Gold or garbage?

[g0tr00t]

I was helping my mom clean some stuff out of her house and I found this camera they had from the 60's. Agfa Silette. I am going to roll some film and try this out with B&W. Any info on it?

Here is a quick picture I found on Google.

http://www.rolandandcaroline.co.uk/silette2103-237.jpg

[clogz]

Try: www.cameraquest.com/agfambi.htm

[bmac]

Looks like they are selling for $5-$15 on eBay. Might be fun to play around with.

[g0tr00t]

Yeah, I don't think my lens is removable. Doesn't look like it. On the rewind portion, there is are two letters CK. Looks like it would move somehow.

I too searched Ebay and camera quest. I see the PC sync for flash and I have figured out two out of the three letters on the side (used for flash).

Its a 45mm 2.8 lens which is pretty cool and I also have a Sekonic light meter which I guess I can use. My mom has the original Agfa lightmeter, but not sure where....

Cool stuff I tell ya. I am going to roll some 125 FP4 film tonight and fire off some shots tomorrow...

Oh and my camera is know as the "Brightline" model....

[mfobrien]

David: I think you will find that you will get pretty respectable results with the Silette. I have one, and it performs pretty well. So long as the shutter speeds are close to accurate, you'll have no proble. You can even use the sunny-16 rule and do alright with this camera.
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/~mfobrien/ansco.html

Cheers,

Mark

[g0tr00t]

What do the letters mean on the rewind button - I know(think) its for ISO.

CK, CT, 25°, 21°, 17°, 14°, cn17

I want to load it with Ilford ISO 125. Thanks so much all for your help!

[Joe Lipka]

I think those are the DIN numbers, which was the German version of ASA. Just another way to measure film speed.

[g0tr00t]

Man you all are awesome!!!!
ASA 25 50 100 200 400 1000
DIN 15 18 21 24 27 31

Agfacolor CN17 (40 ASA)
Agfacolor CT Daylight (50 ASA)
Agfacolor CK Artificial light (80 ASA)

So looks like it will set it to 21. This is cool. I pretty excited about shooting this thing...

Thanks again to all for their direction.

[rjr]

David,

if you have a basic Silette you donīt need to set it at all - it is just a reminder for the user, not a functional device setting a lightmeter.

The basic Silettes donīt have interchangeable lenses, most donīt even have a rangefinder. It was a broadly based line of cameras, with different features like RF, lightmeter, lenses and lens quality, even several types of shutters where offered.

What lens and shutter does your Silette have? The names will indicate the quality, coating type and construction, the shutters vary based on speed range and comfort (like EV coupling).

Some shutter types are prone to bust - during course of time the grease hardens and the shutter stucks. DONīT even think about pouring WD40 (or similar crap) into it. ;-) It wonīt help and even worsen the problem - you need to disassemble the shutter and wash the single shutter blades in a solvent fluid like alcohol or aceton. Not that difficult.
Similar problems occur with the front focussing cell.

AFAIK all Silettes (as most Cameras up to the 1970s) where built in the Munich plant.

Your DIN/ASA conversion is correct, but you may consider using Agfa film with it - you pay for it by buying film, the cameras were sold at subsidized prices. ;-)

Yes, CK reads Colorfilm Kunstlicht (Tungsten CN), CT is Colorfilm Tageslicht (Daylight CN).

You donīt actually need a lightmeter - use a exposure table or sunny 16. I made a table based on the system and inspired by Rick Olesonīs idea... have a look, print it out, try it - I always carry one in my wallet.

http://rohleder.gmxhome.de/manuals/tomsk1d.pdf

Somewhere I have a Silette around, with IIRC Prontor shutter and Color Agnar lens... never tried it. Which is very unusual for me.

She will definitely be good enough to accompany you for some weeks as a daily users camera - small, inobtrusive, most lenses are quite decent.

Have fun with it!

[g0tr00t]

The lens is the Agfa Color Apotar 1:2.8/45. Thanks for the info. I am definitely going to have fun with this thing. I remember playing with it when I was kid. It all seems to work fine. The shutter is so nice and quite. Speeds range from b to 300 and AP 2.8 to 22.

Manual focus too in meters! That should be interesting...