Help needed for Agfa isolette

[nico]

hello ,
I just received an agfa isolette III I bought on e***; it’s in good cosmetic condition, the shutter works properly as the diaphragm ring. The lens and Vf are clear. Even self timer works.
Only the rangefinder is stuck (i already know it before buying) but, being uncoupled it would not (i guess) avoid to work with the hyperfocal settings.
The only thing i cannot clearly understand is how to set the hyporfocal because the distances ring is too smooth to be a (sort of) focusing ring.
Another thing i can’t understand the use is the left ring up on the top plate, there’s a small window showing three combinations 17/10, 21/10 and 23/10.
I also tried to look for, on the net (at www.butk***.org), an instruction booklet but couldn’t find, so if someone have a .pdf file to send me i’d be very grateful.
Thanks for any tips you would give me.
Bye
nico

 

[markinlondon]

You must have an earlier model than mine, Nico. My Isolette III has a depth of field scale on a knob on the opposite side of the top plate to the advance knob. Very handy, although my r/f works. Sorry, I can't explain your numbers unless it's some kind of film reminder.

 

[nico]

thanks mark,
i wrote base plate but it was the top plate, anyway the problem still remain the same.
what really worries me is the focusing ring, too smooth...

 

[markinlondon]

Mine's very smooth, too. It's only moving the front group in and out so I wouldn't expect a lot of resistance. If you're stuck for a manual, www.oldtimercameras.com should be able to sell you one for a few pounds.

 

[nico]

Mine's very smooth, too. It's only moving the front group in and out so I wouldn't expect a lot of resistance. ....

... i feel no resistance ... maybe it is detached from the front group...:bang:

 

[pesphoto]

if it needs a CLA, contact Jurgen at http://www.certo6.com/
Takes a while to get your camera back but he comes highly recommended

 

[nico]

if it needs a CLA, contact Jurgen at http://www.certo6.com/
Takes a while to get your camera back but he comes highly recommended

thanks for the tip!
anyway hope not to need it...
n.

 

[dreilly]

Does the front distance ring appear to be moving the front element? I mean look at the glass and see if that's spinning, too. It should be. If not, then the ring is just spinning around the front element housing. There should be three little screws holding that ring to the element housing. See if you can tighten them up. If so, you'll need to set the ring for infinity. There's info on how to do this:

http://www.davidrichert.com/AGFA rebuild/agfa.htm

Our own Solinar has a page with some repair tips:

http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/AnscAgfa.html

Good luck!
doug

 

[nico]

Does the front distance ring appear to be moving the front element? I mean look at the glass and see if that's spinning, too. It should be. If not, then the ring is just spinning around the front element housing. There should be three little screws holding that ring to the element housing. See if you can tighten them up. If so, you'll need to set the ring for infinity. There's info on how to do this:

http://www.davidrichert.com/AGFA rebuild/agfa.htm

Our own Solinar has a page with some repair tips:

http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/AnscAgfa.html

Good luck!
doug

thanks Doug,
nothing is spinning when I move the distance ring, so i think you're right about the ring just spinning around the front element housing.
Hope i can fix it tightening the screws ...

thanks again
nico

 

[petronius]

"Another thing i can’t understand the use is the left ring up on the top plate, there’s a small window showing three combinations 17/10, 21/10 and 23/10."

The little window helped the photographer to remember the speed of the film in his Isolette. The xx/10 system was common in Germany.
Greetings and have fun with your Isolette.

 

[nico]

The focus helical threads are probably stuck....

... hope they can be fixed and - most of all - i hope it's not a more serious damage!

thanks
nico

 

[dreilly]

The link I included has extensive coverage of how to unstuck them. You should be able to do it with minimal tools...check it out. It's not a hard job.

 

[nico]

"Another thing i can’t understand the use is the left ring up on the top plate, there’s a small window showing three combinations 17/10, 21/10 and 23/10."

The little window helped the photographer to remember the speed of the film in his Isolette. The xx/10 system was common in Germany.
Greetings and have fun with your Isolette.

Aaaah, mistry solved!!!
thanks.
nico

 

[nico]

The link I included has extensive coverage of how to unstuck them. You should be able to do it with minimal tools...check it out. It's not a hard job.

thanks for the encouragement,
well i'm little bit worried about it, when it comes to do jobs like that, my girlfriend use to call me "manidimerda" a composite italian word of her own creation that translated -in a polite english - means that my hands are ... " made with poor materials recicled by human stomach" ... 🙂

nico


P.s. thanks a lot everybody for being helpful, i'll let you konw

Petronius: welcome on RFF!!

 

[35mmdelux]

Jurgen for CLA.

 

[nico]

Hi,
need your advice again on the Isolette: for a complete CLA (unstucking focususing ring, shutter speeds checking, self timer lubrication, rangefinder alignment) a local lab asked me €90 (vat 20% excl.) or € 60 (vat 20% excl.) without rf alignment.
what do you think about it? does the price makes sense on this camera (it's my first 6x6) that i paid € 49...?
Any advice will be highly appreciated!
thanks again,
Nico

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Hi,
need your advice again on the Isolette: for a complete CLA (unstucking focususing ring, shutter speeds checking, self timer lubrication, rangefinder alignment) a local lab asked me €90 (vat 20% excl.) or € 60 (vat 20% excl.) without rf alignment.
what do you think about it? does the price makes sense on this camera (it's my first 6x6) that i paid € 49...?
Any advice will be highly appreciated!
thanks again,
Nico

How handy are you? Here is a step by step CLA session on an Ansco Speedex Special "R" which is essentially the same as the Isolette:

http://nelsonfoto.com/v/showthread.php?t=6507

Wayne

 

[nico]

Thanks Wayne,
i'm not the kind of guy that repairs stuff. my hands are not very good for this purpose ...

 

[Laurence]

Nico, I would ask Jurgen (certo6@epix.net) for an estimate. I don't know the exact exchange rate for Euros to Dollars: is 90 Euros about $140? Anyway...you MIGHT be able to beat the price you have been quoted.

Another thing to look at: Almost ALL of the Isolettes need bellows work...according to Jurgen's site, about 99% (!!). They are notorious for light leaks in the bellows, and it's not always apparent with the "flashlight trick" of checking for the light leaks.

You MIGHT consider getting the camera to Jurgen, and he is skilled at replacing the bellows as well as the CLA...

I know...NOW you are thinking, "I'm putting a lot of money into this camera." But, you also need to look at it as getting a truly well-working camera that you KNOW the history on....also, you will probably get DECADES of use out of it before needing any more work.

It's a beautiful camera, and the lenses, whether Apotar or Solinar, are first-rate lenses.

Good luck in your endeavors.

Larry

 

[Belgium]

hello ,
I just received an agfa isolette III I bought on e***; it’s in good cosmetic condition, the shutter works properly as the diaphragm ring. The lens and Vf are clear. Even self timer works.
Only the rangefinder is stuck (i already know it before buying) but, being uncoupled it would not (i guess) avoid to work with the hyperfocal settings.
i’d be very grateful.
Thanks for any tips you would give me.
Bye
nico

Hello Nico,

If you want to "unfreeze" the rangefinder try this link http://www.rolandandcaroline.co.uk/html/rangefinder_service_1.html
I am Thierry and I tried to document every step I took to get it working again.
On the same site you can find other very useful Isolette-information.
On the other hand, Jurgen is an expert 🙂

Kind regards,
Thierry