The Agfa 44 box camera was known as the Preisbox as first introduced and followed the practice of selling the equipment cheaply, to generate sales on the film subsequently. The camera makes 8 exposures of 6 x 9cm. The German manufacturer Agfa was a fairly prolific manufacturer of cameras as well as film and it's products mirrored those of it's bigger competitor, Kodak, to a very close degree. This 120 roll film box camera was made up to around 1936 and follows Kodak practice closely, though Agfa designed cameras often have neat manufacturing niceties, see the rotating image of this camera for a look inside. Construction is a box of thick cardboard covered in faux leather, a wood panel is used to keep the rigidity of the box and serve as the shutter mount. Each end is a steel pressing finished in black enamel with faux leather inserts. As is common, the whole film transport is withdrawn from the back, after the wind on knob has been pulled out, in order to load or unload the film. Less common is the lens is also attached to the film transport box, allowing it to be cleaned easily whilst maintaining a stable lens to film plane distance, again a well thought out detail. The viewfinders are ground glass and just about adequate for the task, but are easily cleaned as the front can be popped off to gain access to the mirrors and screens.

Film makers who also made cameras often used the inside of the camera as an advertising opportunity and you will often find such labels. Sealed away in the dark, the inks are protected from fading and their brightness is often in stark contrast to the dour exteriors. Here is the one from the back of this Agfa camera, in German - indicates that this camera was initially sold in that country. What is it like to use?

Shutter, Sector type, timed and instant.
Lens, f/9.5
Condition, 5F

View other box cameras in this collection.