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Agfa Flash Guns

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You can't be involved with old cameras for long before you start having to deal with accessories like flash guns. This page is an attempt to detail some of the Agfa flashguns from the 1950s/60/70s and also as a guide to identifying a suitable period flash gun for any Agfa you might process. All these flashguns here are single use bulb types and whilst can be used are not nearly as practical as using the cameras themselves. Where quoted prices are in Pounds (£), Shillings (s) and Pence (d).

(All photos taken with our
Epson PhotoPC650 camera.)

 

 


Index to flash guns 1 - 9 clockwise

 


Flash units closed for storage

In the big picture some of these flash guns look enormous - however as can be seen on the left, the biggest ones fold up for storage.



  1. Agfalux
    This is what we consider to be the original type of Agfalux, introduced into the UK in 1955 it would have cost £4 12s 10d including the plastic case. The 22.5v battery was 2s 6d extra. Designed for "midget" type bulbs (which had metal caps) - this flash could also be used with the later very popular capless bulbs by use of an adaptor.

     
  2. Agfalux
    This type was introduced in the late 1950s - possibly as early as 1957 - but was certainly being stocked by the London dealer “Wallace Heaton” by 1959. Very similar in styling to the original Agfalux  - but smaller and for capless bulbs only. In 1962 This flash would have cost £3 19s 11d including the plastic case. The 22.5v battery was 2s 6d extra. Available in white as well as black.

     
  3. Agfalux
    By 1965 even the slimed down 2nd generation Agfalux was too big and Agfa had introduced a yet smaller version. Designed to take PF1(B) and XM1(B) capless bulbs, this flash also required a 15v battery at a cost of 2s. The Agfalux itself would have cost £4 6s 11d including the plastic case. The example pictured appears to have a hotshoe contact and a X M synchronisation selector switch on the back. Other examples had neither.

     
  4. Agfa Flashgun KM
    In about 1956 Agfa introduced this model - which can't help being viewed as a smaller KL/KK type flashgun though it folds differently. It use of small capless bulbs only, shows the rapid introduction of this sort of bulb in the 1950s - but the use of the 22.5v battery stays the same. In 1959 this flash would have cost £2 0s 6d including the plastic case. The battery was 2s 6d extra.

     
  5. ISI - C K/M
    Introduced in 1976 this flash was available in 2 almost identical versions. The K had a flash synch cable and the M had a hotshoe contact (pictured). Designed for flash cubes, a 6v battery was required to fire the flash.

     
  6. Agfa Flashgun KL/KK
    During the early 1950s - Agfa produced 2 very similar flashguns - the KL and the KK. These were virtually identical and to be honest we're not quite sure how to tell them apart. The KK was apparently the cheaper of the 2 and according to one source - the only difference was the use of plastic fittings. However there was certainly variation in the length of the battery holder (this one has a black plastic segment of 2.25" but they also exist with a a length of 3". In both cases the battery taken was a 22.5v one. Originally designed to take metal capped bulbs - it could be use capless bulbs with an adaptor. In 1955 a KL would have cost £3 5s 11d. The KK was £2 9s 1d. In both cases the plastic case was included but the battery was 2s 6d extra.

     
  7. ISO
    Confusingly marked ISO RAPID - I on the back - this flash was almost certainly designed for the ISO Rapid series of cameras introduced around 1965. It would have been a perfect accompaniment to the ISO Rapid I camera both in functionality and style. Designed for small capless bulbs it would have required a 6v battery for use. Also shown in the picture is a reversible transparent flash guard. This clips on with the dome 'in' for storage and 'out' to cover the flashbulb in use.

     
  8. AGFALUX C
    Another variant of the Agfalux - but this time very different. Similar to the ISI - C, the Agfalux C took flash cubes fired by a  6v battery. Introduced in the early 1970s.

     
  9. ISI K/M
    Introduced around 1963 these 2 flashes were identical except the K had a flash synch cable (pictured) and the M had a hotshoe contact. Designed for small capless bulbs like the PF1, a 15v battery was required to fire the flash.



A couple of web pages that might be of interest are:

http://www.dhios.demon.co.uk/Flashbulbs/
http://www.flashbulbs.com/index.shtml


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