Agfa Tramp (1982)

At 12.2 cm long and clad in khaki plastic, it looks like a toy until you notice the US Army stencil. This was sold as adventure gear for the 110 film generation.

Overview

The Agfa Tramp isn't really its own model. It's a costume change for the Agfamatic 901 S motor, a pocket 110 camera dressed up in military-surplus style. It came out in 1982 as half of a two-part revival. The Ferrari-red Sport model went after style, and the Tramp went after the outdoorsy crowd with a khaki body and a green "TRAMP" stencil copying US Army field markings. The branding wasn't subtle. It came with a matching khaki carry case that doubled as a mini rucksack. Owners report it felt more like a novelty than a serious camera, but that was the point. Agfa leaned into the 110 format's role as a disposable-friendly, point-and-shoot format for casual shooters.

Under the camouflage skin, it shares the 901 S insides. The film advance is motorized and runs on two AAA batteries. A top-mounted button handles both transport and burst shooting, and there's no manual film wind lever, which is a departure from earlier Agfamatics. The lens cover is automatic and slides open only during exposure, which protects the Color Apotar lens when stowed. It takes standard 110 cartridges, which give 13 x 17 mm negatives, and has a side-mounted flash connector for Agfa's Flipflash or the 901 mini flash, both powered by the camera's own batteries. The body is entirely plastic. At 12.2 x 3 x 5.3 cm it was genuinely pocketable, a selling point in the early '80s when portability started to matter more than optical pedigree.

Specifications

Manufacturer	Agfa
Type	Special edition of the Agfamatic 901 motor; Pocket 110 camera
Production Year	1982
Country of Origin	Germany (Munich)
Film Format	110
Negative Size	13 x 17 mm
Lens	Color Apotar 6,3/27
Shutter	1/50 and 1/200
Film Transport	Motorized, powered by two AAA batteries
Flash Connection	Side connector for Flipflash or 901 mini flash (camera-powered)
Dimensions	12.2 x 3 x 5.3 cm
Material	Plastic
Colour	Khaki/Kaki

Key Features

Khaki Body with US Army Stencil Markings

The look is the Tramp's defining trait: a khaki plastic housing stamped with a bold green "TRAMP" logo styled after US military stenciling. It was a full thematic package meant to suggest ruggedness and outdoor use, even though the camera was as delicate as any 110 model. The theme carried through the bundle, which included a matching khaki carry case designed to look like a miniature rucksack.

Motorized Film Advance with Top-Mounted Button

Earlier Agfamatic models needed manual winding. The Tramp inherits the 901 S's motorized film transport, activated by a button on the top plate. The same button gives burst shooting, a rare feature in 110 cameras, so you can fire off several frames in quick succession. The mechanism does away with the sliding film advance, which documentation notes as a defining trait of the 901 series. Power comes from two AAA batteries, which also feed connected flashes through the side-mounted connector.

Color Apotar 6,3/27 Lens with Automatic Lens Cover

The fixed-focus Color Apotar 6,3/27 lens is typical of Agfa's 110 offerings: simple, lightweight, and built for daylight. It gives acceptable sharpness in good light but struggles in lower contrast situations. A sliding cover opens only during exposure, a mechanical safeguard against scratches and dust when the camera is stored. That automation adds reliability, especially for casual users who might forget to open a manual cover.

Compatibility with Agfa Flipflash and 901 Mini Flash

The Tramp has a dedicated flash connector on the side, made for Agfa's Flipflash units or the smaller 901 mini flash. These flashes draw power directly from the camera's batteries, so no separate power source is needed. That's convenient, but it could drain batteries quickly, especially during extended indoor shooting. Agfa kept a closed ecosystem here. The accessories were designed to work with its own cameras and rarely with competitors' models.

Historical Context

In 1982, Agfa tried to revitalize its 110 camera line with two special editions of the 1979 Agfamatic 901 S: the Ferrari-red Sport and the khaki Tramp. Both used the same motorized 901 S platform but aimed at different buyers, one for speed and style, the other for outdoor adventure. The Tramp leaned into the military-surplus trend popular in European youth culture at the time. It was manufactured in Munich, Germany, and was one of the final creative pushes in Agfa's 110 format lineup before digital compact cameras began to dominate the low-end market.

Collectibility & Value

The standard Tramp turns up regularly on the secondhand market, typically selling between €5.00 and €20.00 depending on condition and whether the khaki case is included. A single eBay listing has asked €39.00, suggesting higher prices are possible for mint, boxed examples. The "Tramp no.2" variant is more notable. Collectors note it is much rarer than the standard release, though pricing data for it is scarce. No original launch price has been documented, and no widespread reliability issues or common failures have been reported in available sources.