Argus B (1937)

The Argus model B is an Argus model A with an imported Prontor II shutter instead of an Ilex Precise shutter and a front cell focusing lens instead of a zone focusing lens. Only 1,000 were made. I think this might have just been a marketing test because the focusing model AF (see the post for June 27, 2018) came out at the same time and had a longer production run.

The camera body is molded from phenolic resin and the back is pressed aluminum. The film advance knob, reverse galilean viewfinder, film advance catch and exposure counter are on the top. The rewind knob is on the bottom. The lens and shutter are on a collapsible mount like the one on the model A, except that the B doesn't have two position zone focus on the mount. The uncoated lens is marked "Argus Anastigmat f/2.9 5 cm" and "Made in France." It is a front cell focuser. The shutter is a Prontor II made by Alfred Gauthier, Calmbach, Germany, and is marked with the AGC logo and "Made in Germany". It has speeds of 1/175, 1/100, 1/50, 1/25, 1/10, 1/5, 1/2 and 1 second plus B (bulb) and T (time), and it has a self timer, which was uncommon in 1937. The shutter is cocked by a lever near the top and the shutter release is on the photographer's right. The self timer is on the bottom of the shutter. The rest of the camera is just like a model A.