Agfa Optima 500

The Agfa Optima is a 35mm camera with automatic program, introduced in 1959, and it was the first camera ever with such an automatic. It was replaced by a new generation in 1968 and again in 1976 and remained in the range until the end of Agfa camera production. Agfa also referred to a few other cameras with the suffix Optima, these also had a program automatic. After Agfa stopped producing cameras, the term Optima was used for a color film.

Optima sensor (second generation)

The Optima 500 sensor from 1969 came in the same housing, but, in keeping with its name, worked with shutter speeds of up to 1⁄500 s. The decisive difference, however, was the exposure measurement with Cds instead of selenium cells. Such cadmium sulfide photocells responded more quickly to changes in light, but required a battery, which on the 500 was in a compartment on the right-hand side of the housing cover. The mechanics for the exposure control remained unchanged, however, an electronic shutter was first available in the Agfa Selectronic and then in the subsequent series.

In addition, the 500 sensor dispensed with the automatic flash, with regard to the so-called computer flashes, which were still expensive, you could set a diaphragm on the lens, which was activated when the flash unit was pushed open. This camera cost 249 DM and was also available with a black housing cover for an additional charge. However, it always had the same lens as the 200 sensor, although a three-lens model in this price range was now completely inappropriate.

The Optima 500 Sensor, made by Agfa and introduced in 1969, as part of the Optima Sensor range, is a fairly eccentric 35mm film viewfinder camera with automatic exposure. Like all Agfa Sensor cameras, it has the large round orange shutter release on the top plate. There is also a cable release socket on the back.

The advance lever is on the bottom plate, to the users left. This doubles as the rewind lever. To rewind, the rewind release, mounted beside the lens, is moved in towards the lens and upward - where it latches. The advance lever is now reverse-geared to be a rewinder. Opening the back, using the catch on the right-hand end, releases the film-spool drive spindle- which springs out of the bottom plate, and resets the rewind release. The exposure meter is a CdS meter.

The lens has three focus zones visible from the top, and a distance scale underneath. Semi-circular film speed scale scale in top plate with pointers at opposite ends for DIN and ASA. Manually-reset frame counter in bottom plate. Flash can be connected via a hot shoe, which has a pin to detect the flash gun; a guide-number scale is fitted in the right-hand end.

Specifications:

  • Lens: Agfa Color-Apotar 42mm f2.8
  • Shutter: Paratic speeds 1/30-1/500 +B
  • Power: PX625 battery, placed where the advance lever might be expected. Look for the rectangle on the top right of the camera's back, this is the battery tray of the chamber.

Manual

Gallery