Agfa Optima 535 |
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Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1976 to (After) 1980.
Index of rarity in France: Frequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 57
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Agfa
Originally in the 1930s, Agfa used the name Optima to refer to a film in a specific format. Each negative measured 7.5 x 10.5 cm, the film allowed for 8 shots, and only Agfa-compatible cameras could use it. It was a failure.
The name was reused starting in the late 1950s, for cameras using the standard 135 film, and later for the 110 format.
The last series to bear this name appeared in 1976, replacing the Optima 500 series. Cameras in this series shared common features:
Body covered with a granulated black paint
Very wide, bright viewfinder with brilliant lines
Back opening that automatically releases the film reel from its axis
Automatic exposure control through a cell with a double eye located at the bottom of the lens
Small button to turn and press, marked R near the shutter release
Paratronic shutter
Solitar 2.8/40mm lens, except for the Optima 335 which has an Agnatar 3.5/40mm lens
Shoe for electronic flash.
Year | |||
Optima | ![]() |
c. 1982 | Shutter from 1/30 to 1/1000 |
Optima 335 | ![]() |
c. 1978 | Lens less bright |
Optima 535 | ![]() |
c. 1976 | Shutter from 1/30 to 1/500 |
Optima 1035 | ![]() |
c. 1976 | |
Optima Flash | ![]() |
c. 1981 | Electronic Flash |
Optima 1535 | ![]() |
c. 1979 | Rangefinder |
More recently, Agfa gave the name Optima to 135 films.
The Optima 535 differs from the 335 with a better lens (Solitar 2.8/40 mm with 4 lenses) and a more efficient shutter (1/500 sec). On the front of the lens, there are two CdS cells: one controls the electronic shutter, and the other controls the two LEDs in the viewfinder. The red LED indicates speeds below 1/30, while the green one indicates speeds between 1/30 and 1/500.
The automatic exposure program sets the shutter speed. The program ranges from f/2.8 at 1/30 to f/5.6 at 1/500; beyond that, only the aperture varies up to f/16.
![Agfa Optima 535](../../agfa/images/optima535.jpg )
The Sensor shutter release button consists of a 16 mm diameter orange-colored disc, set within a 0.7 mm high chrome-plated brass collar designed to guide the finger to the center. Below the disc is the button itself, with a very short travel (less than 0.5 mm). A pressure of 300 grams on the plastic disc is sufficient to trigger the shutter. The motion blur caused by the release is thus extremely limited. Agfa will gradually equip all new models with this trigger and make it their number one advertising feature.
The patent corresponding to this shutter release button was filed in Germany in 1968 (published in 1970) under the number DE 1622174, and then in the United States in 1972 (published in 1976) under the number US 3,950,773. The title of this patent is "Operating Means for Photographic Cameras."
Interesting links or bibliography :
Sur Camera-wiki.org, suggested by Sylvain Halgand |
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