Argus Camera ARGUS A2 manual Stop Settings And Spacing, Holding The Camera Upside Down

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f-stop Settings And Spacing

In the early models of the Argus camera, the early As and AFs, the aperture settings are listed as f/4.5, 5.6, 8, and 11. This undoubtedly caused confusion because the difference between f/4.5 and f/5.6 is about a half stop, whereas the other differences are full stops. Remember this if you are using such a camera.

Later models switched to an older European method for denoting f-stops. These settings were f/4.5, 6.3, 9, 12.7, 18; all of which are evenly spaced to allow one full stop between them.

This may not have been the only reason for the change, however. Argus had always been plagued by rumors that the lens on the A was slower than the stated f/4.5, and that the shutter speeds were retarded to compensate for this error. To make their camera settings more accurate, the Argus engineers may have retested their lenses and decided that the iris was choking off more light than originally thought. To fix this mistake, they may have relabeled the settings and increased the size of the largest aperture setting.

When the Argus FA was introduced in 1950, the f-stop scale was changed back to f/4.5, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22. Again, if using this camera, bear in mind that the difference between f/4.5 and f/5.6 is only half a stop.

In any event, extensive picture taking using all three f-stop scales has produced serviceable results when processed at a 1-hour photo shop.

Holding The Camera Upside Down

When the Argus first appeared in 1936, “candid” camera photography was still a new hobby. As such, people were unused to using cameras that were small and portable, and not immobilized on a tripod. Many amateur photographers shook the camera as they took pictures, got fuzzy prints, and blamed the camera. After all, it couldn’t be their fault!

The Argus corporation, faced with this problem, decided to tell its customers to take pictures with the camera upside-down, with the View Finder at the bottom and the Back Cover of the camera placed firmly against their forehead. This would provide a steadier platform for taking photos. Early instruction manuals for the Argus A show a bowtie-clad man taking a picture with the camera upside down. In addition to this, the woman photographer on the cover of the Argus pamphlet “Aim and Shoot, Argus Candid Camera Photography” is holding her camera upside down. One assumes that this trend was a short-lived one and that

Argus quickly rescinded its recommendation, for this camera-holding technique is not mentioned again.

Fig. 5-5: Holding the camera upside down. (Taken from an early Argus A manual)

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Contents Page Page Preface Page Table of Contents Why the Argus A/A2 Camera? May History Page Page Page October Models And Variations Argus a Lens Speed f/4.5Lens Speed f/4.5 Aperture Settings f/4.5, 5.6, 8 Argus AFArgus B Extinction Meter/Calculator No Flash Synch Tubes NoPre-War Argus A2B Argus A2F Argus AA Lens Speed f/6.3Post-War Argus A2B Years Manufactured ~1945Argus FA March Aperture Indicator A, AF, A2Bs, & A2F Parts Of The CameraShutter Plunger pre-war A2B & A2F Sprocket Wheels Winding Shaft User’s Guide Loading The CameraTaking Pictures Page Using The Sunny/16 Rule Rewinding Finished FilmUsing The Light Meter/Exposure Calculator A2B and A2F ISOFilm Speed Read Shutter Speed from the block Shutter SpeedStop Stop Settings And Spacing Holding The Camera Upside DownLens Shade AccessoriesLens Attachments Portrait Attachment No Copying Attachment NoYellow Filter Lens CapLens Accessory Case Lens Accessory KitLens Accessory Kit for Argus AF Red FilterDe Luxe Black Leather Case Black Leather Zipper CaseSoft Suede Zipper Bag Light Meter Carrying Case Safety ScrewOther Accessories Mechanical Self-Timer Vintage Book On PhotographyCable Release Small TripodNew Lens Cap A Lens Cap in various stages of productionHand-Held Or Accessory-Shoe Mounted Rangefinder Flash GunsRestoration And Repair Camera BodyFilm Transport Mechanism Film Advance KnobView Finder Counter DialSprocket Wheels Back CoverExtinction Meter Flash MechanismNeck You Can’t Fix Light-Proof RibbonNeck Separating The Neck From The Shutter Two-Position Focus NeckVariable Focus Neck Homemade adjustable shutter removal tool Shutter Cleaning The Lens Shutter MechanismPre-War Shutter Pre-war Shutter Face Plates Pre-war Shutter with the Face Plate removed Post-War Shutter Post-war Shutter with the Face Plate removed Finding Light Leaks Argus AA ShutterFixing The Iris And Other Repairs Page Tricks Using Ground Glass Tricks And ModificationsTaking Close-Up Pictures Double ExposuresModifying Old Filters Intentional Lens AberrationsModifications Most Common Modification Pinhole Argus Optimum hole specifications for various shutter positions Special Effects For The Proletariat Page Closer Two-Position Focus Adding a Cold Accessory Shoe Finding An Argus In Good Shape 60 Second Camera EvaluationFinding An Argus Online For More Information Appendix a Argus a Patent Page Page Page Page Other Appendix B Bibliography and ReferencesAdvertisements
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