Agfa Silette (1958) CLA Tutorial

AGFA Silette Pronto

Type 4 (1958)

CLA of Camera and Shutter

Tim Langsford, July 2020.

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Preliminary Examination:

Camera pretty dirty. Aperture ring smooth. Speed cam slightly loose in feel. Occasionally not
firing, didn’t appear to be speed dependent though. Also, felt a slight delay in release
action. Bulb working well. Self-timer not working at all: didn’t seem to have the force to
make it through the complete cycle. Denting to focus ring.

A. Dismantling Camera to Free the Pronto Shutter Mechanism:

1. Set focus ring to infinity, and remove it. It is held by 3 slot-head grub screws. * I
initially tried a rubber lens tool, which served only to remove the lens name plate
from the focus ring. This is not necessary.

2. Remove front element by counter-clockwise rotation (use of lens rubber was
required). * I first made a small scratch mark at the 12 o’clock position in order to
ensure correct positioning upon reassembly.

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3. Remove the exposed retaining ring with spanner wrench (counter-clockwise).

4. Remove middle (negative) lens by tipping it out.

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5. Remove Silette nameplate, held by 2 slot-head screws.

6. Remove bottom plate, held by 2 slot-head screws. Beware that the rewind button is
loose.

7. Remove rewind knob and sprung spacer (open film door, hold rewind fork with a
tool and turn knob anti-clockwise).

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8. Remove top plate, held by 2 slot-heat screws (note that the left screw is long, the
right is short).

9. Lift off viewfinder module. This is not secured by screws.

10. Open film-door and remove 2 slot-head screws which hold the front plate. The matt-
black painted focal plain (the paint removes internal reflections) and shutter cocking
driver will most likely fall out. Note the groove in the top of the focal plane which
allows the gear of the driver to rotate freely.

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11. Remove the rear retaining ring with a spanner wrench.

12. De-solder the 2 flash sync wires from the solder pins, noting their placement.
Remove rear element retaining ring and tip out the rear lens element. Note the
orientation of the element. The Pronto shutter mechanism is now free for
disassembly.

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B. Pronto Shutter Mechanism Disassembly:

1. Before beginning disassembly, get a feel for how tight the speed-control cam is, in
order to return the shutter to this feeling (or tighter in order for the shutter to feel a
good job has been done). Set the shutter speed to B. Then, rotate the half-head
locking screw which holds the scalloped retaining ring, 180˚.

2. Using an appropriate tool, rotate the scalloped retaining ring anti-clockwise to
remove it. Then lift off the plastic cover plate.