Joining the ranks of the medium people

[moggi1964]

So I have been shooting a lot of stuff over the past few months with my Olympus EM1 MkII and my selection of different film cameras. It's been fun.

I noticed that I often crop to a square frame because some of my photo's suit that. Given I'm not spending anything like the amount I usually would on travel and my motorbike etc I decided to dip a toe in the water that is medium format; in particular 6x6. This is my first one.

Okay, justification to the wife over 😀

So I have a lovely condition, recently serviced Agfa Isolette III on its way to me. It has the Color Apotar F/4,5/85 lens and Pronto shutter. The bellows has been replaced with one from a Kodak 66 so I'll see how it performs (the images shared that were said to be taken by that camera show no indications of light leaks).

I have looked but haven't seen this specific lens mentioned often on this camera, it always seems to be the Color Solinar rather than the Color Apotar.

I'll check back in when it arrives next week and then I'll post some photo's of course once I get to that point.

Any advice on using the camera is appreciated.

 

[charjohncarter]

I have the Isolette II and it looks to me the only difference between the II and the III is the uncoupled RF. That will be very handy if you get it calibrated. I use a rangefinder in the shoe. The big problem with these is the bellows leaks, I hope yours is good. Everyone jumps up and down about the Solinar, but I doubt you will be able to see the difference. The Apotar certainly is a good lens. If you are already developing film use that film for your first roll to see how they compare. You will like the size of this camera compared to other MFs. Here are two from my II with the Apotar:

AristaEDUultra400 Rodinal1+50 by John Carter, on Flickr

Arista EDU ultra 100 Arista premium developer by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[nikon_sam]

There is something that's so special about a 6x6 negative...I've had really nice Yashicamat 124g for many years but use it way too little...I love printing negs from that camera...love the square format...
John, that little girl shot is beautiful...

 

[charjohncarter]

Thanks Sam, it was her not me that made it.

 

[Richard G]

Agree with Sam. Such a lovely shot.

 

[moggi1964]

Well sadly the deal fell through. The seller ran some final checks before packing and believes the anti double exposure part has failed and locked the shutter. He does have an Isolette L which he is currently running a roll of film through but I think that will be too expensive as he is thinking it'll be £125. I can't see how the L is worth that much more though he does say it has the Solinar and new handmade bellows...

What do you guys think of the Isolette L?

I really don't have a lot of luck on ebay 🙁

 

[helen.HH]

There is something that's so special about a 6x6 negative...I've had really nice Yashicamat 124g for many years but use it way too little...I love printing negs from that camera...love the square format...
John, that little girl shot is beautiful...

YUM, LOVE this nikon sam !!

 

[helen.HH]

Arista EDU ultra 100 Arista premium developer by John Carter, on Flickr

Just beautifully Enchanting John !

 

[nikon_sam]

Thank you, Helen...

 

[moggi1964]

So I dipped my toes again in the ebay and have a Agfa Isolette II Mk2 with a Solinar 75/3.5.

It has a replacement bellows and the seller reports that other than the slow shutter speeds being sluggish if the camera sits for a time, it woks as it should.

Now, history tells me that that isn't always the case and I am very familiar with the Agfa green gunk or glue that haunts old Isolettes so we will see.

£35 shipped seems like a decent price but I'll be sure to let you know.

 

[moggi1964]

It's here and seems in very good condition.

Bottom three shutter speeds are a touch sluggish but I'll keep triggering them on a regular basis to see if they free up. I can avoid them if needs be or at least try to get a view on the actual speed and whether it is consistent.

Focus ring moves smoothly and the bellows looks to be in very good condition. I'll do a light leak test later. Glass looks absolutely clear.

I am surprised just how compact it is, I expected the body to be thicker and wider. A nice surprise.

I've got a couple of rolls of expired Lomography 400 colour that I will run through for testing purposes. They should show light leaks and also focus issues.

I feel like a kid with a new toy. Oh wait, I AM 😀

 

[moggi1964]

I have the Isolette II and it looks to me the only difference between the II and the III is the uncoupled RF. That will be very handy if you get it calibrated. I use a rangefinder in the shoe. The big problem with these is the bellows leaks, I hope yours is good. Everyone jumps up and down about the Solinar, but I doubt you will be able to see the difference. The Apotar certainly is a good lens. If you are already developing film use that film for your first roll to see how they compare. You will like the size of this camera compared to other MFs. Here are two from my II with the Apotar:

AristaEDUultra400 Rodinal1+50 by John Carter, on Flickr

Arista EDU ultra 100 Arista premium developer by John Carter, on Flickr

What shoe rangefinder do you use, John? I wear glasses and lots of the ones I have looked at seem like they would be a struggle with glasses on.

 

[Guest]

Being older I have had trouble seeing with glasses on with one of my rangefinders. So I bought a good quality small hand held laser finder, it’s brilliant and faster. Works in feet or meters which for me is necessary as my folders have both scales.

 

[moggi1964]

Being older I have had trouble seeing with glasses on with one of my rangefinders. So I bought a good quality small hand held laser finder, it’s brilliant and faster. Works in feet or meters which for me is necessary as my folders have both scales.

I had seen those come up when I searched rangefinders (seems some golfers use them - cheaters 😀😀 ).

I will certainly keep the idea as an option if an old style rangefinder isn't going to work. Thanks.

 

[rayfoxlee]

vintageclassiccamera.com here in the UK is always worth a try. The guy that runs the business recently sold an Agfa Isolette III for £139 and he currently has an Agfa Super Isolette for £649, an Ensign Commando for £139, a Voigtlander Perkeo II for £99 and a Voigtlander Bessa II for £499.

Ivor Matanle's Collecdting and Using Classic Cameras is a worthwhile book to get if you are into older cameras.

Ray

 

[moggi1964]

vintageclassiccamera.com here in the UK is always worth a try. The guy that runs the business recently sold an Agfa Isolette III for £139 and he currently has an Agfa Super Isolette for £649, an Ensign Commando for £139, a Voigtlander Perkeo II for £99 and a Voigtlander Bessa II for £499.

Ivor Matanle's Collecdting and Using Classic Cameras is a worthwhile book to get if you are into older cameras.

Ray

Thank you, I've looked there before and he is definitely a bookmarked place to return to. I am not familiar with the book and will look it up.

 

[Pentode]

Using an uncoupled RF is brilliant for things that are sitting still. As a street photographer, primarily, I’ve had much better luck just using the hyperfocal distance of the lens at f/8 or f/11 when I’ve used viewfinder cameras. YMMV, but you may not really need the RF at all.

 

[Bolo Kukus]

I have four Rollei TLRs, which give me all the wonderful results on film I could ever want. This probably won't help the OP, as Rollei prices nowadays are so high, it's as if they have to be paid for in gold bars. There are other brands of TLRs, but to me Rolleis are Rolleis, and the others as good as many may be don't cut it when compared to The Master Camera. Zo!

In my time I've owned 20-30 folders, including obscure prewar models by Kodak and Ansco USA and others, all of which were okay but used odd and now unavailable film formats (620, 116. 616). Respooling 120 on 620 rolls wasn't a pastime I enjoyed, and inevitably when things went wrong with shutters and bellows, I dumped the cameras and moved on to the user-friendlier European brands.

After much chopping and changing I settled on two folders - Zeiss Nettar and Voigtlander Perkeo.

In 2006 I acquired a 515/16 Nettar dating to 1950, with the much-maligned Albada direct finder but a Prontor-S shutter with a good range of well-spaced speeds (1-1/300). It has a self timer which I've never had the nerve to use for fear of jamming the works. The bellows are hole-free, the camera is super portable and the Novar Anastigmat 80/4.5 lens produces crisp and rock-sharp images when used at f/11-f/16, which I do anyway as my preferred films are Ilford XP2 and HP5+. A friend gave me a beaut Zeiss case for this baby and a slip-on lens hood, so my travel kit when I want to go walkabout in the Australian bush but not carry a Rollei or a DSLR is complete.

The Voigtlander Perkeo I came my way via an Ebay bid of A$95, with a case, a lens hood and a yellow-green filter. It has a direct finder and pristine bellows but the best part is the clean Color Skopar 80/3.5 which excels at color images. Along with the Nettar, my folder kits are now complete - I once had a Nettar 6x9 from the mid-'50s which made lovely B&W negatives but the format didn't appeal to me. A collector friend owns it now.

Perkeos prices have gone up a lot and fewer are sold on Ebay and none in secondhand camera shops, at least in Melbourne. Nettars are still plentiful but prices for good ones are A$100}+ and going by the photos the sellers are posting, quality looks to be so-so. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

Folders are great fun to play with and results can be surprisingly, even amazingly good. I rarely print 8x10" and my preferred print size is 4x4" square on 5x8" (8x10 trimmed into two equals) Multigrade IV, so quality enlargements are easy to print.

All this to say there are still affordable 120 cameras out there if one is patient, looks for reliable sellers and accepts that now and then a 60-70 year old camera will need a bit of repair work or (often) some basic TLC to bring it back to full working condition - after which chances are good that your camera will keep on working for a long time.

 

[moggi1964]

Using an uncoupled RF is brilliant for things that are sitting still. As a street photographer, primarily, I’ve had much better luck just using the hyperfocal distance of the lens at f/8 or f/11 when I’ve used viewfinder cameras. YMMV, but you may not really need the RF at all.

Thanks, that's good advice.

I do use the hyperfocal distance approach when shooting with my Belmira (the rangefinder doesn't work) which I do use for street photography and even do that sometimes on my EM1 MkII when I'm shooting street (settings assigned to a preset for easy use).

I guess I'm thinking I'll want to shoot more of the stuff that is sitting still with the Isolette II though that's not to say it won't have a role to play in the street.

I did just discover that I can get the distance to a subject using the manual focus option on my Olympus with the 12-40 Pro lens (accurate to 0.1m apparently) so I have that option too.

 

[moggi1964]

Thanks Ozmoose.

The Rollei's are incredible, I've seen lots of images from them in the various fora and they invariably amaze. I did consider offering my immortal soul for one but apparently that wasn't valuable enough 😀

I do intend to get a 6x9 option folder later next year and am considering the Zeiss Super-Ikonta C. It would be nice to get one from a reputable dealer for a change then I'll know it is in good working order, so I'll need to save in order to do that.