【美壇綜藝秀假日篇】Vintage folding bellow camera restoration

The Isolette was the “bread and butter” camera for Agfa for the longest time. It features a folding bellow  and the lens can be retracted into the camera body for easy carrying. It is a 6X6cm format 120 film camera. Years ago I acquired an Agfa Isolette II, produced c1950-c1960 as a free gift, everything seemed working though.  The most noticable problem is light leaking at every corner of the aging bellow which I had been ready to replace by making a new one by myself. Then after the first film trial all photos were out of focus did I realize that the lens barrel was seized and didn't move when turned the focus ring -- reason being the chemical reaction between the lubricating grease and the brass lens barrel after over half a century. Upon fixing all the stuffs with great passion I realized that I am rather a craftsman, not artist.  Even my photographic works reflect more of the craftsman spirit side, over focusing on details, lacking overall aesthetic beauty. Anyway it is what it is.

In the video you see the camera with a 120 film roll, the film is Kodak TMAX 400 professional black/white film，it is another money blowing hobby, 6X6 format only produces 12 shots for one roll. Now most time this babie is sitting there collecting dust or being photographic prop once in a while.

1.  85mm lens on a 6x6 camera is 50mm equivent of a 35mm camera, so called standard lens

2. Bellow material, made of two lays of opaque textile

3. lens fixing highlights.

4. After fixing the focus mechanism, need focus calibration, sounds like something mysterious. Can be done with a simple in house DIY. A digital camera mounted with a telephoto lens and the Agfa Isolette , lens to lens head on;  set the focus point of the digital camera to infinity (∞) or lazy eight if you prefer; open the back cover of Agfa and put a picture on the film plan; turn the focus ring of Agfa until  the best focused photo is achieved on the digital camera meaning your Agfa is also set at infinity (∞) , align the ∞ on the focus ring to the index pointer and lock the focus ring.   I understand it must be very confusing for the photographic glossaries.  Here is the Chinese

調焦環能動了，但與刻度還必須對應上，鏡頭焦點還要校準。大概就像下麵這種設置，兩個相機頭對頭，數碼相機，配個長焦鏡頭，焦距越長越好. 這隻是用眼睛看著校準，焦距越長景深越淺嗎，結果會越精確。把數碼相機焦點調到無窮遠，在Agfa的膠卷平麵上放一張圖片，轉動Agfa的調焦環，當數碼相機拍出來的照片達到最清晰的時候，Agfa 焦點就是調到了無窮遠，然後把調焦刻度盤的無窮遠位置對準指針，鎖死刻度盤。