Agfa Isolette III is a medium format folding camera
The Agfa Isolette III is a medium format folding camera from the 1950s that uses 120 film to produce 6x6cm images. It features an uncoupled rangefinder for focusing, manual controls, and a self-erecting lens bed that folds down when released. While its performance can be excellent, it requires careful handling, manual settings for aperture and shutter speed, and film winding.
This video provides a detailed overview of the Agfa Isolette III, including its uncoupled rangefinder mechanism:
Key features
Film and format: Uses 120 roll film to produce 6x6cm negatives.
Focusing: Equipped with an uncoupled rangefinder, which requires the user to visually align two images in a separate viewfinder to set the focus on the
lens.
Lens: Can be found with different lens and shutter combinations, with the top-of-the-line models featuring an Agfa Solinar 75mm f/3.5 lens.
Shutter: Features a Synchro Compur shutter (on higher-end models) with speeds from 1 second up to 1/500th of a second, or a simpler Pronto shutter on other models.
Controls: All operations, including shutter speed, aperture, and film advance, are manual.
Film advance: Uses a red window on the back of the camera to count the frames, requiring the user to manually wind the film for each shot.
Portability: Its folding design makes it very compact and portable, ideal for travel.
This video demonstrates how to load and operate the Agfa Isolette III, including setting exposure and winding the film:
How to use
Wind the film: Use the red window to check the frame numbers and advance the film to the first frame.
Set exposure: Adjust the shutter speed and aperture according to the lighting conditions. An external light meter is recommended, as the camera lacks one.
Focus: Look through the viewfinder and align the subject in the circular rangefinder spot by turning the focus dial.
Set lens distance: Read the focused distance from the rangefinder dial and manually set the lens to that distance.
Cocking and shooting: Cock the shutter using a lever, and then press the shutter button to take the picture.
Advance film: After the shot, use the red window to wind to the next frame, and repeat the process.
You can watch this video to learn about the portability and imaging quality of the Agfa Isolette III:
