Description
Agfa Silette series
Silette is a name used by the German maker Agfa from 1953 to 1974 to designate successive generations of 35mm fixed-lens viewfinder cameras. The corresponding rangefinder models were called Super Silette. There was also an interchangeable lens rangefinder model called the Ambi Silette, discussed elsewhere. The first models were sold in the USA under the name Ansco Memar and Super Memar, and some of the later ones were sold under the name Agfa Solina.
Silette type 5(1958)
Agfa Silette (original) is the first of the long-lasting Silette series 35mm film viewfinder cameras made by Agfa and introduced in 1953.
Its features are a simple viewfinder, a leaf shutter, a lever wind advance and an accessory shoe (Agfa KM flash compatible). The camera is well-made with simple features. Its shutters are Pronto (1/25-1/200), Prontor (1/300) Compur-Rapid or Synchro-Compur (1/500). The lenses are three-element Agfa Color Apotar 3.5/45mm or 2.8/45mm or a four-element Agfa Color Solinar 2.8/50mm. In the USA, it was known as the Ansco Memar.
Along with the production time, there are six types with technical or cosmetic differences. e.g. type 4 has two windows of equal size. The purpose of the second window is to intensify brightness to limit the centring errors due to the parallax. The lens is Color Apotar 2,8/45 mm.
Agfa used the name Silette without any model numbers in this first series. We have distinguished them in chronological order based on obvious changes.
https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Agfa_Silette_series
