Sample Result From Agfa Optima

Sample result from an Agfa Optima which happens to the be the first commercially made automatic exposure camera in the world. It also happens to be a camera with no battery! It is aperture priority and fully manual. See this link for more information on this camera http://www.thecamerasite.net/07_Viewfinder_Cameras/Pages/agfa-opt1a.htm

I just shot a quick roll of Fujifilm, one of the consumer variants of film you can find in any supermarket. Wanted to see if the camera was functional. That was my test. Then I sent to processor. Just got them back today, prints look horrible! Same thing with the scans! So my first thought was the selenium cell that drives the electronics in the camera was starting to go bad. Then upon inspection of negatives I saw there was a lot of detail showing up on them that is not on the prints or on the scans on the CD received. This wasn't dime store processing it was professional processing at a top dollar lab. Needless to say I'm upset. Aside from that, and the followup I need to do with the lab, I am very pleased with the results of this camera. Next roll will be B&W and then I can control everything, and in about 6 months I think I may be souping color myself, thanks to recent Jobo acquisition. So, what do you think about the clarity of the picture with an early 1960's camera that probably sat in a closet for 35 years (no kidding, it is that good of condition)? I think the optics are excellent!
Location
Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur, California
Equipment Used
Agfa Optima
Exposure
Automagic
Film & Developer
Fuji
Paper & Developer
Fuji
Oh, by "prints look horrible", what I meant is skies are almost white, complete loss of details of brighter areas. In other words what might happen when one overexposes by say... 3 or 4 stops or more.
 
very nice perry !
i am always amazed at
cameras that have been left
hibernating and when they are awoken
from their deep slumber,
such beautiful images emerge from them.

real classic look !
john
 
Thanks John about the very nice comment. All I did was frame and press shutter release and wind film, oh.. and tromp through coastal chapparal for a couple miles, eheh. The rest done by others. I might actually try to print this neg B&W, for a hoot. As for the other bit you mentioned, man you created quite a description, like poetry. And I agree. Something happens to me the moment I recognize the value of something and the value is good. I cannot let this go by the wayside. Do you think someone else, in this modern dworld, would use this camera? Not put it on a shelf, but really use it? It has an interesting feature being the first automagic exposure camera, but other than that it is passed over. Perhaps the cartoon like glyphs on the lens showing which mode to put the meter might make people think it is a toy camera? My first Agfa camera. I am impressed with the quality and fit of this camera. Not as high as Voigtlander or Zeiss Ikon but definitely of high precision and quality. I'll be shooting this camera, happily, with some FP4 or PanF next.
 

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