Battery finder: Which battery does your Agfa camera take?
Start typing your camera model. The battery and charger appear below, with links to buy.
Most of the Agfa cameras people pick up secondhand need no battery at all, which makes them unusually low-maintenance.
The folding cameras, the Silette and Karat 35mm cameras and the box cameras take no battery at all, and even the metered Silette LK Sensor needs no cell for its meter.
The ones that do take batteries are the later electronic models.
SLRs
| Camera | Battery | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Selectronic 2 | 3× LR44 (G13) Also at: Amazon | Three 1.5V button cells — not two — in the removable holder: Mallory 10L14, Varta V76PX or V13GA, National LR44 or G13. They run the metering electronics and the electromagnetic shutter. |
| Selectronic 3 | 3× LR44 (G13) Also at: Amazon | Three 1.5V button cells (Mallory 10L14, Varta V76PX, National LR44 or G13). Agfa says the camera won't fire without batteries, or with weak ones. |
Compacts
| Camera | Battery | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Agfamatic 4000 pocket sensor | 2× Varta 246 (see notes) Also at: Amazon | Two button cells — Agfa names the Varta 246, Varta 7203 or Mallory MN 625 G. |
| Agfamatic 4008 pocket sensor topflash | 2× Varta 246 (see notes) Also at: Amazon | Two button cells — Agfa names the Varta 246, Varta 7203 or Mallory MN 625 G. |
| Agfamatic flash 3000 pocket sensor | 2× AAA (for the flash) Also at: Amazon | Two 1.5V AAA cells (Varta 4003 or Mallory Mn 2400) power the built-in flash. |
| Optima 1035 Sensor | 3× V625U (Varta 4626) Also at: Amazon | Three button cells run the automatic exposure — Agfa names the Varta 4626 (V 625 U), with UCAR EPX 625 and Mallory PX 625 as alternatives. |
| Optima 1535 Sensor | 3× V625U (Varta 4626) Also at: Amazon | Three button cells run the automatic exposure — Agfa names the Varta 4626 (V 625 U), with UCAR EPX 625 and Mallory PX 625 as alternatives. |
| Optima 335 Sensor | 3× V625U (Varta 4626) Also at: Amazon | Three button cells run the automatic exposure — Agfa names the Varta 4626 (V 625 U), with UCAR EPX 625 and Mallory PX 625 as alternatives. |
| Optima 535 Sensor | 3× V625U (Varta 4626) Also at: Amazon | Three button cells run the automatic exposure — Agfa names the Varta 4626 (V 625 U), with UCAR EPX 625 and Mallory PX 625 as alternatives. |
| Optima Sensor | 3× V625U (Varta 4626) Also at: Amazon | Three button cells run the automatic exposure — Agfa names the Varta 4626 (V 625 U), with UCAR EPX 625 and Mallory PX 625 as alternatives. |
| Selecta m | 2× AA Also at: Amazon | Two 1.5V AA-size cells drive the film-transport motor. |
| Silette LK Sensor | None | No battery at all. The meter is a selenium cell, which generates its own tiny current from the light falling on it — nothing to replace, though selenium does fade with age and a dim meter usually means a tired cell rather than a flat battery. |
Rangefinders
| Camera | Battery | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ambi Silette | None | No battery: Agfa recommends a separate meter such as the Lucimeter, and the manual mentions no battery. |
| Karat 36 | None | No battery: the Compur shutter is tensioned by the winding lever, and the manual mentions no battery. |
| Super Silette | None | No battery: a Prontor-SVS leaf shutter set by hand, with exposure taken from tables or a separate meter. |
Folding cameras
| Camera | Battery | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Isolette II | None | No battery: the manual describes a mechanically set leaf shutter and an exposure table, and mentions no battery. |
| Isolette III | None | No battery: the manual describes a mechanically set leaf shutter and recommends a separate meter, and mentions no battery. |
| Record III | None | No battery: no meter and a fully mechanical shutter. Nothing to power, nothing to go flat. |
| Solinette II | None | No battery: no meter and a fully mechanical shutter. Nothing to power, nothing to go flat. |
Box cameras
| Camera | Battery | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clack | None | No battery: a simple two-setting shutter (instant and B), apertures set by weather symbols, and an exposure table in the manual. |
Things worth knowing
A meter that needs no battery
The Silette LK Sensor has a built-in needle meter, but Agfa’s manual lists no battery for it anywhere.1 Worth knowing because it changes what a dead meter means: if the needle is sluggish or won’t move, a new battery isn’t the fix.
The reason is that it uses a selenium cell, which makes its own small current from light, so there’s nothing to replace. Selenium cells can weaken with age, though. A meter that reads low or barely moves usually has a tired cell or a sticky needle movement, not a missing battery.
The fully mechanical ones
The Record III, Solinette II, Isolette II and III, Karat 36, Super Silette, Ambi Silette and Clack take no battery.2 Their manuals describe mechanically set shutters and exposure tables, and several recommend a separate meter.3 Nothing to go flat and nothing to leak in the battery compartment, which is why so many still work.
The electronic models
The Selectronic 2 and Selectronic 3 SLRs take three LR44-type button cells — three, not two4 — and Agfa says the Selectronic 3 won’t fire without them.5
The manuals list LR44 alkaline or SR44 silver-oxide cells, and both are the same size. Don’t confuse these SLRs with the earlier Selectronic Sensor and Selectronic S of 1970, which are viewfinder and rangefinder cameras, not SLRs. Those take two PX625 cells, a mercury size that’s no longer made. See Mercury Batteries Are Gone for ways around that.
The Optima Sensor family — the Optima Sensor, 335, 535, 1035 and 1535 — runs its automatic exposure on three Varta 4626 (V 625 U) button cells.6 The Compact, Selecta m and Agfamatic pocket cameras take AAA, AA or small button cells for their motors, flash or exposure systems.7
Battery charts by brand
Cameras: Agfa · Bronica · Canon · Contax · Fujifilm · Hasselblad · Konica · Leica · Mamiya · Minolta · Nikon · OM System and Olympus · Panasonic Lumix · Pentax · Ricoh · Sigma · Sony · Yashica
Action cameras: DJI Osmo · GoPro · Insta360
Notes & References:
- Source: Agfa Silette LK Sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive). [↩︎]
- Sources: Agfa Record III instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Solinette II instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Isolette II instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Isolette III instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Karat 36 instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Super Silette instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Ambi Silette instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Clack instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive). [↩︎]
- Sources: Agfa Isolette III instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Ambi Silette instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Super Silette instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Clack instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive). [↩︎]
- Sources: Agfa Selectronic 2 instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Selectronic 3 instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive). [↩︎]
- Source: Agfa Selectronic 3 instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive). [↩︎]
- Sources: Agfa Optima Sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Optima 335 Sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Optima 535 Sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Optima 1035 Sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfa Optima 1535 Sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive). [↩︎]
- Sources: Agfa Selecta m instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfamatic flash 3000 pocket sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfamatic 4000 pocket sensor instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive); Agfamatic 4008 pocket sensor topflash instructions (scanned copy hosted by the Butkus archive). [↩︎]
