I am now the proud owner of...

[Stephanie Brim]

...a rather interesting looking Agfa folder.

First, the problems. It seems as though it got close to water at one time because the side where the switch is to open the film door is rusty. This doesn't bother me. The shutter tripping mechanism has also somehow come apart and I'll have to find a way to get it all back together. I can still trip it, though, without problems...just not from where I'm supposed to be able to do so.

Secondly, the good things. The lens looks almost IMMACULATE, the bellows appear as new, and the shutter sounds good at all speeds. Cosmetics aside, the camera seems to be running well. I'll be running film through it as soon as I have the stuff I ordered.

All in all, I think I got a $14 bargain.

 

[FrankS]

I know what it is, Steph. You and I both have attention deficit disorder! 🙂

 

[JimG]

Concrats. Stephanie, You have that puppy looking sharp and running smooth in no time. Jim

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Eh. I bought this before I decided that I wasn't buying any more stuff. I don't think I did too bad. 🙂

And attention deficit disorder is the wrong problem...but it sounds better than the real one. 😉

I think that collecting folding cameras (that I'll use, anyway) is something that I'm going to count as completely different from my 35mm kit. I shoot differently with these cameras and don't care as much about great focus...I concentrate more on composition and shooting. Too bad you can't see any of the shots I've taken with the Ansco...I haven't yet found a place to get them scanned. 🙂

 

[FrankS]

Congrats on the new folder! When are you getting the enlarger?

 

[venchka]

Are we talking honest to goodness 120 film size folders here?

You go girl!

Scanning, eh? Goofy idea or brilliance: Make a contact sheet. Scan the contact sheet on a flatbed scanner.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I actually don't have a flatbed...I was thinking of getting one, but I shoot SO much more 35mm that I wanted to keep my dedicated scanner...so I'll be looking around for one eventually. I wonder if Wal-Mart could scan it in if I got some 8x10 paper and made a contact sheet of my 6x9 negatives...

And yes, honest-to-goodness medium format folders. I'm impressed with the quality of these cameras and their lenses...thus I really love them.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Hrm. I can't seem to get things hooked up again. Perhaps I should send it out somewhere.

 

[Andrew Sowerby]

A flatbed scanner for web purposes would be dirt cheap. Well under $100.

 

[burninfilm]

If you could post a picture of what your problem is, someone might be able to help you out. You might also try posting a question over on Nelsonfoto, as several people there have a good knowledge of old folders (and they also know a thing or two about camera repair).

 

[Stephanie Brim]

For now I can use it by manually pushing on the part that trips the shutter (a small lever below the lens). I'll mess with it more later on. Right now...I want to go shoot it. 😉

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I've half-assedly fixed it now...but I want to figure out a way to fix it better than I have it so that I can use it without having to manually pull something back every time I go to recock the shutter. This is good for now, though. It's 2:30 in the morning for Pete's sake.

Edit: And it's completely fixed. Now, Diety willing, my film will arrive tomorrow.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I've got a 6x6 with a shutter relase like that. You'll soon get used to it.