Agfa Standard (1926–mid-1930s)

Name: Agfa Standard
Brand: Agfa

A metal-bodied folding camera introduced by Agfa in 1926, available in several formats for plates and roll film.

Overview

The Agfa Standard was the first new camera model Agfa released after it acquired the Munich-based Rietzschel camera works in 1925 as part of the IG Farben merger. Production began around 1926. The design came from a patent filed under Rietzschel (BP 270623/1926). The Standard line covered both plate and roll film, in 6.5×9 cm and 9×12 cm plates, plus 120 and 116 roll film. Models included the 204, 208, 254, 255 and 258, each made for a specific film type and frame size. A helical focusing mechanism moved the lens and shutter as a unit, with focus down to about 2 meters on many models. The body was metal covered in leather, with leather bellows, a wire frame finder and a rotating brilliant viewfinder. Film advance was shown in a square red window, which was not coupled to the shutter.

Specifications

Format	6.5×9 cm or 9×12 cm plates; 120 or 116 roll film (models 254, 255, 258, 204, 208)
Film Type	Roll film 120 (model 254), 116 (models 255, 258); plates (models 204, 208)
Lens	Trilinear Agfa Anastigmat f/4.5 or f/6.3, 10.5 cm or 13 cm focal length
Shutter	Gauthier Automat (1/2 – 1/100, B, T) or Compur (1 – 1/250, B, T, with self-timer)
Aperture Range	f/4.5 to f/32 or f/36, with continental f-stop markings (9, 12.5, 18, 25)
Focusing	Helical unit focus down to 2 meters (approx. 6.5 feet), or 6 feet (1.8 meters) on some models
Viewfinder	Rotating brilliant finder and wire frame finder; split-image rangefinder on 1930 rangefinder model
Construction	Aluminium body, leather covering, leather bellows
Original Price	£4.17.6 (circa 1928)

Design

The Agfa Standard uses unit focusing. A helical mechanism moves the whole lens and shutter assembly forward. The lens sits on a cast metal block with no rise or shift. The spool holders hinge out of the body for easy loading, and there are tripod fittings for both orientations. The red window is square, which is unusual. On the 1930 rangefinder model, the split-image rangefinder has a single front window with the eyepiece offset. The user has to look both directly and through the optics to line it up. The shutter housing doubles as the focusing unit, and the lens is described as simple, with only two glass elements. The Gauthier Automat shutter is made of thin foil-like material. There is no double-exposure prevention.

Context

The Agfa Standard was the first camera developed under the Agfa name after the company took over Rietzschel's camera operations in 1925. Earlier Rietzschel models like the Isolar and Ninon stayed in production, but the Standard was Agfa's first original design. It was the company's entry into the folding camera market, with a range spanning plate and roll-film formats during a transitional period in amateur photography. The 9×12 cm plate model 208 was discontinued earlier than the smaller roll-film variants.

Market

Common problems are stiff helical focusing from dried lubricant, film flatness trouble, light leaks from loose winding, and possible film marking from a protruding lens mount. Advance the film only with the camera open and the lens erected, or you risk damage. With no double-exposure prevention, the user has to keep track manually.