Agfa Silette LK Sensor |
Version française |
Manufactured or assembled in Germany from 1973 to (Circa) 1978.
Index of rarity in France: Infrequent (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 974
See the complete technical specifications
Chronology of cameras Agfa
Silette is the generic name for a large series of 35mm cameras built by Agfa for over 10 years. Some models of this series are very common, which has led to a general disinterest in the series. Personally, I find the idea of collecting all models of this series interesting.
The first Silette models are simply called Silette. From 1953 to 1962, they have a "gendarme hat" shaped top cover, are made of metal, very well constructed, quite simple, and without originality.
Starting from 1962, the shape and materials change. The top cover becomes flat, and metal is replaced by plastic. The models that did not have a number in their name until then become Silette I and Silette II.
The Super Silette models have a coupled rangefinder, with different shapes and equipment levels.
The Silette-L models have a light meter (L stands for Lichtmesser, which means light meter in German). Like the Silette, the overall shape changes in 1962, even though some models from the late 1950s adopt a third form.
The Silette SL has a coupled light meter. The career of this model was short, and the shape of the gendarme hat top cover did not undergo any evolution.
The Silette-LK models, initially, were a more affordable alternative to the Silette SL. Their lens and shutter are of lower quality. The shape of the Silette-LK follows the same evolution as the Silette-L, but as this series had a long life, the latest models with Sensor (1973) have a different shape.
The Silette Rapid can only be used with Rapid cartridges. This model does not exist with the gendarme hat-shaped top cover.
The Silette Record is a unique model adopting the general shape of some Optima 500 models.
The ultimate version of the long line of Silette cameras uses the same body as the Optima 200 Sensor. However, the lens, shutter, and exposure system differ from those of the Optima 200 Sensor. The light meter is coupled, and the accuracy of the exposure can be verified by the position of a needle in a small window on the top of the camera. The film advance lever is located under the camera.
This particular model is from after 1973, as the accessory shoe is attached to the plastic top cover.
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 mes-appareils-photos.fr, suggested by Eric Carlhan |
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