For the past year I have been restoring Agfa Isolettes and Ansco Speedex 6x6 folders as an enjoyable hobby. I do it mainly for the satisfaction of transforming these 50 year old cameras from dust collectors to fully functional photographic instruments, and not with the intent of selling the cameras for a profit.
I currently have 20 restored cameras that I would like to give away as gifts to photographers who would like to get into medium format photography or just have a very portable MF camera to carry with them.
I have only a few conditions (which I can't enforce) attached to this offer:
1. That you are sincere and serious about making photographs with these cameras (which almost all APUG'ers are) and just don't collect them or want to resell them for a profit.
2. That you send a contribution to APUG (at least $10 would be nice).
All cameras have f/4.5 85mm Apotar lenses. Most have Prontor-S or SV shutters (8 speed + B). A few have Pronto (4 speed + B) shutters and two have Compur-Rapid shutters. Four have the focusing ring in meters, the rest are in feet. Four are Isolette III type models with the uncoupled rangefinder, the rest are Isolette II type with no rangefinder.
All cameras are pretty much equal in quality.
Once again, the cameras are free and I will pay the postage. You may specify your preference (e.g. feet or meters), but I reserve the right to pick the camera for you.
Please PM or E-mail me if you are interested.
Here's what I do to restore these cameras:
All cameras are completely disassembled. Lenses are removed from the shutter. The lens glass is removed from the lens mount and cleaned with a solution of 50% ammonia and 50% peroxide. Lens mounts are cleaned of all old grease using non-acetone nail polish remover. Shutter is disassembled and cleaned with either a very small amount of Ronsonol lighter fluid (naphtha) and/or Asahiklin AK225 tech cleaner, depending on how much cleaning is required. Any residue left on the shutter leaves or diaphragm leaves is carefully removed using Eclipse Optic cleaner. In some cases (not all), the shutter escapement and delay timer gears receive a very light application of molybdenum disulfide (BP-2000 powder) dry lubricant. The old bellows is removed. The top plate is removed. Dust and dirt is removed from all interior surfaces using the ammonia/peroxide solution. The shutter release mechanism and double-exposure prevention mechanism receive a very light oil. Excess is removed. The film take-up winding knobs are cleaned and dry lubricated using the BP-2000 powder. If the camera has a rangefinder, it is removed, disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, and adjusted. The top plate is cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner using a biodegradable cleaning solution (EuroSonic). I may also use a restoration metal polish to further improve the appearance of the top plate. For badly tarnished depth-of-field dials on the top of the camera I use a Dremel burnishing brush to 'brass' the dial. The exterior cover is cleaned using ArmorAll Cleaning wipes. If the covering is in very bad shape I completely remove the old covering, clean the camera down to the bare metal, and re-cover using black seal grain leatherette purchased from CameraLeather.com. The camera is reassembled. I fabricate new leather bellows and install them. Bellows are checked for light tightness. Focus is adjusted using an old Rolleiflex focusing screen with two 120 reels attached to each end. The focusing screen is loaded into the camera and focus is adjusted for 10 feet using a loupe. After securing the focusing ring at the 10 foot (or 3 meters) indicator, focus is again checked at 3, 6, 10, 30, and infinity. If the camera has a rangefinder, the focusing ring is matched to the distance reading on the rangefinder. Last step is just to check that everything works.
I currently have 20 restored cameras that I would like to give away as gifts to photographers who would like to get into medium format photography or just have a very portable MF camera to carry with them.
I have only a few conditions (which I can't enforce) attached to this offer:
1. That you are sincere and serious about making photographs with these cameras (which almost all APUG'ers are) and just don't collect them or want to resell them for a profit.
2. That you send a contribution to APUG (at least $10 would be nice).
All cameras have f/4.5 85mm Apotar lenses. Most have Prontor-S or SV shutters (8 speed + B). A few have Pronto (4 speed + B) shutters and two have Compur-Rapid shutters. Four have the focusing ring in meters, the rest are in feet. Four are Isolette III type models with the uncoupled rangefinder, the rest are Isolette II type with no rangefinder.
All cameras are pretty much equal in quality.
Once again, the cameras are free and I will pay the postage. You may specify your preference (e.g. feet or meters), but I reserve the right to pick the camera for you.
Please PM or E-mail me if you are interested.
Here's what I do to restore these cameras:
All cameras are completely disassembled. Lenses are removed from the shutter. The lens glass is removed from the lens mount and cleaned with a solution of 50% ammonia and 50% peroxide. Lens mounts are cleaned of all old grease using non-acetone nail polish remover. Shutter is disassembled and cleaned with either a very small amount of Ronsonol lighter fluid (naphtha) and/or Asahiklin AK225 tech cleaner, depending on how much cleaning is required. Any residue left on the shutter leaves or diaphragm leaves is carefully removed using Eclipse Optic cleaner. In some cases (not all), the shutter escapement and delay timer gears receive a very light application of molybdenum disulfide (BP-2000 powder) dry lubricant. The old bellows is removed. The top plate is removed. Dust and dirt is removed from all interior surfaces using the ammonia/peroxide solution. The shutter release mechanism and double-exposure prevention mechanism receive a very light oil. Excess is removed. The film take-up winding knobs are cleaned and dry lubricated using the BP-2000 powder. If the camera has a rangefinder, it is removed, disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, and adjusted. The top plate is cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner using a biodegradable cleaning solution (EuroSonic). I may also use a restoration metal polish to further improve the appearance of the top plate. For badly tarnished depth-of-field dials on the top of the camera I use a Dremel burnishing brush to 'brass' the dial. The exterior cover is cleaned using ArmorAll Cleaning wipes. If the covering is in very bad shape I completely remove the old covering, clean the camera down to the bare metal, and re-cover using black seal grain leatherette purchased from CameraLeather.com. The camera is reassembled. I fabricate new leather bellows and install them. Bellows are checked for light tightness. Focus is adjusted using an old Rolleiflex focusing screen with two 120 reels attached to each end. The focusing screen is loaded into the camera and focus is adjusted for 10 feet using a loupe. After securing the focusing ring at the 10 foot (or 3 meters) indicator, focus is again checked at 3, 6, 10, 30, and infinity. If the camera has a rangefinder, the focusing ring is matched to the distance reading on the rangefinder. Last step is just to check that everything works.
