The boys hand is in motion and shows the limitations of the 1/30 shutter speed when capturing children. To say that I was pleased was an understatement. Sure, some of the images had some problems. I struggled to get correct focus on closeups using the limited scale focus icons, and there were other examples where the 1/30 shutter speed caused motion blur.
OPTIMA 335 electronic sensor Posted 12-2-'15. The next page contains information on this camera. If you find this manual useful, how about a donation of $3 to: M. Butkus, 29 Lake Ave., High Bridge, NJ and send your e-mail address so I can thank you.
If I were to do this again, I would probably want to bring along a tripod or at least brace myself against something while shooting. The good news is that my exposures were mostly spot on.
In a few cases, I detected a bit of overexposure, but it was minor. I definitely agree that an ISO 100 speed film would be better suited to shooting with this camera like this, but its definitely doable with 200 film.
The focus ring on the front element uses icons to represent portraits, group shots, and landscapes. The AGFA lens delivered sharp and brightly colorful shots when I got it right. The 3-element Agnar is as good as any other triplet I’ve used. Putting a 4 or more element lens into a camera like this would have needlessly increased the price without improving the images a noticeable amount. It is clear that AGFA made little compromises when making the Optima. It’s a shame that selenium meters so often fail after this amount of time, but that’s not something you can fairly complain about. Who in the late 1950s when this camera was being designed, would have thought that some guy would be reviewing it on his Internet blog, 56 years later?
I can definitely see the appeal of this camera when it was new. To have the ability to automatically expose images in a compact camera with a great lens in 1959 must have been an amazing feat. Sure, it has it’s limitations, but as long as you are willing to work within them, you can still get really nice shots from this camera. As the second member in my collection from the Auto Exposure Class of 1959, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about how some of the other examples performed. If anyone reading this post finds an Optima in good working condition, and is wondering if they should pick it up, I’d say absolutely. Even if the meter isn’t working, it’s still usable, you’ll just need to jump through a few hoops! My Final Word The AGFA Optima I is the followup to a historically significant camera.
Although it has a few revisions to that original model, its still very close to the design and performance of that model. While the example in my collection had a dead meter, I was still able to use it and the images I got from it were quite impressive. Had this camera been working properly, it would have been a very fun and capable compact 35mm camera that I predict I would have shot again. While I doubt many people would be willing to jump through the hoops I did for this review, if you find one of these for sale in working condition, I absolutely recommend picking it up. Images Handling Features Viewfinder Feel & Beauty History Age 2 2 1 0 1 2 20% Bonus none Final Score 9.6 Additional Resources.
. 1954 Folder. 1970. 1978 Viewfinders.
1956 Rangefinder. 1980 SLR Agfa Optima Sensor Electronic Flash 1981 - 1983 Overview The Agfa Optima Sensor Electronic Flash was the fifth model in the Optima Sensor Electronic series, and as the name suggests, incorporated a flash gun, which when activated, provided automatic flash exposure. The flash had a guide number of 12 (read about guide numbers, aperture and distance in my article ), giving it a short effective range of between 0.9 and 4m with a 100 ASA film (up to 8m with 400 ASA). The lens zone focus setting determined the appropriate aperture for correct flash exposure.
I've repeatedly read a load of rubbish when researching this camera, the biggest and most common error being descriptions of the Flash as like a 1035. Apart from features common to the entire series of cameras (like the sensor button, step-less Paratronic shutter, auto exposure, the film loading and transport system), the only thing the Flash has in common with the 1035 is a top shutter speed of 1/1000th sec. The differences are; the Flash has a slow shutter speed of 1/45th (compared to 15 seconds on the 1035), it has a Solitar rather than a Solitar S lens, it lacks the 1035's self timer and viewfinder display of focusing zones.
Further more, unlike the 1035 and all the other series models, it doesn't have a lens aperture dial. It doesn't need one as this control is only used in conjunction with a separate flash unit. It is a different size and shape to all the other Optima Sensor Electronic cameras, due to the flash housing and larger battery compartment - relocated to the user's right side of the body.
A final difference between this camera and its relations is that it's got two swivelling body strap lugs. So it's not at all like a 1035 with a flash stuck-on! Two other common errors in the description of these cameras refer to the Paratronic lens and its leaf shutter. The name Paratronic, whilst appearing on the lens bezel is actually the name of the shutter. It's not a leaf shutter, or a Paratronic lens.
It's a Paratronic shutter. Many Internet accounts of this camera attribute a slow shutter speed of 1/30th. The user manual specifies 1/45th. Agfa stopped producing cameras in 1983, but the Optima Sensor Electronic Flash design continued to be manufactured in China, re-badged as the, which apparently had lenses made of lanthanum glass. 335s and 'no number' cameras are in relatively abundant supply, followed by the 535 and Flash, which are not quite as common. The 1035 and 1535 are less abundant and command higher prices. A full page Agfa advertisement for the Flash that appeared in a 1982 edition of Amateur Photographer magazine (shown below) said the cost of the camera was around £50.
Viewfinder: Large Albada finder with fixed parallax correction marks and 0.78x magnification. Red under/over exposure warning LED.
Focus: Manual 3 zone focusing. Lens: Agfa Solitar 40mm f/2.8 (4 Elements in 3 Groups). Close Focus: 3' (0.9m). Diaphragm: Stopping down to about f/22. Shutter: Agfa Paratronic, with electronically controlled step-less speeds from 1/45th to 1/1000th. Cable Release: On users right side of the body. Meter: CdS cell.
Activated by a gentle press, or tap on the shutter release button. Exposure: Fully automatic, continuous regulation of exposure times and f-stop settings, plus auto flash exposure.
Film Speed: 25 - 500 ASA (15 - 28 DIN). Filter Size: 49mm screw fit. Flash: Built-in flip-up flash. 12 at 100 ASA. No provision for connecting a separate flash unit. Film Advance: Lever with film advance with check silver knurled wheel on the bottom plate of the camera. Frame Counter: Automatic count up and count down on rewind.
Rewind: A switch on the top plate reverses the wind gearing so the film advance lever also rewinds. It needs to be pressed and turned to align two marks.
Back Opening: Sliding latch. Size: 118 × 86 × 59mm (W x H x D). Weight: 325 g. Battery: Two 1.5 volt type AAA battery. Covering the CdS cell and tapping the sensor button also serves as a battery check. My Camera I was drawn to this camera because it's weird and wonderful.
I've often seen Flashes for sale on eBay, but knew very little about them until the chance purchase of an introduced me to Sensor button models. I like its styling: it's totally different. I also like its point and shoot simplicity, which is supported by an exposure system that's theoretically pretty accurate.
It's made to deal with any light level photography, and offers the compact pocket-ability a point and shoot camera should have. In the time I've been looking out for one of these cameras the typical asking price has been around £20 to £25 and above. It's often the way with uncommon cameras: their value conforms to a specific price bracket, because person A picks a price, and person B copies, and so does the next.
More recently, prices have fallen to £15 to £20 (the same unsold cameras getting relisted), but that's still too much money. Finally, in November 2015, a Flash was listed at 99p. There were a couple of bids, but I got it for £3.31. I popped some new batteries in my Flash, and gave it a quick try. Hoorah, everything seems to be in FWO, and the camera looks like it's had a careful owner. I may yet discover something that better deserves the title, but the Flash seems to be the ultimate point and shoot: it's adorable. I've said this of a few cameras, but this Agfa Optima Sensor Electronic Flash is now my new first choice travelling companion.
The AGFA Company started in Berlin, in 1867, and produced chemicals for photography. In 1926 it introduced the Agfa camera.
In 1954 it modernized its pre-war camera design with the Silette series. In 1968 Agfa introduced its red sensor point, a round membrane made of red foil and framed with a metal ring.
Depending on the camera type, either a mechanical or an electromechanical shutter release button was hidden under the flexible membrane. Since then this touchpad-like shutter button was used on most of the company's models and became a familiar feature. Agfa gave up camera production in 1983.