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Agfa Karat 3,5 (Type 2025) |
 Version française |
Photos by Sylvain Halgand text by Sylvain Halgand. From the collection of Sylvain Halgand. Last update 2023-10-31 par Sylvain Halgand.
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1948 to (Circa) 1950.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 884
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Agfa
The Agfa Karat series was introduced in 1937. The cameras are named for their unique feature of using two Karat cartridges containing 12 exposures of 35mm film each. Agfa argues that 12 exposures correspond to the average number of pictures taken with a camera. Since the receiving cartridge is identical to the one containing the unused film, there is no need to rewind the film at the end of the roll. Instead, one simply gives the receiving spool to the lab and replaces it with an empty spool. To avoid confusion between a new roll and an already exposed one, an "EXP" mark appears at the end of the film on the portion that does not enter the cartridge. |
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The pre-war models are small metal folding cameras. The lens and shutter are mounted on a square plate, itself located at the end of a bellows. Rigidity is provided by two sets of scissors. The movement of the plate is rectilinear. The overall shape is that of a small box. The cap of the early models is painted black, like the rest of the body, but quickly on the new models, it will remain the color of the metal. The square plate is always the color of the metal. On the cap there is the film advance knob, the viewfinder, and the shutter release button. These models have no name other than the value of the aperture of their lens.Starting from 1941, a new angular body shape appeared, but production was stopped by the war.
Starting from 1947, production resumed, mainly with the new design. The models were now called Karat 12. Agfa broke with the logic of naming since a new model using the same body, called Karat 36, was launched in 1948. It's not really a Karat anymore since it uses the 135 cartridge with 36 exposures.
__________This Karat 3.5 still uses two Rapid cartridges, as the Karat cartridge was nothing less than the precursor in the late 1930s of the system that would come back in 1964. The slight modifications did not prevent compatibility. Obviously, the notch in a Rapid cartridge that allowed automatic determination of film sensitivity could not be taken into account by a Karat camera.
The lens of this camera is an Apotar 3.5/5.5 cm, which dates it after the war, and it has a Compur shutter.
Tip: How to close the bellows
On the non-visible side (see photo) of the bellows, there is a metal piece shaped like a T (the leg of the T pointing towards you). You need to fold this piece to the right, and that unlocks the bellows.
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