Argus A in Russia

[evgenys]

Hello friends!

 

I've just scanned my first film, made by my old Argus A (No. 42781,

1936 year of production, first year (!)).<br>

Yesterday was a sunny day in Moscow, Russia. I walked around Kremlin

and shot everything I see. I even was very surprised when I noticed

that that the film in the camera has ended (Fuji Superia 100/36).

So I can say that the camera is very easy to use, just use Sunny/16

rule and you'll get the decent picture.<br>

The one negative part was the problems with the focusing (see

example). Maybe I did something wrong but I don't like to feel myself

SO stupid and isn't available to manage with the two positions of

focusing this Argus A provides. Another negative is the problem of

small vignetting. Is it the kind of every Argus A?<br>

Anyway I was really surprised of the overall quality of the pictures

I've got. They are sharp, truthful in the colors and not prone to

flares.<br>

Taking into attention the age of the camera, I can say that it can be

still useful in our modern life.<br>

 

The pictures here are "as is" - no USM, I just used "curves" in PS a

little to correct brightness.<br>

 

Regards, Evgeny

[evgenys]

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[cenelsonfoto]

I wondered if these bakelite beauties could nail an image... thanks for sharing.

[tito sobrinho]

Very good work...Evgeny! Every time I read your name, it reminds me of Evgeny Onegin.

[frank_a._bridges]

Funny- I always though it was Eugene Onegin.

[kelly_flanigan1]

Hi Evgeny; good work! <BR><BR>Here I have an Argus A2; which was bought about 1945; built from 1939 to 1950. <BR><BR>The A2 has a "two position focus". Also it has an extinction meter. One look thru the "meter" and judges what is the last hole one can see thru. Then the "computer" arm is moved to this position. Then shutter and f stops are read. No batteries. Abit hokey; ie not that great. There is a strip of film with darkened patches in the meter. On the photo bellow of the A2; the computer arm is missing. <BR><BR>On the argus A2; the focus is say from infinity to say 4 metres at one position. It is say from 4 meters to close at the slightly more extended position. The bayonet pop out can be placed at two positions. The close focus position is about say maybe 0.5 to 1 mm? extended more. In both cases the lens is popped out. The close position has the lens also popped out; but rotated to fit so it extends abit more. It jumps into another feature; land; etc. <BR><BR><b>I am not sure if YOUR Argus A has this two position focus or not. Maybe not?????? </b><BR><BR>Arguses were made in Ann Arbor, Michigan; and once in Chicago, Illinois too. My dad bought this Argus A2 about 1945; I think it was about 10 dollars. <BR><BR>This Argus A2 is mounted on a "teletach" homemade afocal telephoto rig. The telescope is about 10 power; so the rig is like a 500mm lens. The telescope is adjusted back and worth; to get full illumination of the film frame. If in the wrong position; omne gets bad vignetting like image. ie no light in corners of then film. Kitchen wax paper is used at the film plane; to check focus and illumination. This is a "poor mans homemade telephoto"; from the 1950's. Sam Brown in the Edmund Scientific optics bookletes is were the idea is from. <BR><BR>The argus A2 here has a triplet lens<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/teletach/tripods-190.jpg"><BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/teletach/tripods-189.jpg"><BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/teletach/tripods-244.jpg">

[kelly_flanigan1]

Evgeny's; <i>out of focus image :)) </i> is probably happened when the shutter was fired; and the lens module wasnt extended. I have done this many times too; a classical "Argus goof". <BR><BR>The Argus A2 was one of the first 35mm cameras I ever used. With faster films today; one can get decnt results with the contrasty consumer print films. I used to use the Argus A2 alot for time exposures of the stars. The super light weight camera had a T position; and was easy to balance on a telescope as the guide scope. `<BR><BR>In a lens test I ran about 1973; the argus a2 tested as follows:<BR><BR> center F4? 16 line pairs/mm <BR><BR>F4.5 18 line pairs/mm <BR><BR>F6.3 35 line pairs/mm <BR><BR>F9 50 line pairs/mm <BR><BR>f12.7 50 line pairs/mm <BR><BR>F18 56 line pairs/mm<BR><BR>at the edges @F4? 20 line pairs/mm<BR><BR>F4.5 22 line pairs/mm<BR><BR>F12.7 36 line pairs/mm<BR><BR>The F4? is where I went in and opened up the max position the diaphrame would open to

[connealy]

You got some very nice images from that camera. I've always wanted to try one. Interesting that it has a lot of features in common with the C3, and also produces better quality than most would expect.

[john_wire]

Kelly, do you know who made the Argus lenses?

[glenn_thoreson]

If the focus on your lens is the same as mine, you first extend the lens, then by turning the barrel and feeling what it does, you will find the two focus positions. It's a very small change in position. The closest position will focus from about 5 meters to infinity. The longest position will focus from about 2.5 meters to 5 or 6 meters. As mentioned, there is only about 1mm difference in positions. My camera does not have a positive lock for the two positions and you just have to go by feel. That, and try not to move it when releasing the shutter. Have fun!

[kelly_flanigan1]

John; I am not sure who made Argus's lenses. Mine is an Argus A2B. Maybe the lenses were made in Chicago; it was a power house of camera makers and radio makers in the 1940's. It has patent numbers os 2,052,261 and 2,229,276 inside .

[kelly_flanigan1]

<a href="http://jsurp.tripod.com/id11.html"><b>Charles Verschoor was awarded US Patent # 2,052,261 </b></a><BR><BR>@Fin

[kelly_flanigan1]

Evgeny ; and the group; the link above has a manual for the argus A.

[kelly_flanigan1]

Evgeny; the manual for the argus a shows the twp position focus. <BR><BR>Focusing Lens for Distance (18 feet to Infinity)<BR><BR>Focusing for Close-Ups (6 feet to 18 feet)

[dean_williams]

I've always like the look of these cameras, Evgeny. You've shown they can make good photos too. Thanks for sharing with us.

[evgenys]

<p> <b>2 All</b><br>

Thank you guys for your responses! I'm always wondering using such oldies! I'd like to tell that sometime ago I have discovered for myself the existence (unfortunately, in the past) of the US camera industry :-)! I like to use the items, made in the other side of the Iron Curtain :-) I have now Argus A, Argus C3 and Ciroflex TLR in my collection. I'd like to thank Richard Oleson who helped me to get these samples of the US photo industry!</p>

<p><b>2 Tito Carlos Maria Sobrinho and Frank A. Bridges </b><br>

I'm surprised that you know Evgeny Onegin! He was my grand-grand-grand-grand-father.... just kidding :-))) BTW, Evgeny is the original Russian name, Eugene is its equivivalent in the English-speaking countries. So both names are synonyms.</p>

<p><b>2 Kelly Flanigan</b><br>

My personal thanks for your story of Argus telephoto system (I can't even imagine that it's possible)! And thank you for your help in the solving of my "focusing problem" with my Argus! I'll shot another roll of the film trying to set the focus more accurately! BTW, how did you the "lens resolution test" to get the real numbers of lines/mm?</p>

<p><b>2 Glenn Thoreson</b><br>

Thank you for the help!</p>

[j.ed_baker]

Regarding the manufacuring of lenses, International Radio Corporation (IRC) purchased Graf Optical Company in 1938. IRC became Argus,Inc. in 1944. There are many variants of these cameras, some with flash sync., some had a focusing lens mount, one model had a Prontor shutter. I don't believe it's possible to collect all models because of all the variations.

[richard_oleson]

According to Lahue & Bailey, Ilex sold the lens/shutter assemblies for the A to Argus, for $1 each.

 

:)=