Agfa Optima Sensor 1535 - Roll only half exposed

kahlheins · May 27, 2020

I recently purchased a used Agfa Optima Sensor 1535 - a truly beautiful little 35mm camera. However, after exposing my first roll of film with it, I noticed that only a few images were exposed. The first 3 and last 2 images were exposed, as well as two separate images in the middle of the roll. Two images was also exposed but just barely (severely underexposed, hardly noticeable on the film strip).

My suspicion is that the shutter is malfunctioning at high shutter speeds, since all images that did expose are shot at low light. Has anyone experienced something similar or can even offer some advice on how to fix the issue?

foc · May 27, 2020

Can you post a photo of the neg strips please.
Something like this.

Donald Qualls · May 27, 2020

If you can see through the lens from the camera back when unloaded, you may be able to advance and cock the camera and see the flash of light through the shutter to verify. It's not unheard of for leaf or slide shutters to get slow as they age due to lubricants in the mechanism hardening -- and if the shutter opens slowly, it may not even get open before it starts to close when set for a high speed.

kahlheins · May 27, 2020

Heres an image. Please ignore the dirt. I tested some new chemical bottles which unfortunately had residue in them which I missed during cleaning. That residue is now on the negatives as spots.

I checked the camera with an open door. The shutter looks fine to my eye when looking through it. I can see it opening when indoors or in low light. However, I can't notice any shutter opening when pointing the camera directly at a bright light/ daylight. With my LF lenses I can see the shutter opening even at 1/500th.

Could the shutter be re-lubricated?

Donald Qualls · May 27, 2020

More likely it needs to be "de-lubricated" -- just generally cleaned. This is what's called a CLA -- Clean, Lube, and Adjust (though this kind of camera won't have anything to adjust, most likely). Whether it's something you can do yourself, or whether it's worth paying someone to do it (or whether there's anyone who works on that model) are the questions...

foc · May 27, 2020

Thanks for posting the photo of the negs. It is always a great help to view the negs in full.
Is it a new battery in the camera?
Does the red/green LED light come on in the viewfinder?
I am wondering if the battery could be on its last legs, you take a shot and it runs down, you leave it a while before the next shot and the battery recovers a little but when you shoot two or more shots one after another, the battery dies (just an idea, I have seen something like this before).

kahlheins · May 28, 2020

foc said:
Thanks for posting the photo of the negs. It is always a great help to view the negs in full.
Is it a new battery in the camera?
Does the red/green LED light come on in the viewfinder?
I am wondering if the battery could be on its last legs, you take a shot and it runs down, you leave it a while before the next shot and the battery recovers a little but when you shoot two or more shots one after another, the battery dies (just an idea, I have seen something like this before).

Interesting idea, but the batteries are brand new. The LEDs work fine as well. I don't think I'll attempt doing a CLA myself, and getting it done by a repair shop is probably more expensive than buying a new camera. Very unfortunate.

shutterfinger · May 28, 2020

After reading up on this camera model I wonder if the metering system is functioning properly. I would try another roll keeping track of the scene and make exposures in bright sunlight, bright (open) shade, medium shade, deep shade and some flash exposures.
Knowing the type of lighting for the exposures will help diagnose the problem more accurately.

Also check the aperture for correct operation.

baachitraka · May 28, 2020

You may clean those cells that measure light for metering. I have 535, 1035 and 1535 but seldom use them.

Please also check whether you have correct ISO dialed.

kahlheins · May 28, 2020

baachitraka said:
You may clean those cells that measure light for metering. I have 535, 1035 and 1535 but seldom use them.

Please also check whether you have correct ISO dialed.

I did both before using the camera. I don't think it is a light meter problem though, since the shutter didn't fire at all. Even at maximum aperture and shutter speed, it should have been bright enough for the negative to show at least some detail.

Donald Qualls · May 28, 2020

And, with a light behind, you should be able to see the flicker, even at 1/500 and small aperture.

I'm not familiar with that camera model, but if you have any access to the shutter (from inside or from the front), sometimes a shot of CRC QD Contact Cleaner will move the stickiness around enough for the shutter to work. For a camera that's not worth paying for a CLA, it's a cheap way to either restore function or kill it completely...

foc · May 28, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
And, with a light behind, you should be able to see the flicker, even at 1/500 and small aperture.

I'm not familiar with that camera model, but if you have any access to the shutter (from inside or from the front), sometimes a shot of CRC QD Contact Cleaner will move the stickiness around enough for the shutter to work. For a camera that's not worth paying for a CLA, it's a cheap way to either restore function or kill it completely...

That is a very good idea. If you don't have the contact cleaner, then you could try a tiny drop of methylated spirits/denatured alcohol.
When I say tiny I mean a wooded toothpick dipped in the spirit and the touched against the shutter blades.(always easier to add more than add too much) You should be able to access this with the back of the camera open.

As Donald said, it is either a kill or cure solution.

Let us know how you get on.

shutterfinger · May 28, 2020

Denatured Alcohol will likely do damage, Isopropyl Alcohol will not.

Agfa Optima Sensor 1535 - Roll only half exposed

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