#41 Agfa Optima 500 Sensor

Em português  

This is an Agfa Optima 500 Sensor, made in Germany, by Agfa-Gevaert, in 1969.

This was the first model displaying the orange Sensor shutter release, that became a distinctive feature of future Agfa cameras. It is made of a metal membrane, with a travel of less than 0,5 mm, what makes the shutter release operation ultra soft avoiding motion blur.

The shutter, of the central leaf type, is a Paratic. The shutter speed ranges from 1/30 to 1/500, hence the name of the model.
The lens is a Color-Apotar, 1:2.8/42 mm, focus scale, with three pictograms on the upper part of the lens barrel and a scale in meters and feet on the bottom.

Above we also can see, on the aperture ring, the aperture values, to be used only with the B setting of the shutter.

The aperture and shutter speed values, in normal operation, are automatic selected and controlled by a CdS cell, powered by a BMR 9 cell, using the ISO info, with a range from 25 to 400.

Located on the bottom plate is the film advance/rewind lever, exposure counter, tripod socket and spring loaded film cartridge lock.

You might find strange a film advance/rewind lever but, in fact it is a quite a clever feature.
Reached the last exposure one presses and lift the lever, marked R, by the lens barrel, and actuate the advance/rewind lever several times, rewinding the film, simultaneously the exposure counter regresses, providing the information about the progress of the operation.

You can see, in the picture above, a small window by the top right side of the camera. It's marked LZ/GN and displays some figures in the window, selectable using the small thumb dial under it.
It's function is provide the meter system with the info about the flash guide number (LZ - meters, GN - feet).
When a flash is placed on the accessory shoe the camera automatically enters in the flash mode:
The shutter speed locks on 1/30 and the aperture is calculated in function of the selected distance and flash guide number.

The silk screen impression displaying the model is long gone, only the orange dot endured the passing of time.

The viewfinder is collimated and the round window by it's side arbours the CdS cell.

The disk between the shutter release button and the accessory shoe is the film sensitivity dial, marked in ASA and DIN.

There is a black edition of this camera. The Sensor 200 and Silette LK are very closed related.

It's a very nice and compact camera, perfectly usable as you can see by the following shots, taken with it:

Merry Xmas

Stay tuned (o;

#40 Nikon Nuvis 75

Em português 

This one was another gift from my uncle Jorge Sá Dantas, a major contributor to my collection, and the:

"Good light" retirement home for senior photo gear

It's a simple, compact, auto-everything, APS camera.
It was launched by Nikon in 1996, one of the earlier cameras in this format.

Specifications:

Nikon Zoom/macro lens, 30-60 mm, 1:4.5-8.5

Shutter speeds: 8 seconds - 1/500

Auto focus, with infinity focus lock, for landscape shooting

Auto exposure: centre weighted

Flash modes: Auto, fill, red eye reduction and off

Self timer

APS photo formats: Conventional, HDTV and Panorama

Power zoom and macro capable

LCD displays functions, modes and exposure counter

Motorized film advance and rewind

Power: CR123 lithium battery

Dimensions: 114 x 62 x 38 mm
Weight: 200 g
Made in Japan

Some pictures taken with it:

Stay tuned (o;

#39 Yashica 8-EIII

Em português  

My brother-in-law, Mário Gamelas, is one of the top contributors of my collection.

I have several of his old cameras as tenants of the:

"Good light" retirement home for senior photo gear

He bought this one in the early sixties, when he was an officer of the Portuguese army, serving in the former African and Indian colonies.

This is a Yashica 8-EIII, made in Japan around 1959.
It's a movie camera using 8 mm film.

It as three lens mounted in a revolving turret, with matching viewfinders: 

Cine Yashinon  6.5, 10 and 25 mm, with an aperture range: f1.8 - f16 and three internal filters in the optical path: ND, C and H

The spring loaded motor delivers the following frame rates: single frame, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32 and 48 fps  

The dimpled window, above the lens turret, houses a selenium light meter, still working. Two needles are displayed in the viewfinder, playing with the frame rate, aperture and filters one makes them coincide to achieve a correct exposure.

ASA range 10 - 80

Cast metal body covered with grey leatherette and some plates of stainless steel.

It is complete with lens covers and the leather bag. Mário told me he had a pistol grip too but, he lost track of it.

Following TTV views of the different lens; 25, 10 and 6.5 mm:

  

I find it very nice with that blue colour, outside capture zone.
Also visible the two needles of the light meter:
- Thinner: aperture control
- Thicker: fps control

Some more pictures of the camera:

               

Everything is working, all I need now is some film for it.

Stay tuned (o;

#38 Regula Super Automatic

Em português 

I found this beauty in a flea market a few years ago.
A Regula Super automatic.

The only cameras I knew from Regula were all those cheap and omnipresent Sprinty.

This one is in a completely different league. 

It's a rangefinder, with interchangeable lens, in a bayonet mount, coupled selenium  light meter, selectable bright marks, in the viewfinder, for 50, 90 and 135 mm lens and, above all, a very smart look.

I only regret not having found yet another lens for it but, I haven't given up.

This was manufactured by Regula-Werk King KG at Bad Libenzell, former West Germany.

The lens is a Isco-Gottingen Regula-Color-Westanar 1:2.8/50, in a Gauthier (AGC) Prontor SLK shutter, with a range from one second to 1/300 plus B and self timer.

The bright viewfinder not only accommodates the rangefinder it also performs parallax correction.

The accessory shoe is of the cold type. There's a flash sync contact on the front, selectable, on the shutter, for X or M sync.
Dimensions: 135 x 90 x 76 mm
Weight: 645 g

It's an enjoyable, usable camera, although the light meter on this example is dead.

Following, some shots taken with it:

Stay tuned (o;

#37 Rollei A110

Em português 

When my uncle Jorge Sá Dantas knew that I was collecting cameras he invited me to his house and gave me a Nikon F-601, that I told you about in an older post, and this beautiful Rollei A110.

In the 1970's Kodak introduced the 110 film cassettes and nobody wanted to loose that train, so Rollei presented this precious little camera at 1974 Photokina. 

It was a sensation. When closed it was smaller than the boxes where the film cassettes came in.

It also was the most expensive camera of this type sold at the time. That's why they went to Singapore, in 1978, to make it and lower the prices.

The building materials are mostly metal and some durable plastic parts, with a smooth black paint finish. 

It uses a push-pull movement to advance the film and cock the shutter.

When it's pulled open it displays the Rollei-Tessar, 1:2,8 f=23mm, lens and tuns on the light meter.

The lens is manually focused, using the orange slider, under it, focus symbols and distance indications, both in meters and feet, are displayed in the surprisingly big and bright viewfinder. It focus from 1 m to infinity.

The Rollei-Prontor electronic controlled shutter has a speed range from 4 sec. to 1/400.

An innovative shutter/aperture control was used in this camera. When the shutter is cocked, the shutter blades open and the aperture blades close, releasing the shutter causes the aperture blades to open and at the end of the programmed exposure the shutter blades close. This choreography is controlled by the fast silicon photo diode, which has it's own set of diaphragm blades, synchronized with the ones controlling the aperture.

The AE program has a range from f2.8 - 4s to f16 - 1/400.

There is a cube flash adapter to attach to it's side.

Size: 30 x 44 x 84 mm (100 mm opened)

Weight: 185 g (with battery)

I have got some 110 films I have to get a replacement for the defunct, mercury PX27/5,6 V, battery and give it a try.

Stay tuned (o;