Agfa Isolette I Agnar 85mm f/4.5 vario cleaning lens

[stuwilmur]

Sorry if this covers old ground…

I’ve picked up one of these: it seems totally fine and dandy: shutter fires on all speeds, focus moves smoothly, bellows look totally sound. There’s just a little dirt and haze on the inner lens surfaces. Could anyone explain the process of getting at them? I did find one vid on YouTube but most of the action in it was out of focus or shot. I guess I can get the rear element out with a lens spanner or the like, but how does one access the front (2?) elements? I can see some tiny screws on the focus ring but am wary of meddling before I know what’s what.

Thanks!!

 

[dxqcanada]

Not that difficult to work on that lens ... you just need to collimate it after taking the front off.
Should be similar to the Apotar lens ... https://oldcam.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/pronto-pronto-prontor/

Collimating … collimating … hello?

At some point in time you will need to collimate a lens/camera. I recently serviced a Frank Six TKS shutter, and I had to unscrew the front cell. As the camera not a through the lens viewfinder, I …

oldcam.wordpress.com

 

[stuwilmur]

Not that difficult to work on that lens ... you just need to collimate it after taking the front off.
Should be similar to the Apotar lens ... https://oldcam.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/pronto-pronto-prontor/

Collimating … collimating … hello?

At some point in time you will need to collimate a lens/camera. I recently serviced a Frank Six TKS shutter, and I had to unscrew the front cell. As the camera not a through the lens viewfinder, I …

oldcam.wordpress.com

Brilliant thanks: so if I’m reading this right, removal should just be the three grub screws and remove focus ring to allow me to unscrew front element?

 

[JPD]

Brilliant thanks: so if I’m reading this right, removal should just be the three grub screws and remove focus ring to allow me to unscrew front element?

Those screws are tiny, so just loosen them a little. You don't want to lose them. Yes, when you have removed the focus ring you can easily unscrew the front element. .

 

[dxqcanada]

Yes, JPD is correct loosen them just enough to get the ring off.
You should use some device to check shutter speed accuracy.
Use a flashlight shining on the inside of the bellows to check for pinholes.

 

[dxqcanada]

from another site -> Agnar lens

 

[stuwilmur]

Those screws are tiny, so just loosen them a little. You don't want to lose them. Yes, when you have removed the focus ring you can easily unscrew the front element. .

Thanks for this: I did so this evening with success, and everything is looking pretty clean. Just need to reset the focus now when it’s daylight again…