Dating and identifying cameras

I'm trying ot find some info on my camera. It's a bellows type (haven't had it cleaned or recoated since 1985) 35mm
The lens is marked AGFA SOLAGON 1:2/50 P21580
The F dial is marked PRONTOR - SVS
Inside the camera lid(?) is a AGFA label with the agaf logo and Isopan Agfacolor
There is a number on the tray(?) that the film passes over from spool to spool the number is QG 5090.

Somewhere I have a flash attachment for it that I've never used because I don't think you can buy battries for it any more (it's in a round red bag)

The focus adj goes from 3.5 to Inf
Speed from B to 300
F (?) from 2 to 16. The leather case fell apart but it took great photos.
 
I'm trying ot find some info on my camera. It's a bellows type (haven't had it cleaned or recoated since 1985) 35mm
The lens is marked AGFA SOLAGON 1:2/50 P21580
The F dial is marked PRONTOR - SVS
Inside the camera lid(?) is a AGFA label with the agaf logo and Isopan Agfacolor
There is a number on the tray(?) that the film passes over from spool to spool the number is QG 5090.

Somewhere I have a flash attachment for it that I've never used because I don't think you can buy battries for it any more (it's in a round red bag)

The focus adj goes from 3.5 to Inf
Speed from B to 300
F (?) from 2 to 16. The leather case fell apart but it took great photos.

You have an AGFA Karat IV made between 1950 and 1956. The three lens variations were the Solinar, the Solagon and the Apotar.

Good picture takers, good, sharp and contrasty lenses.
 
Dimitri, any info on dating Graflex cameras, especially Speed Graphics? I'd like to know a bit about mine.
 
When I read that this thread was about dating cameras I feared the worst, but happily I find my fears were groundless and that no-one had quite gone that far with their passion :mrgreen:
 
When I read that this thread was about dating cameras I feared the worst, but happily I find my fears were groundless and that no-one had quite gone that far with their passion :mrgreen:

:lol: Yeah, the older the better! ;)
 
I love this stuff; I'm such a geek! That Rolleiflex is a thing of great beauty...
Now, can anyone point me in the direction of a site which will enable me to accurately date my Nikons?
Thank you.
 
Thanks for all this info Mitica100. I pulled out my Rolleiflex and it is serial# 613867 which dates it between 1937 and 1939. It has a Carl Zeiss Jena 3.5 Tessar taking lens and a 2.8 Heidoscop Anastigmat viewing lens.

Rolleiflex1.jpg
 
Um hi mitica100:
I got a Minolta X-700 as a gift last year, and since they made thousands of them. Here is the Serial Number on the hot-shoe: 1406781. With that could you tell me the date of manufacture? Also how much was the camera when it was released that date?

Thank you,
Stephen
 
Um hi mitica100:
I got a Minolta X-700 as a gift last year, and since they made thousands of them. Here is the Serial Number on the hot-shoe: 1406781. With that could you tell me the date of manufacture? Also how much was the camera when it was released that date?

Thank you,
Stephen

Hi Stephen,

The X-700 was introduced in 1981 and discontinued in 1999. As you mentioned, there were thousand made and tracking the exact date of manufacturing based on its serial number is a difficult task. I will try to find it, however.
 
Your X-700 should be made pretty early, I'd say it's from the mid 1980s. As soon as I get a confirmation I'll let you know.

FYI, there were X-700 cameras made in China, in the 1990s, since the labor was cheaper there. Yours is made in Japan for sure.
 
A nice collection of TLRs is to be found HERE.

Enjoy!
 

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