Agfa Isolette II Shutter Cleaning

[wilfbiffherb]

i got an isolette for £5 from a local antique store and have just developed the first roll i put through it. im pretty sur emy exposures were spot on but my negatives are really overdeveloped. i suspect the shutter of being slightly slow. does anyone know how i can remove the shutter so i can soak it in lighter fluid?

 

[elekm]

If possible, post some photos of the camera's lens/shutter assembly. The easiest method is to remove all of the lens elements and open and service the shutter from the front.

 

[wilfbiffherb]

ill have to post photos later as im at work now. ill have a fiddle around and see what i can detatch

 

[williamparrish]

Try this:

http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/AnscAgfa.html
http://pheugo.com/cameras/index.php?page=prontor

Not especially difficult but takes a little time.

Bill

 

[Mike Wilde]

Bill's second link is a good set of photos.

The first is a good reference in general.

I just tore an Ansco Speedex down a week or so ago. I have worked successfuly on similar shutters in the past

I did not do a full diassemble.

I took the focussing dial off while at infinity ( not all three screws all the way out ), marked the top of the front element to aid in re assembly, unscrewed it, and then there is a D shaped screw with a slot that must be turned to allow the flat part of the D to clear the speed setting plate ring retainer to be unscrewed. Make sure the shutter is not cocked, and set to B to make reassembly easier.

Once the front plate was off I took a toothpick dipped in naptha/white gas/lighter fliud, and touched it to the slow speed escapement gear train upper gear axles, to put a tiny bit of solvent in the area.

I then held the front speed setting plate in place, cocked the shutter, and fired it. My slow speeds were in track after a second iteration of the naphta dabbing.

Don't follow my lead and do the same thing to the self timer escapement. I now have a self timer with about 1/5 of a second delay.

Reassemble and check infinity focus while holding the shutter open on B with some drafting vellum and a cheap lupe taped to the film gate with the back open. I use distant street lights down my street at night as a stand in for infinity for the purpose of this test. I find it much easier to do this that try to set them up by day and still be able to see the image on my 'ground plastic'

 

[wilfbiffherb]

thats great cheers, ill give it a try sometime this week