AGFA

I don't confess to being a camera repair person nor an expert on How-To but I consider myself "Handy", "Jack of all Trades Master of a Few". Photography is my passion not my lively hood that I owe to being on active Duty in the US Navy. My profession is a Technical Technician with over 20 years experience. I started fixing these AGFA's/ANSCO's for myself and to use in a Basic Black & White Photography class I teach. I wanted a inexpensive manual camera and Medium Format. After buying a few I came to relies the problem with older cameras and is was not worth paying to have them fixed. Hence "Rebuilding an Agfa" after researching and reading a few books I started on my first rebuild. That one went bad real fast after following someone else's procedures I cracked the lens. I have rebuilt/refurbished 50+ to date and still learning as I go. I do not go in to shutter repair that's something that's a hit or miss with me at this time. Most of the AGFA's have frozen focus rings when they were made 50+ years ago what ever lubricant that was used turned out to be a very good cement (with a long cure time). Some of my procurers and methods may not be from camera 101 but what ever works. Before continuing complete the: I have Read and Accept the disclaimer at end of page

4. Take detailed drawings and/or pictures (love digital) as you take them apart.


BEFORE: Not Bad But... This is the before not a bad camera: Lens ring frozen, Top plate rusted, Viewfinder dirty, Bellows fair but one or two Pin Holes, Plus the whole camera needs a good cleaning.	AFTER: Makes a rather Striking Camera This is the after something to look forward to: All to the left have been fixed. Also I tried something different the rust on the top plate would not come off so I removed it down to the Brass.

After checking the focus ring was found to be frozen also to clean the lens you start here.	Three very small screws are located around the focus ring. They are made of soft aluminum and will strip easily. just unscrew them just enough to remove the focus ring.
	If after taking the ring off and trying to unscrew the first lens element and it does not budge. Take tape I use Gaffers (leaves no sticky) masking would do fine and wrap the treads of the lens.

	Take a hose clamp the type you get from the Auto store. Tighten it around the threads and unscrew the lens with the clamp used as your grip. Hold onto the shutter assembly so not to twist the bellows. Make sure the clamp does not scratch or hang up on any shutter parts.
Some times just the front element comes out. Other times Front and Middle. If you have both tape the other set of threads and attach a second hose clamp and try to twist the two apart.
	Both rings before twisting. Remember rule #1 Twist
	If you followed rule # 1 and that did not work remove the hose clamps and tape Use a small closed bottle -film cans work great put the lens and a little Secret Weapon - Acetone in nice small bottles with a nice lemon smell and let sit over night. * use of nonlemon makes no difference.
If after soaking, the lens still doesn't twist apart reinstall the hose clamps and twist them apart.

After the lens are apart be careful with them. Don't sit them on hard objects or let them get scratched. The first cleaning is rather robust using either the Nail Polish Remover or alcohol and a small brush (it's time for a new tooth brush any way) or an acid brush that's been trimmed short. Use toothpicks or a straight pin to get the hardened lubrication out of the threads. Also use Lots of Q-Tips.

After the gunk is off it's time to clean the lens.

Windex and Lots of Q-Tips.

Kodak lens cleaner and Lots of Q-Tips.

For Fungus try a 1:1 mixture of Ammonia and Hydrogen Peroxide and Lots of Q-Tips.

Finally check the leans with back lighting don't worry about the little bubbles in the glass all lens have them. You can also use a Micro Fiber Cloth at the end wrapped around a Q-tip to get in the tight spots.

Put the cleaned lens in a safe place

With the front element of the Lens removed the middle element can be cleaned in place if care is taken.

First all the old lubricant that is in the threads of the focus mount needs to be cleaned out. The first cleaning is rather robust using either the Nail Polish Remover or alcohol and an acid brush that's been trimmed short. Use toothpicks or a straight pin to get the hardened lubrication out of the threads. Also use Lots of Q-Tips.

After the gunk is off it's time to clean the lens.

Windex and Lots of Q-Tips.

Kodak lens cleaner and Lots of Q-Tips.

For Fungus try a 1:1 mixture of Ammonia and Hydrogen Peroxide and Lots of Q-Tips.

	The removal of the Top Plate is pretty straight forward. Be careful it's easy to round off the heads of the screws this is where a good set of screw drivers come in handy.
	I put in a empty spool to keep the wind mechanism from falling inside .
This all it takes three screws. Clean all the parts and put them away (small Tupper ware works great). If you look to the right of the viewer this top plate has a lot of corrosion. This when I decided to try something new. I removed all (most) of the chrome finish down to the brass.
	Bare top plate
The glass in the viewfinder is non-removable just clean in place.

	This is one of the specialty tools that's hard to work with out. I also use a 1 inch stiff putty knife like a large screw driver.
	Open up the back of the camera and cover the Lens with Gaffer's tape (or what ever tape you have) This will help protect it just incase you slip.
Use the spanner wrench and unscrew the lens element. That's the center portion.
	Remove the Back Len's element and clean like the other lens. Set aside for now.
Use a small wood doll or a screw driver and open the front of the camera by depressing the button housing.

	With the shutter exposed set the f/ to the smallest number (aperture wide open) and select B for the shutter speed. The shutter will stay open as long as the shutter release is depressed.
In this case the lever is held open with a rubber band. This gives access to the center lens with out having to remove it for cleaning. Clean as before and check for any dust before installing the back element.
After the Middle Len's has been cleaned use a little air to blow out the shutter and reinstall the Back Len's following the removal in reverse. Remove the rubber band and close the front door before starting.

	With the lights out use a Flash or Flash Light to check the Bellows for light leaks. The best way to repair bellows is to replace them this adds +$100 to the cost of the camera. I have been carrying an AGFA ISOLETTE for almost a year with fixed/repaired bellows. Though my method of repair is not probably the correct way to fix bellows (replacement is). For the few rolls (15 this year) of film I use the camera for it is the most cost effective.
After every couple of rolls I check the Bellows (shine a flash light in them) and check for any holes so far none ... so my repair is holding up. If you were going to use the camera a lot and every day maybe look in to one with replaced bellows. At least I’m saying that I put something on the bellows. I have two sitting on my bench that look like they were fixed with tire patch material and tape or are completely unrepairable. At present I’m having new bellows made for me at which time I’ll start putting new bellows on them.
	If the Bellows are not light tight little pin holes of light can be seen mostly at the corners.
Different books recommend about a dozen different methods and I have tried a few of them but with the AGFA’s this works best. This is the repair for this type of bellows as they are a plastic type of material not leather (that’s another story) A mixture of Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, isopropyl alcohol, neopentyl, glycol and the list goes on it is sold in small bottles under the name Wet’n’Wild nail color and I like #424 black cream. I know what your thinking but it’s a form of liquid plastic with fillers and bonding materials added. I put a two coats on the entire corner section of the bellows and recheck after they dry. I open and close the camera a few times and check for light leaks.

	After taking all the lens apart and removing the Focus Ring the camera needs to be Refocused. I also took some Metal Polish to the ring to remove some grime.
Cut some wax paper the width of 120 film tape and roll some together.
	Load the wax paper film in the camera.
Take the camera outside and mount it on a tripod. Lock the shutter open and set the f/stop wide open. Keep the back open and aim it at something 300feet or more away. Use the wax paper as a Focusing Glass of a View Camera turn the First Len's Element in and out till your image is in Focus (upside down is correct). Reinstall the Focus ring at infinity and lightly tighten down the three small screws. Now check your focus at different ranges i.e. 3 feet, 12 feet and so on. If your satisfied retighten the three screws.

	I'm not into the high tech solvents and cleaners as you have seen so far most are every day common cleaners. Hay if it work's on my new car why not my 40 year old camera.
I put all the chemicals in one picture for you.
The Shine' N Go is great stuff just a little silicone helps keep the rust down on the metal parts and makes the learthett shine . Put it on let it sit than wipe it off with a dry towel. While your at it do your shoes.

1. Chock and fire the shutter at all speeds. Watch the aperture blades open and close. a. If it doesn’t work at all beyond me to fix---new/replacement shutter. b. Blades open and close erratic / slow caused by oil on the blades --- sometimes a disassembly and alcohol cleaning will fix it. 2, Set the shutter on B aperture wide open. Open the back, release and hold the shutter while looking at a light. a. Check the lens for Fungus, haze and separation.

3.Open the back up extend the bellows / lens assembly. In the dark take a strong flash light into the bellows epically the corners looking for light leaks. --- Some pin holes can be temporally fixed if bad new bellows are needed ($$$)

If this was a help to you and you would like to donate a buck or two to keep me up on line - Through PayPal