Camera Talk

This lady followed me home at an antique market in Braselton GA
Super Solinette

The focus was frozen, and its shutter had been left coked for a long time.
Focusing ring, was fortunately at the closest and allowed me to clean the green gunk with some effort; then added some silicone grease on the helicoids and works fine,
Shutter needed a cleaning, whcih was not difficult either and all speeds are within tolerance (for 4 onwards I used the sound method)
Glass was taken apart and cleaned; colimation was a breeze since the whole lens unit moves for focus.

The biggest challenge was that the bellows was full of holes and had to apply liquid electrical tape from the inside (@alexvaras suggestion); and in a couple of spots also in the outside. I had to use several layers, diluting it with some xylene to make it more liquid.

The RF works fine in short distances but takes forever to return to infinity; I havent yet figured this one out as I assume it needs cleaning but have not been brave enough to open the top

Finally I loaded a roll of Rollei Superpan (AGFA Aviphot) and went out to the beach

1. No light leaks (woohoo)
2. Shutter is snappy and seems to be correct
3. The glass seems to me clean and contrasty
Footprints

Lifeguard tower

Wilmington NC

Excellent camera and result! Congrats!

Great job with the camera. These are often overlooked. The Super Solinette is a unit-focusing camera, which is supposed to be superior to the front-cell focusing lenses.

I always got very good results from my Solinar.

melek wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:07 am

Great job with the camera. These are often overlooked. The Super Solinette is a unit-focusing camera, which is supposed to be superior to the front-cell focusing lenses.

I always got very good results from my Solinar.

I have to say that people in the 50s had strong fingers!
Moving the focusing dial is hard

The Solinar is usually a great lens. Well done!

Good work, Pablo. I never did get mine finished because I kind of gave up on trying to get the helical loose. Worst Agfa I've ever worked on for that problem. Anyway, your rangefinder issue is a sticky control lever, and since the Ansco Super Memar body is similar I have a set of photos for you to reference showing the top removal and rangefinder cleaning. It's at https://flic.kr/s/aHsjCbMYma

Good luck! If you can take the lens and shutter apart for cleaning, then removing the top should be a breeze.

PF

That was the missing info for me!! Thanks for the references

I expected the control arm/lever to be sticky since I could move it with a hook but was afraid to open the top.
The RF is accurate so I'll try not to mess it up but could use some vertical alignment
From your pictures, my guess is that the spring of the RF is not strong enough or that gunk has accumulated up there

PS1 The rewidn wheel came out easily but the fim trnasport is very hard to unscrew.
I have the film transport wheel with some penetrating now to help with dislodging it.

PS2 can;t unscrew the transport wheel, does heating /cooling cycling help with unscrewing?
Found this picture:

https://bleckedermoor.de/fotomuseum/super-solinette.htm

PFMcFarland wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 31, 2021 9:30 pm

Good work, Pablo. I never did get mine finished because I kind of gave up on trying to get the helical loose. Worst Agfa I've ever worked on for that problem. Anyway, your rangefinder issue is a sticky control lever, and since the Ansco Super Memar body is similar I have a set of photos for you to reference showing the top removal and rangefinder cleaning. It's at https://flic.kr/s/aHsjCbMYma

Good luck! If you can take the lens and shutter apart for cleaning, then removing the top should be a breeze.

PF

Probably it’s a left hand screw?

I can confirm it is a left hand screw. Mine came off really easy. If yours is still stuck then someone might have used some thread locker on it. Alcohol might dissolve that.

PF

Thaks, I have been applying small drops of penetrating to loosen it
I'll try and if that doesn;t work IPA it is