Where can I find replacement parts for an Agfa Billy Record folding camera?
Asked 8/10/2012
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2 answers
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I’m restoring an Agfa Billy Record 4.5 folding camera from the late 1930s or 1940s and need replacement parts. What are the best places to look online for items such as bellows or other hardware? Any tips on sourcing parts for a camera this old would be appreciated.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
2
The two most common options are to shop online either for "New Old Stock" parts (often from gone-out-of-business repair shops) or for "parts-only" versions of the camera. I was fortunate to find some good sources for NOS bellows for Kodak folders, for example, but have had to scavenge other hardware from cameras that were beyond repair. I restored a like-new Kodak Model 3 from a $.66 body that had tattered bellows but was fine otherwise, a NOS bellows from a now-gone parts store, and a like-new in-kind shutter and lens from eBay. Set up a persistent eBay search for each part you need as well as for the whole camera and just be patient! The Agfa Billy Record has a great reputation and is worth restoring.
Originally by user16156. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user16156
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For a camera this old, the usual sources are:
- New old stock (NOS) parts — sometimes old repair-shop inventory turns up online.
- Parts-only donor cameras — often the most practical way to get original hardware.
For vintage folders, it’s common to mix both approaches: buy a camera with unusable bellows but good hardware, then source missing items like bellows separately if possible.
A good strategy is to set up saved/persistent searches on eBay for:
- the exact part you need
- the full camera model name
- parts/repair versions of the camera
Be patient, since availability is inconsistent and parts may appear only occasionally. For uncommon models like the Agfa Billy Record, donor bodies are often the most realistic source for mechanical parts.
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