Agfa Microflex sensor info

[etimh]

Does anybody have a free copy of an Agfa Microflex sensor manual or know where one might be posted?

My girlfriend got this camera because she thought it was "super-cute," but this little guy is kind of mysterious. It has no cartridge notch sensor/reader/pin of any kind--does that mean it was made for 40 ASA film only?

And what about the daylight filter (also no pin)? Does it even have one? And if so, how do you engage it?

(photos courtesy mondofoto.com)







A little help? Thanks.

Tim

[tlatosmd]

I remember shooting with the 200's little brother, the Microflex100, this summer in London because I'd forgotten to take the 200 with me. Really, really neat and convenient for shooting at least 40ASA, don't know about 160, as it's so small and handy. I think I dimly remember the same issue about no daylight filter switch. If that was the case, I guess I was thinking of that I'd be compensating with a digital white balance anyway.
Another reason why it's so neat is that you can't be out of focus with these as they have fixed-focus lenses. Bad thing about that is though that your zoom range is rather limited. The other flaw is that you don't have a regular handle trigger but only that button on top to push in, and your fingers are prone to slide off that button. Makes for pretty interesting stop-motion or inconsistent cuts and flashes in shots, actually looking a lot like typical clichees about S8.

[VideoFred]

Strange how these little Agfa's are loved by woman.
We started our filmcareer with the first Agfa: the Movex.
The very basic model, without the zoom.
Must have been one of the first Agfa Super-8 cams!
It was my mothers favorite camera.

This was taken with the Movex:




But to answer your question about the Microflex:
I might have something, at home...

Fred.

[etimh]

Strange how these little Agfa's are loved by woman.

Yeah, the perfect Super8 fashion accessory.

But to answer your question about the Microflex:
I might have something, at home...

Anything you can do would be helpful VideoFred, thanks a lot.

Tim

[Jonathan]

Hi,

the Agfa Microflex only works with 40 ASA cartridges, that's why there is no ASA notch feeler. You can disengage the filter, but it's a bit tricky as there is no filter switch. I don't have the camera here at the moment, but I think I remember that there was some kind of switch on the bottom side of the camera, underneath the tripod thread (!!). There is a special pin coming with the camera which you can screw into that thread and that disengages the filter. You can try the following: open the cartridge door, run the camera and look through the lens. You should see the orange tint of the filter. Now press this magic hidden switch with a screwdriver and see if the filter is moved out of the way.

Good luck!

Jonathan.

[etimh]

Hi,

the Agfa Microflex only works with 40 ASA cartridges, that's why there is no ASA notch feeler. You can disengage the filter, but it's a bit tricky as there is no filter switch. I don't have the camera here at the moment, but I think I remember that there was some kind of switch on the bottom side of the camera, underneath the tripod thread (!!). There is a special pin coming with the camera which you can screw into that thread and that disengages the filter. You can try the following: open the cartridge door, run the camera and look through the lens. You should see the orange tint of the filter. Now press this magic hidden switch with a screwdriver and see if the filter is moved out of the way.

Good luck!

Jonathan.

Thanks for the info Jonathan!

I did detect the orange tint in there but wasn't sure what was going on since I didn't see any filter switch. I even took a paper clip and pushed up into that tripod hole in the bottom. It moved a mechanism in there but for some reason I thought it had to do with a handle trigger or something. Never thought to see if it was disengaging the filter. It does though! I can clearly see the filter being removed. But I don't have this screw-in "filter key" so I'll have to figure something else out.

Don't know what to think about the camera only using 40 ASA. Curse Kodak...again.

Tim

[Jonathan]

Hi,

good to hear that it works for you. Maybe you can get a tripod screw and put some short metal rod of the correct diameter into the tripod hole and then carefully (!) insert and tighten the screw.

About reading only 40 ASA: Since this camera has an external light meter (no TTL), you can actually use it with E64, at least in daylight: Disengage the internal filter, now the camera exposes for 40 ASA, then put on an external 85B filter, which gives correct color temperature and cuts the sensitivity to 40. Only drawback is the orange tint in the viewfinder.

Jonathan.

[MovieStuff]

I can clearly see the filter being removed. But I don't have this screw-in "filter key" so I'll have to figure something else out.

Just go to the local hardware store and get a short, 1/4-20 thread bolt. Probably cost you about 50 cents. The tripod socket thingy on the bottom is generally universal. Could be something different but my bet it that it is 1/4-20 like all other cameras. Let us know how it works out.

And, yes, these cameras are small enough to make ear-rings out of.

Roger

[Evan Kubota]

"Just go to the local hardware store and get a short, 1/4-20 thread bolt."

From the description in the thread, it sounds like there's an additional pin required on top of the tripod screw to deactivate the filter..

[MovieStuff]

"Just go to the local hardware store and get a short, 1/4-20 thread bolt."

From the description in the thread, it sounds like there's an additional pin required on top of the tripod screw to deactivate the filter..

That's why the almighty invented wooden Q tips!

Roger

[tlatosmd]

Don't know what to think about the camera only using 40 ASA. Curse Kodak...again.

Erm...no. In this case, blame Agfa.

[VideoFred]

This is what I found:

A review from the Dutch Smalfilm magazine, aug. 1969:
(I have them all.. from 1961 to 1969..)

The Microflex was released by Agfa in july 1969.
Price was about 250 Euro's.

The internal light meter was fixed to... 25 ASA.
When turning away the conversion filter, there was a correction for 40 ASA. ???? I do not know, this is what the magazine says....

There must be a setting to focus in two steps, too:
2,5 meter - 8 meter.

Fred.

[jpolzfuss]

The internal light meter was fixed to... 25 ASA.
When turning away the conversion filter, there was a correction for 40 ASA. ????

When the K40 is used with the Wratten85-filter, it has to be measured as 25ASA. Hence that magazine is correct.