Topic: Agfa Isoly/Diana

[mart]

"Supposedly"  (note the quotes) the Agfa Isoly was the camera plagarized to make the original Diana. Perhaps. I've had the Agfa sitting on a shelf for a while but too many other distractions have kept me from running a roll through it.

Anyone ever played with one of these things? Anything unique about the results?

[Nigel]

I have to admit to being a bit of a closet Agfa fan. I've got an Isola II (which is a great camera, a great way to get a cheap introduction to 6 x 6), an Isolette II ( again very good quality build), an Optima 1a (mines a bit unreliable) and a Silette (never used).  That's probably more than I'd normally admit to. The good thing about them is they're mostly well made and you can pick them up very cheaply (in the UK anyway). You've now pricked my interest about the Isoly!! 

I just found this comparison picture: http://www.holgarepublic.com/isoldiana.html
They do look very similar.

[sapata]

I had one and sold it... the camera is well built as you'd expect from a german camera and the results were way too good  for what I wanted at the time, some of the images were very sharp with no distortion at all. I regret a bit now because I could have tried another roll...

some samples in here:
http://www.picturenoise.com/agfaisoly.html

[al]

I'm pretty sure the Diana is an Isoly clone.  Much of the diana exterior detail is clearly styled on the Isoly, the way the back slides off is exactly the same,  the real giveaway is the little locking catch on the bottom.  On the diana it's marked open/auf   lock/zu...  exactly the same as the German Isoly. 

Like many Agfas they came in various guises with a variety of lenses, some sharper than others, so you can't grab any isoly if youre going for a certain look.

I'm another closet Agfa fan (various Isolas, Isolettes, Silettes etc) but only one Isoly, with an achromat lens, and I've only used it once so far but I think it deserves more.



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