Pocket Camera - Agfa Selectronic S

My experience with the Minolta Hi-Matic CS, which I mentioned in one of the previous posts, encouraged me to keep looking for a small camera I could always take with me, even when I'm not intentionally planning to take photos.

There are also other interesting rangefinder cameras made in the 1970s which are small and capable of producing high-quality images, but many of them are designed to work with discontinued 1.35V mercury cells and are not fully compatible with the voltage offered by batteries available today. As far as I know, most Minoltas are very sensitive to voltage changes. On the other hand, some cameras like the Yashica Electro 35 are immune to voltage changes. Unfortunately, the Yashica Electro is a bit too big for my purpose.

At first, my search was focused on Japanese products. By accident, I stumbled upon a very comprehensive review of Agfa Selectronic S in German. 

This camera uses one PX625 battery and doesn't have any issues with 1.45V batteries available today. I managed to buy the camera at a bargain price of below 30 EUR. I have been using the camera for over two years now and have never had issues with underexposed photos. Please note that there’s also a non-rangefinder version of Agfa Selectronic without "S" in its name.

The camera offers aperture priority mode, a nice addition compared to the fully automatic mode of my Minolta Hi-Matic. Having control over the aperture may be useful in certain situations.

Agfa Selectronic S has a very bright viewfinder, which is uncommon for cameras of that era. The rangefinder patch is big, and focusing is a nice experience. Additionally, you will see the exposure settings directly in the viewfinder.

The Agfa Selectronic S comes with a superb Solinar 2.8/45 lens. I use this camera for street photography. It delivers sharp images and the overall image quality allows cropping.

The aperture ring is big and easy to use. It's located exactly where you would put your fingers when holding the lens. The focusing ring, on the other side, is quite small, and I sometimes confuse both of them. It requires some practice. The film advance lever is located at the bottom of the camera, and it's another feature that requires some accommodation.

Interestingly, there is no separate lever for film rewind. Once you reach the end of the roll, there is a small switch next to the lens that needs to be pressed. This reverts the operation of the film advance lever.

 

Agfa Selectronic S came with an ever-ready case allowing you to detach the top cover. Agfa Selectronic doesn't have strap lugs, so using the half case is the only option if one wants to hang it around the neck.

Unlike many other cameras that require some tricks and limiting some expectations, Agfa Selectronic S just works and fulfills its purpose. Their operation may be awkward at some points, but it's nothing one cannot get used to. The price is also very inviting as Agfa Selectronic S is not a collectible camera and is not as well-known as some Canons or Olympus. 

Here are some photos I took with this camera.