Agfa Isolette II: Photo Walk Ep. #4 - my first medium format experience

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Agfa Isolette II: Photo Walk Ep. #4 - my first medium format experience

Рет қаралды 4,371

Күн бұрын

This may not be a "photo walk" episode per se, but it still falls under the category of me trying out vintage cameras. Being shot in early 2022 before I'd managed to gain some structure in my videos, it's a bit messy and inconsistent, but still worthy of being presented to the world. Mostly because I'm fascinated by the camera and its history. I hope you'll enjoy it regardless.

Пікірлер: 39

@rewahl 9 ай бұрын

..if you have a slr-camera, you can adjust the range easily. For that, you loose the small screws in the range-ring (3 VERY little screws) and pull it off, after adjustingt on infinity. Then you open your Isoletts back, and glue with some tape a Hair tensed across the filmplatform. Fixing it now on a tripot, it's easyer. At last, you look through the SLR camera (on infinity) direclty into the objectiv from your Isolette to see the hair on the other side. Screw the isolette-objectiv untill the hair ist sharp.Your Camera is now adjusted on infinity. Apply back the rangering on infinity. Feddisch (means finished on german dialect..). Geatings from Black-Forest, Rainer.

@qvarfoto 5 ай бұрын

Hi Rainer, apologies for the late reply - and thank you for that very thorough guide on how to fix the focusing issue. I will definitely try it. Much appreciated! Cheers /Fredrik

@pa1gsj 2 ай бұрын

I had such a focusing problem with one of my Jsolettes myself. The focus mechanism on these cameras have 3 parallel threads. You might want to put the camera on a tripod, fix something translucent to the film plane and set a bright object (candle) at a defined distance, e.g. 1.0m or 1.5m. With an open shutter, you will be able to verify if your focus gear is actually properly set. If not (very likely), you can remove the retaining screws, and try the 2 other threads individually. Imagine, the lens focus could be off by 1/3 or 2/3 of a turn. Best of luck!

@chrisbailey4759 Жыл бұрын

Dennis Workman has an excellent how to video on how to check and reset the focus on the Agfa isolette cameras.

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

Really? Wow that's great news, thanks for sharing! Gonna check that out right away. I actually gave my Isolette another chance a few weeks ago for the first time since the events in this video and just got the negatives back from the lab. Not gonna lie, I did have a few more issues.. I have a few videos before it in the pipeline, but will share later this year. Cheers

@chrisbailey4759 Жыл бұрын

@@qvarfoto Best of luck with your camera, these old gems are definitely not point and shoot which is what attracted me to buying one, I look forward to seeing your next video using the old Agfa.

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

@@chrisbailey4759 Thanks, I might need it 😅 And yes I totally agree with you there! Glad to hear you want to see more. I have loads of material to edit together into episodes and post here, but I've struggled to find the time. I think I've come up with a good system now though, and hearing that someone wants too see them is a huge inspo kick. More will come, promise. Cheers!

@martinroeeidhammer9108 Жыл бұрын

Tjänare. Hilsen fra Norge!. I am getting an Agfa Isolette and your honest sharing of your experiences was truly interesting. Great to see the camera in use.

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

Hallå nabo! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, I really appreciate it. Hope you have better luck with your Isolette than I have so far. It's an amazing camera and having medium format in such a small package is pretty cool. Ha de!

@fosterhart2013 10 ай бұрын

Technical issues aside the camera's rendering is very pleasing !

@qvarfoto 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for commenting and yes, I agree. It's a great little camera for sure. Cheers!

@mkshffr4936 4 ай бұрын

Since it has sentimental value I would think it worth having a good CLA done.

@qvarfoto 4 ай бұрын

Absolutely, and I've definitely thought about it. But CLA's are pretty costly here where I live, and I have other cameras that I use more often, thus perhaps being more deserving of a CLA currently.. but yes, this one may very well get one before too long. Thanks for watching! Cheers

@Piffmeister Жыл бұрын

I will pick up my Isolette II right at my local post office. It will be my first time with medium format as well. Just put one film through a borrowed isolette 1 and maaaaan... I screwed up. 😂 Didnt understand the winding machanism... Just got one foto out of it. Hope i dont have that focussing issues, even though i dont think its sooooo awful. It happens with such an old camera. I think were not just to that anymore... Looking forward to watch other video from you! Greetings from Cologne, Germany!

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

Ahh haha, yeah the winding mechanism sure messed me up as well before I figured it out. It took me an embarrassingly long time to understand what the little window on the back was for.. 😂 But that's awesome, I hope your experience with it will be none short of amazing, hey. And a huge thanks for watching and commenting, it means a lot! I've been drowning in work lately and haven't had the time to upload for a while, but I have every intention to keep posting regularly before too long. Your comment really helps with inspiration too, so Cheers!

@luked8712 Жыл бұрын

Great video. My Isolette has similar focus issues and I've even taken the focus ring off and recalibrated it. It's great for landscape shots though, and outdoor portraits stopped down. 😅

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

Thanks Luke, I appreciate that! Interesting about recalibrating the focus ring, how'd you do that - do you need special equipment or just regular tools? Actually I took the camera out again last weekend for the first time since this video was shot. I uh... had some... issues again, haha! This time it was the shutter that locked up. Anyhoo, big cheers!

@mnoliberal7335 9 ай бұрын

Sorry the Isolette is not in working order. There must be someone in Sweden who can fix it. I hope by now that has been done and you are enjoying beautiful, medium format photos. If not, what are you waiting for?

@qvarfoto 5 ай бұрын

Hi, thanks for commenting and sorry for the late reply! Haha yes, good question; what am I waiting for... well, I tend to grab one of my 135 bodies these days, but I do intend to fix the Isolette before too long. Cheers /Fredrik

@danienelphoto Жыл бұрын

Range focusing is tough.... I had the same with the Kodak Retina 119

@joakimpersson9425 11 ай бұрын

Hallå där! I also got the Isolette II and everything is working mechanically. If you fix the focusing, it's a nice little traveling companion. I got an external rangefinder (Voigtländer) for the cold shoe to make focusing easier. Recommended! Also important to open the bellows gently to keep the film plane straight. It's tempting to push the button and have it pop out but that will make it suck out. Also, wind the film the last you do before pressing the shutter is another tip I've heard.

@qvarfoto 11 ай бұрын

Nämen tjenare, Joakim! Those are some excellent tips, thank you for sharing. I've shot a few more rolls through the Isolette recently, and sadly it's even worse now. The shutter release locks up about half the time and the bellows only opens half way when loaded with film. When the camera is empty both that and the shutter works flawlessly. Very strange. But that makes a lot of sense what you said about opening it up gently to prevent a vacuum, I'll keep that in mind. More videos about it coming up, but I'm currently working on batch recording about three months worth of weekly uploads to give myself a fighting chance at consistency, but nearly done now so... before too long, hopefully. Cheers!

@joakimpersson9425 11 ай бұрын

@@qvarfoto Weird with the shutter, sounds like it needs a CLA but then you might as well find a new good working copy for less than the service cost. That's how I got the Isolate II in the first place, my grandpa's Agfa 6x9 had focus and advance problems... found the Isolette for 200 SEK! : ) Lycka till med kameran eller ersättare!

@qvarfoto 11 ай бұрын

@@joakimpersson9425 Yeah I agree, it's indeed strange. I've considered a CLA but figured I might give it a go myself before I drop it off somewhere. I'm a sucker for fiddling with fine mechanics so what's the worst that can happen, right? Haha! 😂 Getting another camera is an option, but this one holds special value to me so would prefer fixing it. Although 200 SEK is a lot of camera for the money, so well done! Will keep an eye out myself. Tack så mycket! :)

@charlesvail2443 4 ай бұрын

It is common on Agfa cameras for the front element threads to freeze up inside the (old dry grease) second element threads. This same bad focus thing happened on my Agfa Billy record 1. What happens is you ar e turning both front elements in the shutter housing instead of just the the first focusing element. I took off the front ring ( 3 tiny screws) unscrewed the two elements from the shutter housing then put some lighter fluid between the two elements. I used a rubber lens cup and flat piece of sticky rubber to unscrew the frozen focusing element. I then rd-collminated the focus at infinity and it focuses now. m.kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d7qYatdit7CpYZc.html&pp=ygUUQWdmYSByZWNvcmQgMiByZXBhaXI%3D

@qvarfoto 3 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, mate! I really appreciate it. Fantastic help and great link you shared too, I'm definitely going to have a very thorough look at that and try my best to fix my copy. Thanks again! Cheers /Fred

@ChrysogonusLi Ай бұрын

Fotoaffären som ligger nära mig rekommenderade denna kamera för mig, men jag gillade inte viewfindern. Hade jag vetat att man kan köpa external viewfinder som du använder skulle jag köpa den.

@EllDub 5 ай бұрын

Most older cameras are marked in feet, not meters.

@qvarfoto 5 ай бұрын

Valid point, thanks for commenting, but that is not the case here. It clearly says "m" for meters on the dial. And I doubt a European camera made for the European market would have markings in feet - makes no sense. At least not to my knowledge. But I could be wrong I suppose. Either way, I appreciate your input. Cheers /Fredrik

@MrChannel28 Жыл бұрын

Kul reklaminslag för Systembolaget! Anars en bra och rolig film om dina vedermödor me Agfa, Själv har jag skaffat 1 Zeiss ikon Nettar 6x4.5, 1 Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 6x6 samt 1 Zeiss Ikon Nettar 6x9.Gör nu ren slutare och linser. Sen i vår börjar äventyret! Åke

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

Hej Åke! Tack så mycket för att du tagit dig tid att titta på videon. Haha jo, "reklam" vet jag väl inte, men ändå. Wow, spännande! Fina kameror helt klart, hoppas du har bättre "tur" med dem än jag haft med Agfa'n. Ha det fint! Mvh/Fredrik

@ChrisTDownTheRabbitHole Жыл бұрын

Ahahahah, focus hunts you! ...but keep it up! I guess someone messed with the front element, maybe took out for cleaning and put it back in a wrong way. Doesn't take much to hapen and don't ask me how i know :) But these are simple enough cameras and not hard to service them is you willing to go ...down that rabbit hole...

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

Haha yeah, you said it! And it didn't stop there... as you (spoilers) may or may not find out in an upcoming episode. I'm haunted by my own inability to get photos in focus for sure. But yes you're probably right. I had a look at your channel and you seem to know what you're talking about, hey. May have to head down that rabbit hole and try to repair it. Cheers for taking the time to watch and comment, means a lot!

@JulioAvalos3000 5 ай бұрын

I also don't know anything about screwing thongs up.

@qvarfoto 5 ай бұрын

Haha, what?

@jasongold6751 Жыл бұрын

I no longer watch unkempt presenters! Caps, hats Touches, bonetts worn indoors. Razors are clean! No chance I'll even peak.

@Piffmeister Жыл бұрын

not many comments here yet, but already the winner of the "stupidest comment" award! Congrats!

@qvarfoto Жыл бұрын

Hi Jason, thanks for commenting. That is totally OK, we are all allowed to have our preferences about what and who to watch. I hope you find other creators that better fit your liking. Have a great day, Cheers.