .
I don't see any vignetting on your pictures either. I see posts comparing this camera to the Lomo, but I haven't seen any dark corners on anything I've shot.
When I finish the roll in mine, I'm going to have a closer look at the body and see if I have light leaks. I was remembering my problem as flare, but I could be wrong. I don't remember any orange patches on the negatives. I would have to go searching for them though.
Once I finish this roll in my Micron, I'll get back to the Agat. It takes so long to shoot a roll in these half frames though, especially with film in at least fourteen other cameras...

 

[Kat]

Thanks. I'm a little confused between flare and light leaks myself, but since I get light streaks in the same areas in the photos, I figure it's the latter. The lens of this baby aren't half-bad. Surprisingly sharp when one gets the focusing right. They seem to make colors richer, too.🙂 I agree on the time it takes to finish a roll, I got impatient finally pulled out my latest one mid-roll and moved it to a full-frame RF! I won't be putting a 36-exp. roll in this one next time, hehe!

 

[motrhead]

It's an ancient thread I know, but I am answering myself. I finally found a lens hood that I was able to modify to fit my Agat 18K. I have a Pentax 110 SLR set, and the smallest rubber hood included with the set (marked 25.5mm) was just a bit too small inside to slip over the Agat lens. I used a needle file to remove the peaks from the decorative (aluminum) rings inside the center of the lens hood so it just slips over the front of the Agat lens. I wanted a tight fit so it doesn't slide too far back. A Sharpie marker took care of the bare aluminum, though flat black paint may be better. Now it's easier to focus by the outside of the lens hood. I just have to finish a roll and see if this tames the flare, or if I wasted my time...
The hood still works fine on the Pentax lens..