The Pentacon Six System
by TRA
The History of the Pentacon Six
The Agiflex II
Dates: 1949/50-1954(?)
The Agiflex II of 1949 or 1950
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Features
It would appear that the camera was gradually changed
and improved, with the name “Agiflex II” finally being first applied to
the camera in 1949 or 1950. (However, there is no “I” or “II” on
the body of any Agiflex I or II.) This version included a slow speed
dial with speeds down to 2 seconds, like the Reflex-Korelle II. There
was also flash synchronisation via a two-pin flash connection.
The earlier Agiflex II had the same bayonet mount as the
original Agiflex, but later cameras had a larger-diameter bayonet mount,
with an adapter available to take the earlier lenses. I can definitely
fit my earlier Agiflex I Agilux onto my Agiflex II via the adapter, but
for some reason the small-mount Agilux that came with the Agiflex II will
not fit on the older Agiflex I camera. I am not sure whether this
is down to poor manufacturing tolerances, or a deliberate change in some
point in the lens mount to prevent it being used on the older camera.
The Agiflex II Agilux with the mount adapter does fit easily onto the subsequent
Agiflex III camera, and the Agiflex III standard lens fits on the Agiflex
II if the adapter is removed.
Accessories included extension tubes for close-up/macro
work, a back for 6.5×9 cm glass plates and a 16cm f/5.6 long focus
lens (for which the wider mount was necessary, to avoid vignetting).
In 1953 it was priced at £78 10s 0d (£78.50p). |
As you can see from the advertisement from the British
Journal Almanac reproduced on the right, a range of “bloomed” lenses from
80 to 300mm was available, as well as extension tubes.
In the image below, the top view shown reveals some of
the similarities and differences between the three cameras. Note
that the Reflex Korelle II was considerably slimmer than the Agiflex I
and II. It also weighed a lot less. The extra weight of the
Agiflexes was in part due to the heavy body, but also to the much heavier
lens that was used.
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Advert for the Agi II in the 1953 issue
of the British Journal of Photography Almanac
Click on the image to see a larger version.
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From L to R: Agiflex I, Reflex Korelle II, Agiflex II
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To go to the Bibliography, click here.
To go on to the next section, click below.
12 The Meister-Korelle
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© TRA August 2010 |