Agfa Isolette Cover Material

[matthewm]

Hello all,
About 2 years ago I picked up an Agfa Isolette from an antique store near my town for about $6. The focus ring was pretty tight but I was able to work with it to loosen it up a good bit and actually use the camera. It works and takes really nice photos.

I'd like to get back to using it, but I'd also like to begin restoring it and giving it a little cleaning. I visited CameraLeather.com to try and find covering material for it, but they don't seem to have it so I was wondering if any of you have had any experience buying a new leatherette kit for your Isolettes and if so, where did you get it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. It's peeling off pretty badly on some of the corners and seems to have gotten worse with the few times I've used it so I'd really like to recover it.

Thanks!

Best,
Matthew

 

[matthewm]

Yeah, after looking at the camera (and reading what you've written) I feel a little silly. I may just go online and find some nice leather that I like and just use that. I'm actually very handy with an Xacto blade so I'm sure the cuts won't be a problem and I'll just make a tracing of the red window and cut it out, making adjustments as necessary before adhering the material.

I had just seen some folders with matching bellows and leather (red, blue, green, brown, grey, etc.) and thought someone may carry a kit for doing that conversion that contained both pieces or something.

Thank you for your response.

you dont really need a 'kit' Mathew, because many of kits are pre-cut for camera that have intricate curves or holes etc..the Isolette shouldn't be too difficult for anyone with very basic skills to cover, apart from cutting the red window hole all the other cuts are straight...so if you can cut a straight line you should be right

cameraleather.com sell many of their leathers in small sheets, just read the text to see which ones are available..otherwise there are many other places you can source from, try you local bookbinding repair place or online suppliers of book leathers or check out ebay, there are a number of people selling quite economical and suitable leather you could cover your isolette with...really the list is quite long for places to get leather from

 

[Joao]

Look for old ruined binded books, there is a variety of nice materials used in their covers. And if you want to replace the bellows, I have read that the bellows from Kodak 66 folders are identical to the Isolette's bellows . just four screws, and some glue. Kodaks 66 are quite easy to find, and inexpensive
Good luck
Joao

 

[matthewm]

I just got an email back from CameraLeather.com. Their leather sheets are just under 9x12" so one sheet should do the trick. My bellows seem to be rather light tight, but people on the web swear that you should replace them regardless. I think I'll just go with it for now. I like the little bugger.

Getting ready to re-cover a Yashica-Mat so I think I'll do the Agfa at the same time. Now to choose a color...Hmmmm......

 

[FallisPhoto]

Hello all,
About 2 years ago I picked up an Agfa Isolette from an antique store near my town for about $6. The focus ring was pretty tight but I was able to work with it to loosen it up a good bit and actually use the camera. It works and takes really nice photos.

I'd like to get back to using it, but I'd also like to begin restoring it and giving it a little cleaning. I visited CameraLeather.com to try and find covering material for it, but they don't seem to have it so I was wondering if any of you have had any experience buying a new leatherette kit for your Isolettes and if so, where did you get it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. It's peeling off pretty badly on some of the corners and seems to have gotten worse with the few times I've used it so I'd really like to recover it.

Thanks!

Best,
Matthew

Other than for the Kodak Retina rangefinder cameras, Morgan doesn't make kits for any folding cameras; neither does anyone else. This is because they are so simple to cut for yourself from sheets that he'd never sell the (more expensive precut kits). Get a six-inch steel rule, an X-acto knife with a few extra blades, and a good pair of scissors, and you're in business. A decent set of hole punches is good to have too.

 

[matthewm]

I'm very good with an Xacto blade so I'm sure that I can work it out. I just ordered a leather kit for my Yashica TLR. If it turns out okay, I'm going to order something for the Agfa. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks
Matthew

Other than for the Kodak Retina rangefinder cameras, Morgan doesn't make kits for any folding cameras; neither does anyone else. This is because they are so simple to cut for yourself from sheets that he'd never sell the (more expensive precut kits). Get a six-inch steel rule, an X-acto knife with a few extra blades, and a good pair of scissors, and you're in business. A decent set of hole punches is good to have too.