Agfa Parat (1963)
Compact half-frame 35mm camera line introduced in 1963 with manual and automatic exposure variants.
Overview
The Agfa Parat family includes the Parat I, Paramat, and Optima-Parat—three half-frame 35mm cameras introduced in 1963 as Agfa’s entry into the growing compact camera market. These models produce 18 x 24mm exposures, allowing up to 72 frames on a standard 135 film roll. The Parat I is a fully manual model with a 30mm f/2.8 Agfa Color Apotar lens, scale focus viewfinder, and shutter speeds from 1/30 to 1/125 seconds plus B. The Paramat adds selenium-cell metering with automatic aperture control and a red/green exposure indicator in the viewfinder, while the Optima-Parat features an Advanced Compur shutter with speeds up to 1/500 second, manual override, and a Color Solinar 30mm f/2.8 lens. All models share a compact, lightweight plastic body and hot shoe with M and X sync.
Specifications
| Film Format | 18 x 24mm on 35mm film (half frame) |
|---|---|
| Max Exposures | 72 frames per 135 film roll |
| Frame Counter | Registers 72 frames |
| Dimensions | 10.9 x 7.2 x 4.9 cm |
Design
The Parat series features a compact, lightweight body made almost entirely of plastic, with most controls located on the lens barrel. Two plastic tabs adjust shutter speed and aperture, and focus is set by rotating the ring around the front lens element, marked in meters and feet with pictograms for portrait (~1.8m), group (~4m), and landscapes (infinity). The top plate includes a film rewind knob, rewind release, and hot shoe above the advance lever; the bottom has a film door latch, tripod socket, and film counter. The shutter button is rectangular with a threaded cable socket. The design is derived from Agfa’s full-frame Optima series, and the focus ring attaches to the front lens group via three small brass screws under the nameplate.
Context
The Parat line was released in 1963 during a resurgence of interest in half-frame cameras, spurred by the success of the Olympus Pen in 1959. Agfa positioned the Parat family as a compact, economical alternative for casual photographers, competing with models from Olympus, Canon, Minolta, Fuji, and Yashica. The family includes three visually similar models: the manual Parat I, the auto-aperture Paramat, and the more advanced Optima-Parat with shutter-priority automation and manual override.
Market
The Parat I originally sold for approximately half the price of the Paramat, with an estimated cost of $39.95. A common issue with the Parat I is the helical focus mechanism developing "green grease syndrome," which can seize the focus ring; repair typically involves cleaning and re-lubrication, often requiring collimation afterward. Due to its lack of a selenium meter, the Parat I is more likely to remain functional today than the Paramat and Optima-Parat, whose automatic exposure systems depend on aging selenium cells.
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