Argus Camera ARGUS A manual

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Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 3 Preface For the sake of expediency, any Argus A - or A2 - type camera will henceforth be referred to simply as “an Argus .” The author realizes that Argus manufacturers produced various types of cameras and that, if mentioned in casual conversation, the word Argus will probably conjur[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 4 Edition of 5 June 2004 © Copyright 2004 Hrad Kuzyk All Rights Reserved.[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 5 Table of Contents C H A PT ER S UBJECT 1 W HY THE A RGUS A/A2 C AMERA ? 2 H ISTORY 3 M ODELS A ND V ARIATIONS 4 P ARTS OF T HE C AMERA 5 U SER ’ S G UIDE 6 A CCESSORIES 7 R ESTORATION A ND R EPAIR 8 T RICKS A ND M ODIFICATIONS 9 F INDING AN A RGUS I N G OOD S HAPE 10 F URTHER R EADING A[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 6 1 W hy the Argus A/A2 Camera? Why should anyone be interested in a camera whose latest model has been out of production for over 50 years? Certainly not for ease of use. P oint - and - shoot camera s made t oday are far more user - friendly . N ot fo r quality of the lens or accuracy of t[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 7 May 1937[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 8 2 History The concept of a compact 35mm camera was born in the early 1920s. It was then that Oscar Barnack of E. Leitz, Inc. developed a portable and accurate camera based on readily available 35mm film, then the stan dard for the movie ind ustry. This camera, the Leica , took the world o[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 9 IRC’s engineers had extensive experience molding Bakeli te and to ok advantage of this knowledge in designing the body of the Argus . Bakelite allowed the camera body to be cheaply decorated with a distinct Art Deco flair . Gustave Fassin , an engineer for IRC, is generally believed to [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 10 World War II had on American industrial capability, methods, and design. Massive government contracts were awarded to every American industry. Unheard - of sums of government c ash were dumped into military - oriented research and development. New materials and t echniques of manufacture[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 11 One can see that the Argus A was very much a product of the times , and it was once those times changed that the age of the Argus A ended. All did not go well with Argus Cameras, Inc. after the demise of the A/A2 line . Higher quality and cheaper cameras from West Germany and Japan began[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 12 October 1938[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 13 3 Models And Variations This section of the book is neither a detailed list of the various s erial numbers, nor a catalog of every minor variation. Rather, it is a brief overview of the various Argus models produced. In the early years of the Argus , sever al low - production - run varia[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 14 Argus A Focus Type: 2 Position (6ft - 12 ft and 1 2 ft - Inf inity, later 6ft - 18ft and 18ft - Infinity ) Years Manufactured: 1936 - 1941 Introductory Price: $ 12.50 Approximate Introductory Price i n 200 3 Dollars: $160.00 Serial Number Range: 1037 - 211589 Shutter Type: Pre - war Ilex[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 15 Argus AF Focus Type: Variable from 1¼ to Infini ty f t Years Manufactured: 1937 - 1938 Introductory Price: $15.00 Approximate Introductory Price i n 200 3 Dollars: $190.00 Serial Number Range: 5000 - 70138 Shutter Type: Pre - war Ilex Precise Lens Speed: f/4.5 Aperture Settings: f/4.5, [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 16 Argus B Year Manufactured: 1937 Introductory Price: $25.00 Approximate Introductory Price i n 200 3 Dollars: $320.00 Serial Number Range: Middle A Range Shutter Type: Prontor II Lens Speed: f/2.9 Aperture Settings: f/ 2.9, 3.5, 4.1, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 Shutter Speeds: 1/175 th sec, 1/100, 1/5[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 17 Pre - War Argus A2B Focus Type: 2 Position (6ft - 18ft and 18ft - Inf inity ) Years Manufactured: 1939 - ~1945 Introductory Price: $12.50 Approximate I ntroductory Price i n 200 3 Dollars: $165.00 Serial Number Range: ~56215 - 244601 Shutter Type: Pre - war Ilex Precise Lens Speed: f/4.5[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 18 Argus A2F Focus Type: Variable from 1¼ to Infinity f t Years Manufactured: 1939 - 1941 Introductory Price: $15.00 Approximate Introductory Price i n 200 3 Dollars: $200.00 Serial Number Range: 22760 - 39031 Shutter Type: Pre - war I lex Precise Lens Speed: f/4.5 Aperture Settings: f/4.5[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 19 Argus AA Focus Type: Fixed Focus Years Manufactured: 1940 - 1942 Serial Number Range: 500000 - 513250 Shutter Type: Custom for Argus AA Lens Speed: f/6.3 Aperture Settings: f/6.3 (Dull/Color), 9 (Cloudy), 12.7 (Sun/Bright) Shutter Speeds: Time, Inst. Extinc tion Meter/Calculator: No Flas[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 20 Post - War A rgus A2B Focus Type: 2 Pos ition (6ft - 18ft and 18ft - Inf inity ) Years Manufactured: ~1945 - 1950 Introductory Price: $29.00 (includes carrying case and excise tax) Approximate Introductory Price In 2003 Dollars: $270.00 Serial Number Range: ~5621 5 - 244601 Shutter Type:[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 21 Argus FA Focu s Type: 2 Position (6ft - 15ft and 15ft - Inf inity ) Years Manufactured: 1950 - 1951 Introductory Price: $29.00 Approximate Introductory Price i n 200 3 Dollars: $220.00 Serial Number Range: Year and Month o f Manufacture Shutter Type: Flash - modified, p o st -war Lens Sp[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 22 March 1939[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 23 4 Parts Of The Camera The parts of the Argus A family of cameras are very similar to one another ; o ften only one part differs between separate models. In the figures below, the parts of the camera are labeled. If the part is only present on certain models, thos e models are written in [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 24 15 : Shutter Plung er (pre - war A2B & A2F) 16 : Focus Indicator (AF & A2F) 17 : Focusing Ring (AF & A2F) Fig. 4 - 3: Neck area of an Argus A2F 18 : Lock Clip 19 : Lock Catch 20 : Tripod Socket 21 : Back Cove r 22 : Rewind Knob 23: Extinction Meter (A2Bs & A2F) 24 : Bri g[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 25 29: Sprocket Wheel(s) 30 : Winding Shaft Fig. 4 - 6: Inside view of an Argus A2F 31: Floating Pressure Plate 32: Film Cartridge Retainer Fig. 4 - 7: Inside view of the Back Cover 33: Flash Synch Tubes for Argus AA 34: Flash Synch Tub es for Argus FA Fig. 4 - 8: Flash Synch Tubes[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 26 5 User’s Guide Load ing The Camera 1. Remove the Back C over by pressing the Lock Clip . While pressing , either pull on the l eather t ab on the Lock Catch or pry the Back Cover off with your fingers. If you have difficulty removing the Back C over, you can pry the Lock Catch with a f[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 27 6. Replace th e Back Cover by hooking it onto the right side of the camera and closing it onto the Lock Clip . While closing the camera, ensure that the foam Film Cartridge Retainer on the Back C o ve r presses down on the lip of the f ilm c artridge. CAUTION: If the Back Cover does not [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 28 FA. (The Modified Two - Position Focus in Chapter 8 discusses the two - position focus further.) 1. Focus in infinity position: To focus for a distance of about 15 ft . to Infinity, rotate the Shutter and Neck assembly until the Lens L o cking Tabs are NOT over the Locking Lugs . If done[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 29 shutter. Keep in mind that the Argus View Finder shows slightly less than will ap pear on the film negative; this was intentional and meant to compensate for aiming errors. The camera must be held steady, resting against the cheek, and the pressure on the T rigger should be gradual so th[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 30 Using The Light Meter/Exposure Calculator (A2B and A2F) I . First, you must set the Tabs to the proper film speed. Determining Film Speed: To set the Film Speed Tab , you must translate the film speed on the film c artridge, which is in ISO (ASA) , to the film speed written on the camera[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 31 Fig . 5 - 3 : Example 1 Fig. 5 - 4 : Example 2 Example 1 Film: 100 ISO (72 Weston) The second block is visible in the ext inction meter. You are outdoors with average lighting conditions. Use the following Shutter Speed/Aperture combinations: Shutter Speed 200 100 50 25 f- stop f/4.5 f/6[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 32 f- s top S ettings A nd S pacing In the early models of the Argus camera, the early As and AF s, the aperture settings are listed as f /4.5, 5.6, 8, and 11. This undoubtedly caused confusion b ecause the difference between f/4.5 and f/ 5.6 is about a half stop, whereas the other differen[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 33 6 Accessories Soon after it entered the market, t he Argus was quickly joined by a myriad of accessories. Verschoor envisioned the Argus as part of a system of components that could cheaply create pictures from start to finish. O n the enlarger, the camera body and lens were also used to[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 34 the sun; thus providing mor e interesting and more artistic shots. The attachment fits the camera lens mount as well as filters, copying, and portrait attachments. Any combination may be used. Th is lens shade is very helpful in bright situations. Portrait Attachment No. 3 (SORCA) Part N[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 35 Lens Accessory Case (SARCI) Part No. S - 7 Original Cost $1.00 These do not age well . If found in good condition, do not use in order to preserve its historical value. Lens Accessory Kit (SOMTA) Part No. S - 8 Original Cost $5.00 Complete Kit of the above seven items in case for Model A[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 36 Fig. 6 - 2: Argus Redycase (left), De Luxe Case (center), and Zipper Case (right) Black Leather Zipper Case (BLANCA) Part No. 50 Original Cost $2.50 An all - purpose case of heavy selected cowhide, complete ly lined with soft rich velvet that will not scratch or damage camera. Zipper fas[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 37 This new carrying case affords perfect protection for your Argus and is always ready for instant action withou t removal of camera. Is rich in appearance and most practical for quick shots. Made of genuine hand finished deep grained cowhide and fitted with black leather neck strap. Net w[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 38 AVERAGE or CLOUDY, etc. These are notoriously inaccurate factors to deal with. Still, th e meter works well enough to produce a decent photograph. Vintage Book On Photography One great way to get into the mindset of using an antique camera is to read photographic books from the camera’[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 39 to the desired length of time. Self - timers are particularly useful if you are using a cheap, unstable, m iniature tripod or taking extreme close - ups. There are several things to keep in mind if you are looking for a self - timer. T ry to get one with an instruction manual. These are [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 40 quarter of the way around the inside rim and cut it off. Try to fit it on the lens mount. Continue this process of unwrapping and trying until the lens cap fits snugly. Use the razor to trim the excess plastic and tape, and admire yo ur new lens cap! If making a lens cap for the pre - wa[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 41 7 Restoration And Rep air One of the great advantages of the Argus A is how easy it is to repair. This chapter will discuss repairs by dividing the camera into three main sections: the Body, the Neck, and the Shutter (see Fig. 4 - 1). Inevitably, when talking about camera rep air, one ru[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 42 The only reason to take it off is to clean around it or to polish it with aluminum polish. If you attempt to polish it, be prepared to spend a lot of time scrubbing the knurled portion. Ensure that when you replace the knob, the slot in the screw - hole of the knob is properly lined - up[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 43 set t he Counter Dial to “0” when the camera is first loaded with film . Unfortunately, this clutch often fails and begins to unscrew the retaining screw. When reassembling, ensure that these items are replaced on to the screw in the proper order; first the Dial, then the copper disc[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 44 glue it EXACTLY where it broke off. Serious problems will occur if the Pressure Plate is not affixed correctly. The post - war A2B and the FA have a f loa ting Pressure Plate (see Fig. 4 - 7). This is a stamped aluminum plate that is kept aloft with by a springy metal band. The only prob[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 45 Light - Proof Ribbon The most overlooked part of the B ody is the inside of the cylinder that the Neck slides into. If you undo the four screws tha t hold the Neck and Shutter assembly to the Body, you should see that the inside of this Body cavity is line d with a fuzzy, light - proof r[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 46 The Two - Position Focus Neck The two - position focus Neck is just a tube. Clean the outside of it if you dis assemble the camera. The Variable Focus Neck If th e variable focus Neck is difficult to rotate , it can be easily loosened. Most often, the grease used to lubricate the mechani[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 47 Fig. 7 - 2 : “Homem ade” adjustable shutter removal tool Once you have removed the nut, the Shutter can be separated from the Neck, and two metal plates, one with the Lens Locking Tabs and one with the Locking Lugs, can be removed from the Neck. In addition to these plates , there ar[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 48 The Shutter Cleaning The Lens The objective lens of the Argus is very easy to clean. But be ca reful not to scratch or damage the lens by using improper cleaning techniques. At a minimum , use only the materials found in a lens cleaning kit purchased from a camera store . The Lens Assemb[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 49 As a shutter mechani sm ages, terrible things happen . Dirt enters the mechanism, lubricants thicken , and moving parts start to freeze up or get sticky . To reverse the effects of time , a very thin oil must be injected into the moving joints of the mechanism. It is very important to us[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 50 Fig. 7 - 4 : Pre - war Shutter Face Plates Let us take a look at the inside of the pre - war Shutter. Do not attempt to remove any of the screws on the inside of the shutter mechanism; they are difficult to replace. On this shutter, you can fire the Trigger while the Face Plate is remove[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 51 F : This lever rides on a cam on the Face Plate. When you rotate the Face Plate to set the shutter speed to B(ulb) or T(imed), this lever sets the mechanism in B to the proper position. G : This lever also rides o n a cam on the Face Plate. I t controls the shutter speed from 25 to 200. [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 52 The Post - War Shutter The post - war S hutter is found on the post - war Argus A2B and the FA. Although there is no direct evidence, the post - war Shutter appears to be the Wollensak Alphax shutter, also used on cameras such as the Bolsey B, Bolsey C, Perfex One - O - One, and others f[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 53 E . These are the lubrication points for the delay mechanism. For every speed from 25 to 150 , this mechanism delays the shutter blades to ensure that the shutter blades remain open for the appropriate amount of time. If your shutter blades do not close properly when set to 25 speed but [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 54 Again, reassembling the Shutter is trickier than taking it apart. The steps are the reverse of dis assembly, but care must be taken to ensure that all of the various components, particularly the cams on the Face Plate, line up properly. When replacing the Face Plate, make sure that the S[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 55 the Neck as if you were scratching it. Once found, a crack can be repaired by filling it from the inside with flat black model paint. The most commonly seen light leak tak es the form of a round circle whose diameter is almost the entire width of the negative; it looks like a large fuzzy[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 56 8 Tricks And Modifications When the Argus debuted in 1936, taking a p icture was still a hit or m iss endeavor . Light meters were primitive and hardly more accurate than charts. Flash bulbs had just been invented and were still quite unreliable. Each type of film came with its own chart[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 57 Set the aperture at f/4.5. You can now look through the back of the camera to see exactly what the negative will look like. Keep in mind, however, that the image will be upside - down. If you intend to take many close up pi ctures, you can mark the front V iew F inder lens with a fine - [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 58 shallow de pth of field , make for interesting effects. Cityscapes can be made with the first exposure during the day and the second at night. While some of these effects require computation to determine the proper exposure times and apertures, they offer some truly unique approaches to [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 59 The Pinhole Argus The Argus camera can be changed into a pinhole camera. But so can a shoebox. What makes the Argus a bet ter pinhole camera than a shoebox ? 1. The Pinhole Argus can easily be converted back into a normal camera with no permanent damage. But can’t a shoebox still hold [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 60 pixels, and 1200 should have 75 pixels. Once you have double - checked that your scanner is properly set, scan t he strips of aluminum foil and zoom in on the holes. Count the number of pixels that fit lengthwise in the hole and divide by the dpi setting. That will give you the correct d[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 61 and the shutter is in the extended position with the optimum pinhole size, the exposure time should be 1.3 seconds (1/1 00 x 130 = 1.3) . Bear in mind that this calculation assumes that the pinhole is exactl y 0.0113 inches in diameter, perfectly round , the film is without reciprocity, [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 62 slight modification , however, the Argus can produce all sorts of “artistic flaw s ”. It also allows a surprising degree of control over the intentional flaws. This modification places a “mask” about 1/8 th of an inch above the focal plane, between the negative and the lens. Ther[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 63 working filter factor . This factor will remain the same for every mask that is similarly made. Because of ambient dust and sc ratches, the mask will not last long before it needs to be removed or replaced. The light - proof ribbon will also dry and begin to sprinkle dust on the filter. [...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 64 Adding A Cold Accessory Shoe Accessory sho es were once very c ommon on cameras. Some cameras like the UniveX Mercury had two accessory shoes, a hot one for a flash and a cold one for a n extinction meter or rangefinder. Every accessory shoe made these days, however, is intended for an e[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 65 9 Finding An Argus In Good Shape The 60 Second Camera Evaluation You are walking down the street of a city you are visiting and something black, yet chromed, catches your eye . As you approach it, you see that one of the many anti que store s in this part of the city has just put an Argu[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 66 You should see a very temporary flash of light. If you consistently see a flash of light while firing the shutter, then the shutter mechanism is probably still goo d and will be easily restored . If you cannot fire the shutter and see the flash of light at the top speed, you may not be a[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 67 10 For More Information Throughout the years, much has been written about 35mm cameras , their use, and their repair. The author has enjoyed many of these books and would like to point out several that stand out fr om the crowd. The best history of American 35mm development and the early[...]

Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 68 Appendi x A: Argus A Patent[...]

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Download this book for free at http://www.TheArgusA .com / 73 Appendix B: Bibliography and References Adams, Ansel, The Camera . Little, Brown, and Company, Boston, 1980. Burian, Peter K. and Caputo, Robert, National Geographic Photograp hy Field Guide: Secrets To Making Great Pictures . National Geographic Book Division, Washington, D.C., 1999. La[...]