This is one of the many gadgets made for popular Argus cameras. The Tiffen Quick Reading Diaphragm Control was intended to make setting the aperture on an Argus Cintar 50mm f/3.5 lens a little easier. The Argus Cintar lens made from 1938 to 1958 has a small ring with a couple of tiny pins to set the iris diaphragm. The Tiffen control ring fit over the ring and pins and made it easier to read the f/stop and set the lens, especially when a filter or lens hood was installed. In 1958 Argus redesigned the Cintar lens to have a more conventional aperture ring, and the new lenses no longer needed the aftermarket control ring. As a safeguard against losing the Tiffen control ring, it is a good idea to screw in a Series V filter adapter ring such as a Tiffen #502 or a Kodak No. 18 to keep the control ring from falling off if it came loose. The control ring came in black with white markings or silver with black markings. I think the silver version is a little better looking.
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| Black with white lettering |
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| Silver with black lettering |
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| Instructions for the Tiffen control ring. |
