Agfa optima 1035 and flash

[vicmortelmans]

Hi,

I obtained an Agfa Optima 1035 and I'm running a first test roll through it. Seems like a nice compact camera.

Now I'd like to try it with flash, but it won't fire. The camera has an aperture dial which is solely intended for flash-mode (as in normal mode, it's auto-everything, as I understand), but there's no button or other setting to enable flash...

Maybe this camera type only works properly with the dedicated Agfa Optima flash? Or is there something wrong with my camera?

Any further experience with this camera is welcome, as I'm not worrying too much about the flash anyway, since I use flash very little on my p&s's.

Groeten,
Vic

 

[petronius]

In the hot shoe of the Optima there is a small switch which sets the camera on the synch speed when a flash is put into the shoe. Maybe this switch is broken at your camera.
And yes, its a cute camera with a really sharp lens and a wonderful finder!

 

[vicmortelmans]

Wow, that's a nice feature. I didn't notice the switch before, but it seems to work well, as the led in the viewfinder changes from red to green when I push it... I'll fetch another flash unit, maybe there's a bad contact somewhere.

Thanks!!

Groeten,
VIc

 

[Top-Cat]

I bought the same myself and thought I'd try it out, but it's got manual focus and since it's a rangefinder I can't see if anything's in focus or not.

Is it the same with you? How do you work with it?

By the way, I know it's probably a stupid question, but I'm normally more of an slr-person, I just end up buying old cameras in vintage stores when I come by them for collecting and possibly using them.