35mm TLR from 1961 - fully working!
Sept 16, 2021 13:43:04 GMT
on Sept 16, 2021 13:43:04 GMT
Last Edit: Sept 19, 2021 11:26:29 GMT by biggles3
OK, I freely admit it; I'm in love with this weird contraption: the Agfa Optima Reflex.
Agfa Optima Reflex
I was going to add this to the 'show us your toys' thread but it's so unusual that I feel it deserves its own one. And if other Forum members have a 35mm TLR, they can add it here...
Well, as you by now know, this TLR is a 35mm camera. It is very rare in having a fixed pentaprism whereas its predecessor, the Agfa Flexilette, had a conventional WLF.
Made by Agfa for a few short years from 1961, this unusual design features matched, coated Color-Apotar 45mm f2.8 lenses with a close focus of 3ft (0.91m). It has a unique Prontor shutter which offers speeds from 1/30-1/250s plus B. It provides X-sync for flash photography.
The Optima Reflex uses an automatic exposure system which is powered by the selenium meter that you can see above the focusing panel. The wind-on lever is in the base at the back of the camera.
It's no light-weight; if you take it out for a day's shooting, you'll be carrying over 1kg around your neck with the camera in its protective case. A nice touch is the cut-out in the base of the hard-case to enable you to wind-on without having to remove the camera from its protection.
And if you are wondering what that strange disc is that in front of the camera, it's one of the Agfa's filters.
Agfa Optima Reflex
I was going to add this to the 'show us your toys' thread but it's so unusual that I feel it deserves its own one. And if other Forum members have a 35mm TLR, they can add it here...
Well, as you by now know, this TLR is a 35mm camera. It is very rare in having a fixed pentaprism whereas its predecessor, the Agfa Flexilette, had a conventional WLF.
Made by Agfa for a few short years from 1961, this unusual design features matched, coated Color-Apotar 45mm f2.8 lenses with a close focus of 3ft (0.91m). It has a unique Prontor shutter which offers speeds from 1/30-1/250s plus B. It provides X-sync for flash photography.
The Optima Reflex uses an automatic exposure system which is powered by the selenium meter that you can see above the focusing panel. The wind-on lever is in the base at the back of the camera.
It's no light-weight; if you take it out for a day's shooting, you'll be carrying over 1kg around your neck with the camera in its protective case. A nice touch is the cut-out in the base of the hard-case to enable you to wind-on without having to remove the camera from its protection.
And if you are wondering what that strange disc is that in front of the camera, it's one of the Agfa's filters.