Say hello to my new friend....

[schrackman]

I found this in an antique store yesterday and couldn't resist as it only cost a tad over $17. It's an Agfa Parat-1 fully manual half frame camera with a Color Apotar 30mm f/2.8 lens.

f-stops go from 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22. Shutter speeds are 30, 60, 125 & bulb.

Everything seems to work fine, no haze on viewfinder or lens. Just got to load it up with film and start shooting.

I'm a bit baffled by the three symbols on the lens (under PARAT-1) as well as the dial on the bottom of the camera (probably for the ISO). But I'm sure I'll figure it out or someone on rangefinders can tell me.

Ain't it cute?

Oh, production date was 1963. It's two years older than me!

[Frog]

Neat......hope it works well for you.

[mtbbrian]

That has to be the cutest little camera I have ever seen!
Isn't considered to be a toy camera? It sounds familiar to me.
Brian

[Grandpaw]

I found this in an antique store yesterday and couldn't resist as it only cost a tad over $17. It's an Agfa Parat-1 fully manual half frame camera with a Color Apotar 30mm f/2.8 lens.

f-stops go from 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22. Shutter speeds are 30, 60, 125 & bulb.

Everything seems to work fine, no haze on viewfinder or lens. Just got to load it up with film and start shooting.

I'm a bit baffled by the three symbols on the lens (under PARAT-1) as well as the dial on the bottom of the camera (probably for the ISO). But I'm sure I'll figure it out or someone on rangefinders can tell me.

Ain't it cute?

Oh, production date was 1963. It's two years older than me!

I would think those symbols are for three preset settings, close up, group, and infinity. This part I had right but wrote down the wrong reason, Jeff

[schrackman]

Thanks Frog.

Brian, it's not quite a toy camera. While most of the innards are plastic, the top is brushed aluminum and adds quite a sturdy feel to the camera.

I found out that the pictograms are portrait, group, and landscape, which is a kind of zone focusing. Alternatively, one may use the distance scale for focusing.

The dial on the bottom of the camera is the frame counter. No ISO/ASA dial on this camera. Sunny sixteen rule all the way.

Check out the film recommendation on the inside of the back cover!

The neat thing is, one can do some interesting dyptichs with a half frame camera such as this.

[schrackman]

Hey, anybody know of a good b/w film that comes in 12 exposures? Using it in my half frame camera will give me 24 exposures. Don't really want to shoot more than that at one time, as it will take me forever to fill up the roll and I don't want to wait that long before I develop the film. Besides, I've got another roll of FP4+ 24 exp. in my Canonet that I have to shoot also.

I wanted to try Neopan Acros 100, but I could only find that in 36 exposures. I also wanted to try Agfapan APX 100, but that comes in 24 exposures.

Please don't tell me I'm gonna have to buy in bulk and then make my own roll just to get 12 exposures of the kind of film I want to shoot!

[mtbbrian]

There's a 35mm half frame forum over on RFF Ray. Check there.
Also I just posted another reply onthe Canonet thread earlier today, you might want to check it out...
Good luck with that cute little camera!
:biggrin5: :thumbsup:
Brian

[schrackman]

That was my next move, Brian. Thanks!

[mtbbrian]

That was my next move, Brian. Thanks!

LOL! I know I saw it after I posted here!
Brian