Agfa Microflex 200

[Splee]

I acquired an Agfa Microflex 200 S8 camera today, along with an editor, which I found in a charity shop.

I've found out very little about it online, so I'm wondering if you can all help me work out what it can do. I'm assuming it's a 40/160 camera, judging by the button inside the film compartment. However, it has a knob on it labelled A, O and + - what does this do? Is it some sort of exposure compensation, or does it do something else? I'm wondering if it is suitable for E64T or not.

Any other opinions on this camera? It's really small, so I hope I can make use of it.

Lee

[Marco P]

I've found out very little about it online, so I'm wondering if you can all help me work out what it can do. I'm assuming it's a 40/160 camera, judging by the button inside the film compartment.

Yes.

However, it has a knob on it labelled A, O and + - what does this do? Is it some sort of exposure compensation, or does it do something else?

A = automatic exposure
O = off
+ = backlight correction

I'm wondering if it is suitable for E64T or not.

Well, it depends ...

E64T is exposed at ISO 40/17, i.e. 2/3 f-stops over. However, as these cameras are about 30 years old, calibration is somewhat off anyway. Just give it a try.

Any other opinions on this camera? It's really small, so I hope I can make use of it.

I really like the Microflexes, have several of them!

Marco

[Muckymuck]

If I remember rightly the + setting on Agfa cameras opens the lens by one stop.

Therefore the camera is in effect

40 (20 with +) 160 (80 with +) (filter out)

25 (12 with +) 100 (50 with +) (filter in).

This means that using the + function you can:

Use 64T rated at 50 ISO WITH filter giving just 1/3 stop underexposure. You need to re-notch the cart so that it is read as 160 ISO. This underexposure will not be noticable, and indeed in bright conditions will give you an extreme saturation of colours- lovely! It's the same in tungsten light- the camera will rate the film at 80 ISO, also giving 1/3 stop under exposure. In my experience, not noticable.

Use 100D at 80 ISO WITHOUT filter giving 1/3 stop over exposure (again, not noticable).

[Unfortunately the Agfa cameras are true 40/160 cameras meaning they don't do 25/100 daylight WITHOUT filter, only with filter. They are Type G cameras so when the filter is disengaged (whether by cartridge or switch) they read 40/160.]

EDIT: Sorry about the error earlier. What was I on? My memory is clearly on the blink...

[Marco P]

If I remember rightly the + setting on Agfa cameras open the lens by one stop.

Correct.

Therefore the camera is in effect

40 (80 with +) 160 (250 with +) (filter out)
25 (50 with +) 100 (200 with +) (filter in).

This means that using the + function you can:

Use 64T rated at 50 ISO WITH filter giving just 1/3 stop underexposure.

Sorry, but not correct.

Opening the lens by one f-stop means rating the E64T at ISO 20/14 instead of ISO 64/19, resulting in an overexposure of almost 2 f-stops!

[...]
Trust me, I've tested everything I've stated here with an Agfa Movexoom which has the same + setting.

Hmm, something must be wrong here ...

Marco

[Lunar07]

If I remember rightly the + setting on Agfa cameras open the lens by one stop.

Therefore the camera is in effect

40 (80 with +) 160 (250 with +) (filter out)

25 (50 with +) 100 (200 with +) (filter in).

As you noted -- this is a G type camera.
Filter IN:
25 (<b>12.5</b> with +) 100 (<b>50</b> with +)

Filter OUT:
40 (<b>20</b> with +) 160 (<b>80</b> with +)

The way to do it is to force camera to read cart at 160 (file speed notch). Then with filter OUT (remove filter via filter switch) and WITH + camera is metering at 80. Perfect! Finally, use external 85B filter.

[Muckymuck]

Sorry, my mistake on the maths, I hadn't woken up yet. I'll rectify the post accordingly so as not to confuse.

[Jim Carlile]

BTW, these were made by Minolta-- the early one was very similar to the Pocket Z-8, the same A O + thing.

What this means is watch out for the motor-- in the Minoltas they tended to fizzle out. Also, the battery connections can get loose.