agfa optima IIs

prontormator apotar f2.8 / 45mm

I accidentally bought this camera on eBay for $15. Not expecting it to even work, I was surprised by the great results after I shot the first roll. The camera is completely reliant upon a selenium light meter* which controls the aperture and shutter speed; the only thing the photographer needs to do is focus. Max shutter speed is 1/250 and it only goes up to ISO 200 film so it can easily be overwhelmed in bright conditions. I have shot Fujicolor 200 with it exclusively, usually in bright circumstances, which leads to the slight over-exposure of the shots. I think the photos look pretty cool and retro this way. I bought a second Optima that came with a leather case, so I could harvest the case for the original camera. Surprise surprise, the second camera also works. I gave that one to Talon, Vi’s boyfriend. Love these 65 year old beasts!

* Selenium light meters have a lifespan measured in decades and when it dies, the camera will be a nice paperweight.