Agfa Isolette III (1954)

Name: Agfa Isolette III
Brand: Agfa

6x6 medium format folding camera with uncoupled rangefinder, introduced in 1954

Overview

The Agfa Isolette III is a 6x6 medium format folding camera from Agfa, introduced in 1954. It takes the Isolette II and adds an uncoupled rangefinder, which makes focusing more accurate for its class. It uses 120 roll film. The standard lens is a coated 85mm f/4.5 Apotar triplet, and Agnar and Solinar lenses were also available. Agfa pitched it as a beginner-friendly camera within the six-model Isolette range, and the III is often regarded as one of the most capable of them because of the rangefinder and the solid build.

Specifications

Image Format	6x6
Film Format	120 roll film
Lens	Coated 85mm f/4.5 Apotar triplet (Agnar and Solinar also available)
Aperture Range	ƒ/4.5 to ƒ/32
Shutter	Prontor SV
Shutter Speeds	1, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/300 s plus B
Focus Range	1 metre (3.5 feet) to infinity
Focusing System	Uncoupled rangefinder
Film Advance	Manual, using red window on back
Flash Sync	PC socket with X/M sync selector
Viewfinder	Reverse Galilean telescope type, 5 mm eyepiece diameter
Rangefinder/Viewfinder Windows	8 mm square
Self-Timer Delay	Approximately eleven seconds
"Happy Snapper" Aperture	Red dot at approximately ƒ/10–ƒ/11
"Happy Snapper" Focus Settings	10 feet (3 metres) and 30 feet (10 metres)

Design

The Isolette III has textured black leatherette covering, rounded shoulders and a mostly symmetrical top plate. The body is aluminium, the lens door is steel, and the top plate is pressed brass with satin plating. The uncoupled rangefinder uses a coated half-mirror and a central bright spot that is slightly yellow/green. You adjust it with a small dial on the top plate. The viewfinder image looks distinctly pink. The shutter release connects to the Prontor SV shutter through a hinged linkage. The shutter has a cocking lever but no T setting, only B. The film advance knob has a reverse-threaded screw (clockwise to loosen), and a small window next to the knob shows film advance. A small sliding door on the back reveals frame numbers on the film backing. From 1956 onwards, later versions added a film reminder dial on the top left with DIN and color film type markings, and the depth-of-field scale moved to surround the lens. A lock on the shutter release prevents double exposure, and a red indicator stays visible until the film is advanced.

Context

The Isolette III is essentially an Isolette II with an uncoupled rangefinder added. Within the Isolette series - the original, I, II, III, IV, and V - the III is often considered more fully featured than the IV and V. Of the lenses, Agnar ranks lowest, Apotar sits mid-range, and Solinar is the highest performing. The range was meant as an accessible line for beginners, with simple operation and capable optics and build.

Market

Common purchase prices have included around £20 or $25 with case, and approximately 200 SEK in 2015. A typical overhaul has cost around $130. The camera is very common because production numbers were high, and many units remain in good condition. Common problems are a focus ring blocked by hardened lubricant, pinholes in the bellows, a sticky or slow shutter, a stiff rangefinder wheel, and light leaks. The rangefinder's half-mirror coating is delicate and improper cleaning can damage it. The cocking lever may fail to stay back if the shutter is set to T/B during cocking. The self-timer works, but it is generally advised against because the mechanism can fail.