Chris's camera pages

Agfa Colorflex

Manufactured around 1960 these heavy, well-made, and robust cameras were Agfa's second-tier 35mm SLR models. They were fitted with either an interchangeable prism finder or waist-level finder, a three-element Agfa Color-Apotar 50mm f/2.8 standard lens, and they have Prontor Reflex 1 to 1/300 second shutters.

The Colorflex has an uncoupled exposure meter, and a fixed, or non-interchangeable lens.

These cameras were sold as Agfaflex in the States, and as Colorflex elsewhere, but are otherwise identical, differing only in the name above the selenium cell on the front.

Agfa Colorflex I

Agfa Colorflex II

The puzzling business of determining exactly which Colorflex, Agfaflex, or Ambiflex camera you have is really quite simple. In the States, all the models were called Agfaflex, elsewhere the cameras were called either Colorflex or Ambiflex depending on model.

There are really only two cameras, and the model numbers, which were never marked on the cameras, were assigned depending on which lens and finder they have.

The first type of camera, like this one, has a fixed lens, and has an uncoupled exposure meter. If fitted with a waist-level finder the camera was called Agfaflex I in the States, and Colorflex I in other markets. If the same camera had an eye-level prism finder instead, the camera was called Agfaflex II and Colorflex II.

The second type of camera has an interchangeable lens, and a coupled exposure meter. This more advanced model was called Agfaflex III, or Ambiflex I if fitted with a waist-level finder and a Color-Solinar f/2.8 50mm lens. With an eye-level prism finder, and the same lens, the camera was called an Agfaflex IV or an Ambiflex II.

The most highly-specified version of this type of camera was called an Agfaflex V or Ambiflex III. It had an eye-lever prism finder, and had an f/2.0 55mm Color-Solagon lens instead of the f/2.8 Color-Solinar.

If you would like me to repair your Agfaflex or Colorflex camera for you please Contact Chris Sherlock.

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