Argus A2B (1939-1942 and 1946-1950)

The Argus A2B is an Argus A with an extinction exposure meter built in. This example is the post-WWII version that was made in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from 1946 to 1950. The pre-war version had an uncoated lens in a slightly different shutter. The viewfinder is a reverse galilean type. The lens is a coated Argus Anastigmat f/4.5-18 50 mm triplet. The lens collapses into the camera body and is zone focusing. You turn the lens barrel until it unlatches and extends for distant shots and turn it more until it pops out a little farther for close shots. In the unmarked close focus position the camera is focused for 8 ft. to 16 ft. In the unmarked distant focus position the camera is focused for 16 ft. to infinity. Instead of aperture settings from f/4.5 being marked in the normal sequence of 5.6, 8, 11 and 16, the f-stops are marked 6.3, 9, 12.7 and 18, which are sequential one-stop steps from 4.5 and one-third of a stop slower than the standard sequence. The shutter is a self-setting leaf shutter with speeds of 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/150 second plus bulb and time. The back comes off for loading film. The film runs from right to left, which was typical for Argus, but opposite most other cameras. After the film is loaded you manually set exposure counter to zero by turning the dial in the direction of the arrow. It counts up from zero when the film is advanced. To advance the film you push a catch on the top of the camera, turn the film winding knob a quarter turn, let go of the catch, and continue to wind the film until it stops. You press the shutter release on the side of the lens to take a picture. Pressing the shutter release cocks the shutter and releases the shutter in one motion.

Front

Back

The exposure meter has a strip of graduated filter material. To use the exposure meter the photographer holds the camera at arm's length and points it at the scene, then takes a quick look at the meter to see the darkest spot that still shows a little light. By setting the calculator for the film speed, general light conditions and the light visible in the meter, the photographer can calculate the shutter speed and aperture setting almost as accurately as by simply guessing. The film speeds are Weston exposure index numbers instead of ASA numbers. The Weston numbers were determined by film tests made by the Weston Electrical Instrument Company, who manufactured photoelectric exposure meters, and were about 80% of the corresponding ASA film speed. For example, a film with an ASA speed of 100 had a Weston speed of 80.

The post war version of the A2B was outdated when it appeared, but it was inexpensive, it worked and it was available.

[Update] Here is an example of the pre-war A2B (1939-1942). The trim and shutter are slightly different from the post-war version and the lens is uncoated. The shutter release is a plunger that can be unscrewed for a cable release. The plunger often is lost. Argus had a special cable release for the A2B because a standard cable release with a narrow pin can get hung in the shutter mechanism and damage it. The Argus cable release had a wide plunger that would not damage the shutter. The shutter speeds on the pre-war version were marked 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/200 plus B and T. The exposure calculator had matching shutter speeds.

Pre-war A2B

Pre-war A2B

[Update] The pre-war A2B was missing the film advance catch, which I've replaced with one from an Argus A that had a bad shutter.