AGFA Compact

[valdas]

Yesterday I spent 5 EUR and bought on the local flea market almost mint Agfa Compact (a.k.a Optima sensor 935). I love the design of this camera. And it is so compact. Anybody using it and can share their experience (I have just put the test roll in)?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agfa-compact.jpg

 

[petronius]

Congratulations, it´s not easy to find a working Agfa compact! The prices here in Germany are sometimes insane.
A real design classic (designed by Schlagheck design, Munich).

 

[farlymac]

The Solinar should be a good lens, at least it was on their older cameras.

PF

 

[daniel~]

Congratulations, it´s not easy to find a working Agfa compact! The prices here in Germany are sometimes insane.
A real design classic (designed by Schlagheck design, Munich).

Thanks for the info on the designer! I like the design, too. I always wonder: is Agfa Compact actually the first camera with motorized lens design? (If not, which one is?)

Agfa Compact is small and heavy, giving an impression of being solid - if a little rough in the detail. It's like Agfa was making good progress in design, but suddenly had to rush into manufacturing. The majority I saw on the auction site appeared non-working. Mine went out of order quickly, so I have only a few pics taken with it.

 

[farlymac]

Maybe that's why I don't see many 1535's around.
PF

 

[daniel~]

I actually wrote a brief review of Agfa Compact long ago, but it's in Chinese. Google translator may help if anyone's interested.

Agfa Compact with Solinar 39mm f/2.8 lens, Fujifilm Superia 200

 

[valdas]

I actually wrote a brief review of Agfa Compact long ago, but it's in Chinese. Google translator may help if anyone's interested.

Agfa Compact with Solinar 39mm f/2.8 lens, Fujifilm Superia 200

Thanks! Results look very nice!

 

[sevo]

It's like Agfa was making good progress in design, but suddenly had to rush into manufacturing. The majority I saw on the auction site appeared non-working.

I think it is more likely that it proved to be too much of a conversion feat for the Agfa production lines. It really would have required a entirely new factory, as it was a all plastics/electronics affair where the preceding Agfa cameras, in spite of their relatively modern looks, internally were stamped-metal relics closer to fifties folders than to a Olympus XA.

Its failure caused Agfa to shut down its camera factory. But it may not have been "the last Agfa designed and built in Germany" - Agfa still had their camera design in Germany, and hired Balda (who had successfully converted into the world's premier injection mould specialist) and other German makers for assembly.

 

[mllanos1111]

I have a mint Agfa Compact that I purchased at a camera store I worked at right out of HS.
My much older co-worker who was a Leica specialist pointed it out to me and said "People don't know about that camera but the lens on it is every bit as good as a Leica"
I purchased it and ran a roll of Kodachrome 25 through it and I was amazed at how sharp it was.
It just put some batteries in it the other day to test it and it works like new.