Unused Speedex Special R (Isolette III)

[foto_mike]

Scrounging around on eBay, I ran across this Ansco Speedex Special R camera. It's the equivalent of the Isolette III.

These show up regularly. This one is special for me. I believe it's unused. It came in the original box with the original price tag, warranty card, and user manual, all in crisp, pristine condition. The camera itself was wrapped in a corrugated packing material inside the box.

The pressure plate appears unused and it still has the original wood core take up spool. The bellows are light tight however the front cell is frozen and the rangefinder is frozen. After some careful restoration servicing, I'll have a brand new condition circa 1953 folder. I can't bring myself to run a roll of film through it. I have several more folders for using. This is a "having" camera, not a "using" camera.

$51 plus shipping. Some days I hate the big auction site. Some days I love it.

 

[mh2000]

a very pretty camera... and a shame not to use it...

 

[chippy]

so whats the big deal Mike! it looks like you got it for a whole $4 cheaper 🙄 jk

a very nice looking kit for a display..i would still think about using it though, at least if you didnt have another with an apotar lens, just to see how it compares. incidently i have an original magazine advert for the super speedex $119.50 and underneath it has small pictures of the other models with the same $55 price for the s/special R

nice bargin pick up!

 

[robin a]

Nice,I have one just back from Certo 6 that's looking to be used.You have to try 1 roll at least...................Robin

 

[Solinar]

Back around 1954, 55 - spending $55.00 would have seemed more like $500 in today's money. Other than sailors on shore leave, not many folks would throw that type of money around on a whim. Yet, the camera went unused.

 

[ZeissFan]

That's a very nice camera. Good for you for scoring that great deal.

 

[Windscale]

I don't want to throw cold water. But even for this new camera the bellows may have to be replaced very soon, especially if it had been left folded up inside the box for many years. This is due to the poor material Agfa used for their bellows. But once replaced, it will be a good workhorse for many more years to come. Also you need not worry about the Apotar lens. I have been using one regularly for the past 10 years or so. It is probably the best 3-element lens you can find. I much prefer it to the Novar or the Vaskar. I have done enlargements up to 30x30 in. without any problem.

 

[sevo]

I don't want to throw cold water. But even for this new camera the bellows may have to be replaced very soon, especially if it had been left folded up inside the box for many years.

Yes, it looks like a V1 - and the bellows on these inevitably fail. But given that it is near mint, I would keep it in a cupboard rather than alter the bellows - that would turn it from a collectors into a users item...

Sevo

 

[Way]

Nice find! I thought you don't like the square format?😀

 

[foto_mike]

Nice find! I thought you don't like the square format?😀

I have 20-25 cameras that span the range of formats from 35mm to 4x5. It would be overstating my feelings to say that I don't like the square format. It's not my favorite, especially for people pics, but all of my current square format cameras (mostly folders) have something redeeming about them that caused me to acquire them and enjoy them.

I should thin the herd but I've eventually regretted selling most of the few cameras I've let go.

 

[ZeissFan]

I would rate the Apotar as slightly above average for a triplet, and I think the 35mm version is a bit better than the medium format lens.

Among triplets, I like the Zeiss Triotar and the Kodak Anastigmat with the Apotar just one step behind.

I think the Novar is average at best.

I haven't shot with the Vaskar. I recently shot with another triplet, which impressed me, but I can't recall which one it was. Maybe it was the lens on the Etareta.

 

[FallisPhoto]

I can't bring myself to run a roll of film through it.

You might want to rethink that. One way to ruin a camera is to not use it. Springs take a set, lubes harden and cement everything in place, and etcetera.

 

[scottyb70]

Yes, it looks like a V1 - and the bellows on these inevitably fail. But given that it is near mint, I would keep it in a cupboard rather than alter the bellows - that would turn it from a collectors into a users item...

Sevo

So you are saying that if I was to sell my Agfa Record I should not replace the bellows but keep the original? Does anyone else have an opinion on this?🙂

 

[chippy]

So you are saying that if I was to sell my Agfa Record I should not replace the bellows but keep the original? Does anyone else have an opinion on this?🙂

i would agree with sevo in this case..because of the condition, box and other bits and pieces (a receipts with serial number even better) this can be a collectors piece, by changing the bellows it is no longer original which would depreciate its value (not just monentory) to a collector.

a collector would like the original bellows, even though the material used is poor quality for the day, if for nothing else other than to display it as such.

the camera is never going to be worth a million dollars, or provide a nest egg for whomever though, so if the bellows were changed, someone that wanted to use it would possibly pay a simular price as the collector.

As for whether you should replace the bellows on your Record I, is entirely up to you, in most cases it should fetch more dollars and appeal to a larger group of people as a camera to use...as you would expect after having spent time and money on it

 

[puderse]

Isolettes

Isolettes

The best bellows I have found are from the well known English Co. that recently went belly-up. Look exactly like the orig. The ones from a well known Penn. workman aren't quite like the orig. but are quite serviceable. If you are going to make it a user the green goo is going to have to be replaced. (That's the reason the rangefinder and focus are stuck.) I would put it aside as a collector and find a more pedestrian one for using. I have a new Isolette that sits on the shelf in it's box with all the tags waiting for my heirs to find. Usable 6X9 Record III's are not that hard to find but always need CLA and a new bellows. With some work you can do everything yourself to make it usable but you can never make it "new".

 

[Windscale]

A Record I with leaking bellows is worth next to nothing. But one can see how much they can go for after C6 has replaced the bellows and did a CLA!

 

[FallisPhoto]

So you are saying that if I was to sell my Agfa Record I should not replace the bellows but keep the original? Does anyone else have an opinion on this?🙂

Unless we are talking about extremely rare and valuable antiques (which, in this case, we are not), a camera that works is pretty much always going to be worth quite a lot more than one that doesn't.

 

[Solinar]

I'll weigh in on the topic since I'm an Agfa user. Any restoration work to a Record I or Record II will be a labor of lover, period.

It will not dramatically raise the value of your Record I - unless you can hype its value like C6 is famous for.

Below are two Records which I've restored. The one on the right is a Frankenstein camera. It's a $15 Billy Record II that falls into the "Labor of love" category. The bellows from a $10 Franka Rolfix, plus it has a shutter and lens from a $30 Record II.

I had them for about 7 years and they still work perfectly.