I found a old AGFA Isolette III folding camera, what light-meter to use?

[Olumin]

Anybody into photography? I found a German AGFA Isolette III folding, roll-film camera, approximately from 1957. Afga Solinar 1:3,5/75 lens, Prontor-SVS shutter, so a very nice one indeed. I would love to bring it back to life again, but to use it properly I still need a light- meter. I would of cause like to use a manual light meter from the same time period (50s and 60s), no modern digital one. Does anybody know what models are any good/high quality, and what I should look out for/be ware of?

Thanks in advance.

[Spopepro]

I use many cameras that do not contain a lightmeter, from TLRs to a 6x24 homemade pinhole. I use 2 lightmeters: my phone and a Pentax spotmeter V.

Honestly, I get the allure of reenactment, but old photo gear is good because it's often very well manufactured, has good optics, and even a tiny format like 35mm will resolve with more detail than all but the fanciest digital stuff. Old lightmeters are typically worn out and not good, and not fun to use.

For an incidence meter, something that averages incident light over a large area, any number of apps, both free and paid, work well using the phone camera. Its what I use about 90% of the time. Especially as I don't have to do the math for pushing, pulling, and I can even tell it the aperture is f240, which doesn't appear on a physical meter.

The spotmeter V is a one degree meter that takes readings from a very narrow, well, spot. Instead of getting an average of an area, you can set your exposure with specific information. Very good for high contrast situations and mandatory for using Adams' zone system. But you probably don't need one unless you're going all out.

Seriously, you'll feel funny whipping out your phone just to get a reading to take an analogue photo, but it's by far the easiest way to do things.

[Olumin]

I use many cameras that do not contain a lightmeter, from TLRs to a 6x24 homemade pinhole. I use 2 lightmeters: my phone and a Pentax spotmeter V.

Honestly, I get the allure of reenactment, but old photo gear is good because it's often very well manufactured, has good optics, and even a tiny format like 35mm will resolve with more detail than all but the fanciest digital stuff. Old lightmeters are typically worn out and not good, and not fun to use.

For an incidence meter, something that averages incident light over a large area, any number of apps, both free and paid, work well using the phone camera. Its what I use about 90% of the time. Especially as I don't have to do the math for pushing, pulling, and I can even tell it the aperture is f240, which doesn't appear on a physical meter.

The spotmeter V is a one degree meter that takes readings from a very narrow, well, spot. Instead of getting an average of an area, you can set your exposure with specific information. Very good for high contrast situations and mandatory for using Adams' zone system. But you probably don't need one unless you're going all out.

Seriously, you'll feel funny whipping out your phone just to get a reading to take an analogue photo, but it's by far the easiest way to do things.

Thanks! I will give my phone a shot, but I'm still using an old Iphone 4s, and the camera is pretty crap really. I will also look out for something in the "High-end" class of analogue medium format cameras, some top of the line model. I hope getting a Agfa super Isolette, which is often said to be the best analogue medium format camera ever made, but is a bit pricey. Also interesting is the Agfa Isolette L, which has a build in light meter. From there on, some brands made a few top of the line models, which are all very much the same. The Zeiss super IKONTA series is also very nice, but again, quite rare and pricey. I hope to soon get hold of a Seagull 203-1, which is a Chinese camera heavily "inspired" by the super Isolette, an old "Chinese knock-off" if you will. But the camera is nice enough and shares many features the super isolette, the build quality is not quite up there and the lens is not as nice, but it'll have to do until I find a super isolette. Its also a nice collectors piece.

[Spopepro]

The best buys in old camera gear are in the "next best thing" category. The consensus "best" models can be really, really expensive. A good example is old rolleis. A planar 2.8 in good condition will be $3000-$5000. I got my automat 3.5 for $350. I really don't need that half stop. So beware of "best" models because they have a cult following and the pricing that goes with it. Deals can be had in the "next best" category.

[Olumin]

The best buys in old camera gear are in the "next best thing" category. The consensus "best" models can be really, really expensive. A good example is old rolleis. A planar 2.8 in good condition will be $3000-$5000. I got my automat 3.5 for $350. I really don't need that half stop. So beware of "best" models because they have a cult following and the pricing that goes with it. Deals can be had in the "next best" category.

SO far, I am only interested in analogue, 6x6 (medium format) and 6x9 folding cameras. So far as I know the Agfa Super Isolette and Zeiss super Ikonta (A, B, C and D) models are about as good as it gets, but If you know any better ones, please let me know.

[Olumin]

The best buys in old camera gear are in the "next best thing" category. The consensus "best" models can be really, really expensive. A good example is old rolleis. A planar 2.8 in good condition will be $3000-$5000. I got my automat 3.5 for $350. I really don't need that half stop. So beware of "best" models because they have a cult following and the pricing that goes with it. Deals can be had in the "next best" category.

Is this the Camera you are talking about? A Rolleiflex 2.8: https://saopaulocamerastyle.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/1642-rollei-planar.jpg
These aren't as expensive here in Germany, probably because they aren't so rare here. They are very common actually. they still go for about 500 to 1000 EUR.

EDIT: Ups no wait, the planar one costs about 1500 to 2500. That's quite something. I'll stay with the folders for now.

[Spopepro]

The best buys in old camera gear are in the "next best thing" category. The consensus "best" models can be really, really expensive. A good example is old rolleis. A planar 2.8 in good condition will be $3000-$5000. I got my automat 3.5 for $350. I really don't need that half stop. So beware of "best" models because they have a cult following and the pricing that goes with it. Deals can be had in the "next best" category.

SO far, I am only interested in analogue, 6x6 (medium format) and 6x9 folding cameras. So far as I know the Agfa Super Isolette and Zeiss super Ikonta (A, B, C and D) models are about as good as it gets, but If you know any better ones, please let me know.

I don't know folders super well.  They look like tons of fun though, especially for travel photography.  Enjoy them, and soon you'll want more control over your developing, and want to make better prints, and before you know it you're spending 45min hunched over a graduated cylinder of potassium ferricyanide bleaching out your highlights juuuuuust a little bit after split developing your oh-my-god-this-has-too-much-contrast print.  And sometimes you'll even like the result.

[Olumin]

The best buys in old camera gear are in the "next best thing" category. The consensus "best" models can be really, really expensive. A good example is old rolleis. A planar 2.8 in good condition will be $3000-$5000. I got my automat 3.5 for $350. I really don't need that half stop. So beware of "best" models because they have a cult following and the pricing that goes with it. Deals can be had in the "next best" category.

SO far, I am only interested in analogue, 6x6 (medium format) and 6x9 folding cameras. So far as I know the Agfa Super Isolette and Zeiss super Ikonta (A, B, C and D) models are about as good as it gets, but If you know any better ones, please let me know.

I don't know folders super well.  They look like tons of fun though, especially for travel photography.  Enjoy them, and soon you'll want more control over your developing, and want to make better prints, and before you know it you're spending 45min hunched over a graduated cylinder of potassium ferricyanide bleaching out your highlights juuuuuust a little bit after split developing your oh-my-god-this-has-too-much-contrast print.  And sometimes you'll even like the result.

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They are fun, but I just discovered that the focusing mechanism is all gummed up in my camera, it cannot be turned at all, which is kind of a shame. It still takes pictures just fine, but the longer exposure times (half and 1 second) don't work properly, and it obviously cannot focus, which is the much bigger problem. That is a common problem with these old manual cameras, pretty much all of them have that problem. Normally I wouldn't mind that the longer exposure times don't work, but focusing is kind of a essential feature. I still think about getting a old original light meter, would you say something like this is any good at all? https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4062/4683233946_217c3bf609_b.jpg

Its a original Agfa Lucimeter, I have read that, sine they have a cover, they are often still in working condition. Would these do the job?

[Spopepro]

Is it your focusing mechanism or your range finder that is gummed up? I've almost never met an old rangefinder that wasn't gummed up and wrong. Estimating works ok until you have the chance to have it cleaned. Often times shutters have multiple stages for different speeds. My 1930s pressman (2.25"x3.25" sheet film) has a shutter like that. Won't work slower than 1/50s but it's good faster. Either a clean job or find a parts camera.

That light meter looks like a selenium cell unit, which is probably the only vintage type that might still work. Even new light meters are troublesome and suddenly quit. If you find one that works, then it will probably work for a long time if taken care of.

[Olumin]

Is it your focusing mechanism or your range finder that is gummed up? I've almost never met an old rangefinder that wasn't gummed up and wrong. Estimating works ok until you have the chance to have it cleaned. Often times shutters have multiple stages for different speeds. My 1930s pressman (2.25"x3.25" sheet film) has a shutter like that. Won't work slower than 1/50s but it's good faster. Either a clean job or find a parts camera.

That light meter looks like a selenium cell unit, which is probably the only vintage type that might still work. Even new light meters are troublesome and suddenly quit. If you find one that works, then it will probably work for a long time if taken care of.

It is the focusing mechanism (a metal ring in front of the shutter and around the lens which you turn to focus), therefore, estimating wont do anything, since its stuck between 1,5 and 1,7. How can I clean it, I have read in a few forums (Like this one: http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00bJlu)  that soaking the shutter/lens in alcohol does work very well, but I don't get how to take it apart, and even more important, how would I put It back together correctly again? There are a few threads which explain how to do it, but I don't get it really, and I am afraid to break something.

[Olumin]

Is it your focusing mechanism or your range finder that is gummed up? I've almost never met an old rangefinder that wasn't gummed up and wrong. Estimating works ok until you have the chance to have it cleaned. Often times shutters have multiple stages for different speeds. My 1930s pressman (2.25"x3.25" sheet film) has a shutter like that. Won't work slower than 1/50s but it's good faster. Either a clean job or find a parts camera.

That light meter looks like a selenium cell unit, which is probably the only vintage type that might still work. Even new light meters are troublesome and suddenly quit. If you find one that works, then it will probably work for a long time if taken care of.

After informing myself a lot more about 6x6 folding cameras, I came to the conclusion, that they are a pain in the ass. That means, I am going to switch to 35mm film, BUT, only fully analogue, 35mm, folding cameras, you read right, that exists. Very specific, just how I like it, because they weren't a lot of them made, only a few models from about 3 or 4 different manufactures (only 3 of them are even relevant). That means, finding the best one is very simple, and also not as expensive, since most people don't care about them. I decided to get a Voigtländer Vitessa III L, which is basically a folding leica M3. A marvellous, VERY high quality camera, not only from a design perspective, but also very practical. And it is indeed as good as it gets with analogue, folding, 35mm cameras. it even has a build in light meter, everything one could ask for, even though there is the Voigtländer Vitessa II or I, or even the III N, without the light meter.

[jdcarpe]

All I have to add is this:

The only light meter you really need are your eyes and your brain. Google "sunny 16" to learn what I mean.