Focus on an Agfa Isolette....

[MindofMel]

Forgive my ignorance - but how do you know when a subject is in focus on the Agfa? / similar folding cameras?

When i look through the viewfinder on mine, it's always sharp - no matter how i turn the focus ring...

Does this mean when focusing, I am approximating the focus distance and shooting with hope? Or does it mean that there is something wrong with the camera?

EDIT: Finally found a link via Google that explains this.

Gonna run a roll through today and develop and post the results! Fingers x'ed.

 

[RaglanSurf]

There should be a focussing scale on the lens itself if it's anything like the Isolette II. You have to do a little guestimation unless you have a tape measure and it's obviously less critical with smaller apertures.

 

[MindofMel]

Cheers Nick,

Just to be sure, if we use this as reference.. by focussing scale you mean the ring with the diamond?

 

[TheBigYin]

a lot of people used to use an accessory rangefinder - it fastened into the flash-shoe, and you could use it to measure the distance to the object you wanted to focus on. Then read that distance, and set it on the lens focus ring.

 

[RaglanSurf]

The focussing is on the front ring of the lens and should be marked from 3ft (approx) - ∞ (infinity) there should be a mark on the shutter speed ring that you line up your focus distance with. Also on the left hand side of the top of the Isolette II is a rough depth of field guide built into the knurled knob.