My first camera was a 1963 Agfa Silette which was my pride and joy and cost £25, now equivalent to £500. As I wrote in this earlier article, I found a 1958 example of the long-running and popular Silette in a London second-hand photo fair a couple of months ago. Here is a test shot from the old camera, using Ilford FP4 125 ISO film, taken at one of my regular photo test spots on the River Thames.
The second shot is from a similar angle but using my 2004 Leica MP with a 50mm Summilux on Ilford HP5 at ISO 400. Both shots are basic scans and both would be better with a high-resolution take.
There’s life in the old dog yet. Modern digital fans should note that both these cameras, from the Leica MP back to the Agfa, are what we now call “full frame”. A sensor this size, the same as a frame of 35mm film, is an expensive and desirable thing: Think Leica M, Sony RX1 or, perhaps more appropriate, Leica’s £6,200 M Monochrom.
Gday Mike.
The google machine dredged up this old post after i went looking for info on a camera i picked up last week! An Agfa Ambi Silette with three lenses.
Havent shot it yet. But it looks very very classic.
Cheers.
Yes, the old Agfa Silette. I thought it was wonderful when I acquired it — my first “proper” camera and, as I think I said in the article, it was considered by Amateur Photographer to be a Best Buy in its class. Mine still performs well.