# Help identifying this old camera



## ahp (Jul 8, 2018)

Hey all,

I inherited this old Agfa camera from my grandfather after he passed. I'm wondering what type of camera this is and what type of film it uses. Any information on how to operate it would also be welcome!

Here are some images:

Front:






Side:





Back:





On the top of the camera there is also a glass rectangle (similar to the one on the side photo).

Thanks in advance,
a


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## ahp (Jul 8, 2018)

In the meantime I found out which camera it was and instructions on how to operate it: Morgan's Photography, a Hobby: Agfa Box 44

If you have additional tips or sample images..always welcome.
Thanks!


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## compur (Jul 8, 2018)

Assuming the shutter works, there isn't much to do except point and shoot. It uses 120 film which is easy enough to find. Get 100 speed (or slower if you find it) color print film and take it outdoors in daylight. Don't forget to advance the film between shots.


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## ahp (Jul 8, 2018)

Thx for the tips compur. Might be interesting to play with the bulb setting aswell. I'll try low iso color and bw!


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## ahp (Jul 8, 2018)

would this be a good color print film to start? KODAK Ektar 100 120 Medium Format Film (Films) - fotoimpex.com analogue photography
I'm not sure what the number after 100 means? (ISO 100/*21°* - my guess would be the temperature at which the film is best processed?)


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## 480sparky (Jul 8, 2018)

ahp said:


> would this be a good color print film to start? KODAK Ektar 100 120 Medium Format Film (Films) - fotoimpex.com analogue photography
> I'm not sure what the number after 100 means? (ISO 100/*21°* - my guess would be the temperature at which the film is best processed?)



100 is the _arithmetic_ ISO, 21° is _logarithmic_ ISO.


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## ahp (Jul 8, 2018)

480sparky said:


> ahp said:
> 
> 
> > would this be a good color print film to start? KODAK Ektar 100 120 Medium Format Film (Films) - fotoimpex.com analogue photography
> ...


Ah ok, thx for that.


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## ahp (Jul 8, 2018)

Another question if I may: Does anyone know the focus distance for the lens in this camera?


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## 480sparky (Jul 8, 2018)

ahp said:


> Another question if I may: Does anyone know the focus distance for the lens in this camera?



∞.


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## vintagesnaps (Jul 8, 2018)

Probably from a few feet in front of you to somewhere off in the distance. These box cameras are fun to use but don't have any focus. I'm not sure if it focuses well on anything close up (I've never tried that using a box camera). 

The glass rectangles you mentioned are the viewfinders, and you can hold the camera horizontally or vertically to frame an image either way. What you're seeing is a reflection on a mirror of whatever's in front of you in view of the camera. Depending on condition and how well you can see the reflected image, you might have to somewhat guesstimate when you're framing (but you don't have to be able to see it clearly enough to focus because, there's nothing to focus! lol)

I use these type cameras in decent light because they don't have settings to use 'faster' films like ISO 400 (because I don't think it was being made yet). 

I noticed this one has tape on it, so I wonder if what I think is an aperture lever doesn't stay up anymore. It looks like there are two settings with dots that show which setting is a smaller aperture (lens opening) and which is larger. This may be set at the smaller aperture setting, and if you just leave well enough alone you may want to shoot in decent light since you'd be getting less light into the camera. I don't know if I'd try to take off the tape or not; it could start peeling off the leatherette (which should be replaceable if you ever wanted to do that). If the tape is dried up enough and lost its stickiness it might just come off. 

Here's a site, the 'living image camera museum', that I've used to look up vintage cameras; if you click on the 360 you'll get a spin-o-rama which you can pause to look at the camera open from all sides. You can also click on What is it like to use? and see a couple of sample photos.
http://www.licm.org.uk/livingImage/Agfa_Box-44html

Found another site that if you scroll down has an interesting story about an Agfa box 44 'Preisbox' camera.
Agfa Box


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## ahp (Jul 9, 2018)

480sparky said:


> ahp said:
> 
> 
> > Another question if I may: Does anyone know the focus distance for the lens in this camera?
> ...


Thanks.


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## ahp (Jul 9, 2018)

vintagesnaps said:


> Probably from a few feet in front of you to somewhere off in the distance. These box cameras are fun to use but don't have any focus. I'm not sure if it focuses well on anything close up (I've never tried that using a box camera).
> 
> The glass rectangles you mentioned are the viewfinders, and you can hold the camera horizontally or vertically to frame an image either way. What you're seeing is a reflection on a mirror of whatever's in front of you in view of the camera. Depending on condition and how well you can see the reflected image, you might have to somewhat guesstimate when you're framing (but you don't have to be able to see it clearly enough to focus because, there's nothing to focus! lol)
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info!

Someone in another post mentioned to shoot on slow film, but to avoid bright light conditions. Is this because the newer "low" iso films still are very sensitive to light compared to what was used in the 1930's? In my mind slow iso means atleast adequate lighting, but they suggested to either shoot early or late.

I suspect that the tape was there to prevent the user to switch to bulb mode. There is a switch you can set to either bulb mode or a set shuttertime. I think the easiest mode to operate the camera was the automatic shutter and they wanted it to stay like that and not be confused.
I took the tape off and I can switch between both settings. The shutter works.

Thanks for the links: both had some useful information on it.


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## vintagesnaps (Jul 9, 2018)

I don't know, I haven't used a box camera for quite some time but most of my vintage cameras don't do so well late day or in lower light. Did someone mean to not shoot toward bright light? I don't do that in general. I've been a photographer forever and it seems to be an internet thing to shoot toward the sun, beats me why people do that. (I mean, sometimes it can work if you want a silhouette, or know how to figure out a vantage point to put the sun behind a tree etc., or if you want some cool flare and know how to angle yourself.)

Although I was thinking about it and i did once take a box camera to a hockey game. It was our team's end of the season carnival weekend so I mostly took some pictures outside of the rides etc., but I did take a few indoors. You get some light reflecting off the ice though so I don't remember offhand trying to use a more vintage camera much indoors or with lower light. 

Maybe experiment and keep notes on what you did to see later what worked and what didn't. You might also want to look at Home - The Film Photography Project, they have their message board on their Flickr group page.


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## compur (Jul 9, 2018)

ahp said:


> would this be a good color print film to start? KODAK Ektar 100 120 Medium Format Film (Films) - fotoimpex.com analogue photography



Yes, it's an excellent film


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## ahp (Jul 11, 2018)

vintagesnaps said:


> I don't know, I haven't used a box camera for quite some time but most of my vintage cameras don't do so well late day or in lower light. Did someone mean to not shoot toward bright light? I don't do that in general. I've been a photographer forever and it seems to be an internet thing to shoot toward the sun, beats me why people do that. (I mean, sometimes it can work if you want a silhouette, or know how to figure out a vantage point to put the sun behind a tree etc., or if you want some cool flare and know how to angle yourself.)
> 
> Although I was thinking about it and i did once take a box camera to a hockey game. It was our team's end of the season carnival weekend so I mostly took some pictures outside of the rides etc., but I did take a few indoors. You get some light reflecting off the ice though so I don't remember offhand trying to use a more vintage camera much indoors or with lower light.
> 
> Maybe experiment and keep notes on what you did to see later what worked and what didn't. You might also want to look at Home - The Film Photography Project, they have their message board on their Flickr group page.


I'll try that and take notes. I'll have a look at that page, thanks!


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## ahp (Jul 11, 2018)

compur said:


> ahp said:
> 
> 
> > would this be a good color print film to start? KODAK Ektar 100 120 Medium Format Film (Films) - fotoimpex.com analogue photography
> ...


Ah, I just ordered yesterday..I went for a lower ISO film (50). This one CINESTILL CineStill Xpro 50 Daylight C-41 120 (Films) - fotoimpex.com analogue photography


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## ahp (Aug 3, 2018)

I just received the negatives from the testroll I shot with the camera and overall I'm pretty pleased. However there is one negative that has some streaking in the sky. Is this because the rolls over which the film rolls when loading and shooting are dirty or...?
See examples below:

this is the original photo (the effect is minimal, but i'd rather know if I can prevent this).






Edited to show the streaks more clearly:






Thanks


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## john.margetts (Aug 3, 2018)

Could easily be poor scanning or poor developing.

The lens is not going to produce quality pictures. The negatives are 6 x 9 cm (or 2 1/4 x 3 inches) and the pictures this camera produces are best viewed at that size. Any larger and they will look awful.


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## ahp (Aug 3, 2018)

ah ok, thx. I'll keep them that size then. Cheers


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## webestang64 (Aug 3, 2018)

Scanner lines for sure. We get those at work if we do not calibrate the scanner every day before use.


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