Review: AGFA Ambi Silette (1957)

[eckmanmj]

This is an Ambi Silette, a 35mm interchangeable lens rangefinder camera made by AGFA Camera-Werk AG Muenchen between the years 1957 and 1961. Upon it’s release, the Ambi Silette was AGFA’s top of the line 35mm camera and would be the best featured rangefinder model they would ever make. Featuring a unique interchangeable lens mount with 4 available focal lengths and a clever viewfinder with automatic parallax correction and user selectable frame lines, it was a well built camera that offered comparable features to more expensive German rangefinders. It was sold in both Europe and the United States, but unlike many other AGFA cameras that were imported to the US, it was distributed by AGFA directly, and not through ANSCO.

Read my review to learn more:

https://www.mikeeckman.com/2019/06/agfa-ambi-silette-1957/

 

[Solinar]

It has nothing to do with the camera - but I especially enjoyed the image taken inside Central Camera. What a treat!

 

[eckmanmj]

It has nothing to do with the camera - but I especially enjoyed the image taken inside Central Camera. What a treat!

Thanks Andrew! I responded to you in the thread, but in case you don't see it, but the clerk behind the counter at Central Camera is Johnny Sisson of the Classic Lenses Podcast and the Vintage Camera Collectors Group on Facebook. I try to get up there a couple of times a year to visit him at work!

 

[johnf04]

I enjoyed your review. My one of these also produces a mark on film - scans show a white line across most negatives. I believe this is caused by the winding spool being too stiff, when rewinding, putting excess tension on the film, leading to a black mark across the negatives.

John.

 

[wes loder]

Be sure to also check out my own commentary on the Ambi Silette. <http://wesloderandnikon.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-ambi-silette-agfas-most-ambitious.html> Cheers, WES

 

[Solinar]

Be sure to also check out my own commentary on the Ambi Silette. <http://wesloderandnikon.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-ambi-silette-agfas-most-ambitious.html> Cheers, WES

The Ambi-Silette write up by Wes is a very interesting read. He definitely has a lot of personal experience with both versions of this camera and its lenses.

If you are not up on the changes that eventually doomed the German camera industry, then it is definitely a must read.

 

[raydm6]

Sweet camera/system! I though my vintage GAS was over but perhaps not. 😎

 

[titrisol]

I wanted to buy one for decades, and finally got one (Typ I) with all 4 lenses+proxar.
Speeds below 15 were sluggish but a few drops of electrical contact cleaner in the shutter cleaned the slow-gear assembly (common problem in Compurs) and self timer, both should be fine for a few years

Went outside with 100 Film and a few observations
- Speed ring is very easy to use
- Lens focusing seems to be precise,
- Aperture ring in the front is a VG idea, can use them without watching
- Camera handles very well for the age, nice and bright viewfinder, and the frame lines are a joy to use
- Changing lenses is super-easy, whomever invented that mount should teach the others a few lessons
- No lightmeter but that is fine, I have a handheld and also an app in the mobile phone.
- It is sad that AGFA wasnt more succesful with this, the system handles better than the Contax (heresy)

I will post pictures with the 50 and 35mm when the film comes back
Flash is not available, but ordered the Godox Lux Senior with the retro look and should be fine.

 

[seany65]

I like Ambi Silettes, especially the '57, but so many of them seem to have shutters that are broken or in the middle of dying. I had one on which the shutter stopped working so I took it to a shop that sent it off to a tech who couldn't fix it. Eventually the manager of the shop managed to get it back to how it was when I first received it - the slow speeds being too slow. By then I'd got bored with waiting so I sold it on.

The other problem I have is the lens cases, it's alright having a bayonet mount in the bottom of the plastic cases, but if that mount breaks that case can't be used again and as far as I'm aware, no-one made rear lens caps for them so you can't really use other cases.

 

[titrisol]

I like Ambi Silettes, especially the '57, but so many of them seem to have shutters that are broken or in the middle of dying. I had one on which the shutter stopped working so I took it to a shop that sent it off to a tech who couldn't fix it. Eventually the manager of the shop managed to get it back to how it was when I first received it - the slow speeds being too slow. By then I'd got bored with waiting so I sold it on.

The other problem I have is the lens cases, it's alright having a bayonet mount in the bottom of the plastic cases, but if that mount breaks that case can't be used again and as far as I'm aware, no-one made rear lens caps for them so you can't really use other cases.

Thanks for the note,
I'm in the process of design rear lens caps with a 3D printer, as well as front caps (push-on 37mm) I'll publish them when I am ready

Re shutter, Compurs tend to become sluggish with age, and a solvent flush usually brings them to live as was the case with the one I got with minimal dissassembly.
The shutter access is very inconvenient in this one.

 

[flavio81]

It is sad that AGFA wasnt more succesful with this, the system handles better than the Contax (heresy).

As a hardcore Contax user... but very interested in the Ambi Sillette since long ago...

How does the viewfinder compare to your Contax, and which Contax do you use?

I was thinking of getting the Type II model thinking that the Type I viewfinder perhaps isn't good enough, but if Type I is good enough...

 

[titrisol]

As a hardcore Contax user... but very interested in the Ambi Sillette since long ago...

How does the viewfinder compare to your Contax, and which Contax do you use?

I was thinking of getting the Type II model thinking that the Type I viewfinder perhaps isn't good enough, but if Type I is good enough...

I learned about the AmbiSilette sometime in the early 2000s and I had never had the chance to buy one.
Recently someone offered one in APUG for a decent price and I decided to throw the dice on the camera
It came with all 4 lenses and a good load of accessories. I have only shot a couple of rolls that are awaiting development.


I tried Contax III (postwar) and Kiev 4 (Contax II prewar)
The whole way of setting speeds and advancing film seemed archaic to me, I got excellent results, because the optics are incredibly good but it was just not my cup of tea.

The AmbiSilette is a lot younger than the Contaxes and benefited from advances in all those years.
Film advance is easier, speed setting is more logical to me, the viewfinder is larger than the Contax and the brightlines are very cool.

The RF in the Type II is supposed to be more accurate since it has a 5mm longer RF-base but the Type I is very good with the 35 and 50mm lens

My only concern so far is the optics, I know they won;t be as good as Contax and most lenses will be Tessar-like which is OK for me.
Like I said, I wish AGFA had more success with this and the lens mount became more prevalent to have a larger pool of lenses to choose from.

 

[flavio81]

I like Ambi Silettes, especially the '57, but so many of them seem to have shutters that are broken or in the middle of dying. I had one on which the shutter stopped working so I took it to a shop that sent it off to a tech who couldn't fix it. Eventually the manager of the shop managed to get it back to how it was when I first received it - the slow speeds being too slow. .

The shutter is a Synchro-Compur, world's most famous, most widely-known (together with the Prontor) shutter, used in thousands of cameras. Essentially every camera tech that works on leaf shutters knows how to repair one.

So I would like to tell you to be very careful with that shop.

Even more if the problem is something as simple as slow speeds being too slow.

It all points out to a bad camera shop, something that is all too common nowadays.

 

[flavio81]

I tried Contax III (postwar) and Kiev 4 (Contax II prewar)
The whole way of setting speeds and advancing film seemed archaic to me, I got excellent results, because the optics are incredibly good but it was just not my cup of tea.
🙂..)

Which lenses did you use? Sorry for the off-topic.

I own those machines too. The Contax III is really heavy. And both machines have, yes, strange ergonomics. Contax IIa and IIIa are MUCH better in terms of ergonomics.

My only concern so far is the optics, I know they won;t be as good as Contax and most lenses will be Tessar-like which is OK for me.
Like I said, I wish AGFA had more success with this and the lens mount became more prevalent to have a larger pool of lenses to choose from.

Which lenses did you use for the Contax? (now it's on-topic!! lol)

AGFA wouln't really be able to offer a very wide "pool" of lenses, because the lens throat in the synchro compur is narrow, and the shutter leaves get in the way.

Thus,

- wide non-retrofocus lenses are almost impossible (shutter leaves get in the way). The color-ambion doesn't look as a retrofocus lens, but i don't think a 28mm would be easily possible without resorting to a retrofocus design.

- fast lenses are difficult or impossible (narrow throat). Maybe a 50/2: Voigtlander offered one (the "septon") for the Bessamatic, which has a similar strategy, but when you check the reviews (one from Modern Photography is out there on the web), the Septon wasn't a remarkable lens on the tests. On a Contax mount you even get f1.1 lenses: Nikon's and Zunow's.

I'm afraid that AGFA's current offering of lenses for the Ambi Silette is more or less what they could possibly build.

 

[titrisol]

Agreed the Compur arrangement is not optimal but I believe a faster 35mm was possible, probably a 2.8, and a faster 50 was also possible
There is evidence that Schneider built a few prototypes but never went anywhere


Ambi-Silette Outfit

 

[flavio81]

Agreed the Compur arrangement is not optimal but I believe a faster 35mm was possible, probably a 2.8, and a faster 50 was also possible
There is evidence that Schneider built a few prototypes but never went anywhere
Ambi-Silette Outfit

Yes, they're possible, as long as they're retrofocus. Retrofocus, even a 20mm would be possible. But this means big lenses!

 

[titrisol]

Indeed, like this 130mm in the Ambi-Silette (62mm front element)

Ambi-Silette and 130/4

 

[titrisol]

Ambion 35/4 with expired Kodak 200
Cary NC

Cary NC - Ambi Silette

 

[titrisol]

As a hardcore Contax user... but very interested in the Ambi Sillette since long ago...

How does the viewfinder compare to your Contax, and which Contax do you use?

I was thinking of getting the Type II model thinking that the Type I viewfinder perhaps isn't good enough, but if Type I is good enough...

Just got a TypeII
Viwefinder is about the same, but framelines are different, 35 is there at 50 and 35 but dissapears at 90
The order of framelines is now 50-35-90 while in type I was 35-50-90
Film winder is more ergonomical
the rest are cosmetic changers but weight, size and shutter are same