Agfa Optima

Agfa Optima with Apotar S 3.9/39 in Compur shutter

 

A milestone in camera history: the first camera with programmed shutter automatic exposure. Okay, it isn't a programmed AE as we understand it today, whereat f-stop and shutter speed are adjusted simultaneously. Under conditions with few light the Optima keeps the aperture always open and only changes the shutter speed in the range from 1/30 s to 1/250 s, in bright light the 1/250 s is constant and only the aperture is adjusted. So it is rather a combined shutter/aperture-priority AE, but at last it is fully automatic, you don't have to select one component by yourself.

So the Optima was designed to be as foolproof as possible. The sensational novelty was the "magic lever" on the right side, you press it and if a dot in the viewfinder changes its color from red to green you know, that the light will be sufficient for the picture - before you take the picture. You'll have to press the lever in any case in AE-mode, otherwise the shutter button on top is locked, but you can press the shutter button also when the dot is the viewer stays red - with the risk of underexposure (too dark for 1/30 s at f/3.9). On later Optimas the lever switched to the left side and was combined with the shutter button.

The other problem was focusing. Autofocus wasn't invented yet, and instead of an expensive focusing aid like a rangefinder the Optima was equipped with an effective zone focusing. Only three symbols, in addition the chosen lens is not very fast and its focal length short, so the depth-of-field is large even at open aperture, and adjusting the focus is a sure action.

The Optima has no distance scale and no specification on the lens - the user should not be confused by too much numbers. Other technical functions are very inconspicuously spread. In flash-mode and bulb-mode the set f-stop is displayed in a tiny window at the side of the lens. Both modes can be selected with the dial on the lower left corner near the lens. B is hidden behind a dot (A or B? - Don't confuse the photographer!), selecting the flash-mode reveals the PC-socket, which is covered in A-mode. In both modes it is not necessary to press the magic button. What remains is the setting of the correct film speed, but that can do your photo dealer for you when he is loading a new film.

 

Other specs:

* The Apotar lens is a triplet

* The frame-counter is not self-resetting

* Weight: heavy 725 g

* Bright frame viewfinder without parallax marks

* Selenium cells, no battery required

* Cold shoe

* Year of introduction: 1959

* Price new: moderate 238 Deutsche Mark

* Zone focus ranges:

Two boys: 1.5 - 2.25 m

Family: 2.25 - 4.5 m

Mountain and church: 4.5 m - infinity

 

The lower part of that pictures shows a close-up of the zone focusing symbols. Perhaps the two boys on the left side (short distance) are looking a bit weird to you, but they should be well known to the contemporary user. They are characters taken from a famous German children's book by the author and drawer Wilhelm Busch (1832-1908). Their names are "Max" and "Moritz", true bad boys which have always pranks on their mind. Probably they were the role models for the comic-strip "Katzenjammer Kids".

 

It is my first "classic" Optima. Normally I avoid cameras whereat the function depends on Selenium cells - if the cell is dead, the camera is more or less useless. But this exemplar is in a good condition and the meter works. I bought it on the flea marked from a nice seller, it was the camera of her grandfather and she itself took some photos with it.

Done