Argus added a flash attachment to the A-series body to create the model FA. This was the last camera Argus made using the body style of the Argus A. It was followed by the A4 (see the post for September 16, 2019), which had a more modern appearance.
Argus FA
The back is striped instead of having the three rectangles of the other A body Arguses.
The flash attachment (left) takes the same flasholder as the Argus 75 or 40 twin lens cameras. The flasholder for the Argus C3 will not fit.
Instead of a serial number, a date (YYMM) was stamped inside the back. This one has March, 1951.
The FA has a coated f/4.5 Argus 50mm anastigmat in a self-setting shutter with speeds of 1/150, 1/100, 1/50 and 1/25 second plus B (bulb) and T (time). The 1/100 speed setting is red to indicate the shutter speed setting for an average daylight picture and the 1/25 setting is green to indicate the shutter speed setting for a flash picture. The aperture settings were marked f/4.5, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16 and f/22. The 8 is red to indicate the aperture setting for an average daylight picture. The shutter has a cable release socket. The flash attachment takes the same flasholder as the Argus 40 or the Argus 75. The flasholder for the Argus C3 will not fit.
The Argus Model FA is the only A-body Argus where the zone focus settings are actually marked.
Left: 15 ft. to Infinity. Right: 6 ft. to 15 ft.
The list price in 1951 was $29.95 plus $4.08 for the flasholder and $5.50 for the case, the total of $39.53 being equivalent in purchasing power to $392 in depreciated 2019 dollars. The Argus FA apparently was not a commercial success, and stayed in the product line for only a couple of years.
The wire from the shutter to the flash contact is broken in this example. Since the flasholder is for flashbulbs only and flashbulbs aren't being made any more, I don't think I will try to replace the wire.
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