Agfa BILLY RECORD (1933–1942)
A self-erecting, vertical-folding medium format camera using 120 film to produce eight 6x9 cm exposures.
Overview
The Agfa BILLY RECORD is a medium format folding camera made by Agfa during the 1930s and early 1940s. It's self-erecting and folds vertically. It shoots eight 6x9 cm images on 120 roll film. It came in variants including the Billy Record 8.8 and Billy Record 7.7. The 8.8 has a fixed Agfa Anastigmat lens and an Agfa Automat shutter. It folds small and the mechanics are simple, which made it an accessible medium format camera in its day.
Specifications
| Film format | 120 roll film |
| Image size | eight 6x9 cm exposures |
| Lens (Billy Record 8.8) | Agfa Anastigmat Jgestar 1:8.8/105mm or Igestar 8.8/100mm |
| Shutter (Billy Record 8.8) | Agfa Automat, speeds B, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 s |
| Dimensions (closed) | 165×88×37mm |
| Weight | 560 g |
Context
Agfa made the BILLY RECORD from 1933 to 1942 and sold it as an affordable medium format folder. In 1934 it cost 30 Reichsmark in Germany. That put it at the entry level for amateurs who wanted 6x9 cm negatives in a portable camera.
Market
Replacement parts and service manuals are hard to find, so restoration is difficult. Example listings show working or restored units selling between $80 and $100. Values have moved around over time, and guide prices in the early 2000s ran from $17 to $54.
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