Vintage Agfa Isolette II camera and Apotar 85 mm lens. Germany, 1950s

Vintage Agfa Isolette II camera with Apotar 85 mm lens. Germany, 1950s

This Agfa Isolette II that we present here is a German folding camera from the 1950s designed for 120 film and capable of producing 6 × 6 cm negatives with surprising quality. It is a model much appreciated by those who seek a classic, compact, portable and reliable camera, with more than adequate optical performance and a simple, sturdy mechanical design. The front standard opens smoothly and the bellows extend with precision, maintaining correct alignment that allows stable and clean focusing. The closing system also works well, so the camera folds compactly and securely.

Equipped with an Apotar 1:4.5 85 mm lens, this Isolette II offers balanced sharpness and soft contrast, characteristics that fit especially well with the character of classic medium format. The Compur shutter on this example works, although it has not been timed. This type of shutter is one of the most reliable that were manufactured in that era, and finding one in good condition like this always adds value. The bellows show no light leaks, a key aspect to guarantee clean images with good contrast.

On the top shoe there is a Repometer, an accessory rangefinder that originally served to measure distances and facilitate focusing. On this example it does not work entirely well, since the two images that should coincide never manage to do so due to some internal misalignment, but it contributes visual presence and a very attractive technical touch that complements the whole.

This Agfa Isolette II fits very well in any collection of medium format folding cameras, since it summarizes the style and philosophy of Agfa during the fifties. It combines a pleasing design with reliable mechanics and competent optics. It is a piece that works very well as a display object on a shelf or in a showcase, or as a gift for someone special.

Measurements: 9.5 cm × 13.5 cm (3.74 in × 5.31 in).

History of Isolette

The Agfa Isolette family was introduced at the beginning of the 1940s and remained in production during the following years, becoming one of the most recognizable lines of medium format folding cameras in the Agfa catalogue. The company’s aim was to offer compact and relatively affordable cameras that allowed users to take advantage of 120 film without relying on more voluminous professional equipment. Throughout the series different variants were manufactured, with lenses of various levels and shutters of different grades, from simple units to models equipped with high-performance Compur shutters. The Isolettes stood out for their combination of portability and image quality, with 6 × 6 cm negatives that provided a definition far superior to 35 mm film. Their folding design allowed the volume of the equipment to be reduced when not in use, which made them common travelling companions for many European amateurs in the postwar period. Over time these models were displaced by more modern plastic cameras and by the rise of 35 mm systems, but the Isolette maintained its prestige among those who appreciated medium format. Today the Isolette series remains a reference point for collectors and users who seek quality folding cameras, both for their aesthetics and for their ability to continue producing fully valid photographs many decades after their manufacture.