AGFA BILLY COMPUR

anthonym3 · Jun 19, 2019

Dan,it does fire at 250. It was harder to move the dial to that and that was when the delayed action problem began. I was fairly certain that it was still usable for my purposes,landscapes. I paid only $40.00 for it including shipping and as you can see from the photos it is in great almost mint condition probably because it was kept in it's leather case. I have an IKOFLEX 1 with an OPTON TESSAR T that I just got working and an IKOFLEX ll/lll transition model with a TESSAR uncoated. What is your opinion of the OPTON TESSAR T?

JPD · Jun 19, 2019

The 1/250 setting has a separate, stiffer, spring. That's what makes it harder to set, and why it's good to not use it with the selftimer.

Try to put the button lever for the selftimer in the forward position so it blocks the cocking lever from setting the selftimer. Does the shutter work when you do that?

The Opton-Tessar is excellent. The "T" means that it is coated. The Solinar on your Agfa is a similar lens (four elements in three groups) but is uncoated and has front cell focusing. The Ikoflex with Opton-Tessar is most probably both sharper and contrastier and works well for both black and white and colour. And it's easier to use filters on the Ikoflex.

anthonym3 · Jun 19, 2019

JPD I believe that when I set at 1/250 the spring may have broken. I have tried your suggestion and it will not cock normally. I will have to use it as is on a tripod for black and white landscapes.

JPD · Jun 19, 2019

anthonym3 said:
JPD I believe that when I set at 1/250 the spring may have broken. I have tried your suggestion and it will not cock normally. I will have to use it as is on a tripod for black and white landscapes.

It seems that the cocking mechanism refuses to lock in place, or that the shutter release lever isn't in the correct position so it trips the shutter when you let go of the cocking lever. I have had Compur shutters with that problem. You can try the camera with film using your method of using the selftimer, and if you like the results it may be worth to have the shutter repaired. You can compare the results with the results from the Ikoflex and see which one you like best.

shutterfinger · Jun 19, 2019

When such a shutter will not lock in the cocked position without the self timing set the shutter needs a CLA as a lever is not engaging properly, the extra travel of the self timer allows the lever more space/time to set. Try holding the cocking lever in the cocked position a little longer before releasing with the self timer in the normal shutter operation position.

AgX · Jun 19, 2019

JPD said:
Don't change the shutter speed while the shutter is cocked, and don't use the selftimer when the shutter is set to the fastest speed.

-) Not changing speeds after cocking, thus setting speeds before cocking is practical when using "slow action" cameras as most folders. However when using a Leice-style cameras with leaf-shutterrs one typically cocks the camera after each exposure. And then one still uses shutters of basically same design.

-) I do not see why using the self-release at highest shutter speed is a bad idea.

anthonym3 · Jun 19, 2019

I have since been informed that using 1/250 with delayed timer is not possible with my model AGFA.

JPD · Jun 20, 2019

AgX said:
-) I do not see why using the self-release at highest shutter speed is a bad idea.

In the instructions for this older type of Compur you'll read: "NOTE. The delayed action release is not available for use with time exposures nor for speeds higher than 1/100th of a second". (That's from the instructions booklet for the Zeiss Ikon Icarette with Compur). I'm not exactly sure why, but my guess is has to do with the special mechanism and spring for the highest speed and the way the selftimer releases the shutter. If I remember correctly, the highest speed bypasses the retard geartrain (Hemmwerk). Using an accessory selftimer attached to a cable relase should work fine even at the highest speed.

AgX · Jun 20, 2019

Yes, good point: the main clockwork may be bypassed at highest speed setting, and thus the self-release clockwork indirectly too.

anthonym3 · Jun 25, 2019

AGFA is on it's way to MIKE ELEK in NEW JERSEY for inspection/repair.

AGFA BILLY COMPUR

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