Film cameras
Agfa Ansco PB20 ReadySet User manual
User manual for Agfa Ansco PB20 ReadySet. 16 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
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- Brand
- Agfa
- Model / document
- Agfa Ansco PB20 ReadySet
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 16
- File size
- 3.1 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 3 · Read text
www.butkus.us
J^lructiort
FOR THE
USE OF THE
READYSET
CAMERA
/HE AuIcr Ansco Recdyset Cqmera hos been Z so scientificolly designed thot exceptionolly
line results ore eosily obtcined without speciol
knowledge. All informotion necessory is con-
tcined in this booklet to enqble you to secure
100/o satisf.cctory snopshots from your Reodyset
Cqmerq.
Therefore, before moking cmy exposures with
the cqmerq, toke the time to corefully reod rhis
booklet from cover to cover. Study the illustrcr-
tions; leqrn the function of eoch odlustment.
With the cqmerq before you, follow eoch step
of the vqrious operotions until the explonotion
is perfectly cleor.
@- -,ii.tt..r3!-j {View original page 3Page 5 · Read text
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T H E AG FA AN S C O
READYSET CAMERA
t2_
ItJ
1_
8_
7-
4
Digitally signed by Mike Butkus
DN: cn=Mike Butkus, o=Butkus camera
manuals, ou=butkus.org, Mike Butkus email=mike@butkus.org, c=US
Date: 2021.08.07 15:16:19 -04'00'
Fie. I
Explonotion of numbers on opposite pogeView original page 5Page 6 · Read text
CHECK OVER THE CAMERA WITH
FIG. I BEFORE YOU
1. Opening releqse button. Press in to open
cclmerc.
2. Plotform. Pull down qfter releqsing cotch
(l) until side-orm brqces (3) lock.
3. Side-orm brqces. See that brcrces lock ond
hold plotform rigid.
1. Closing releqse button. Similor button is on
opposite side of cqmero. With the cqmerct
held between the thumb ond middle finger
of the left hond, press the releqse buttons
on both sides simuhqneously. With the
right hond, move plotform upword until
securely closed qs indicqted by clicking of
lotch.
5. Verticol footrest.
6. Shutter odjustment lever for vorying shutter
speeds.
7. Finger relecrse for operoting shutier. Press
downwqrd to mqke exposure.
B. Socket for qddition of coble releose for
operoting shutter. A coble releqse for this
cqmero is cvoiloble from the Agfc Ansco
Corporotion if desired.
9. Brilliont finder. Turn for horizontql pictures.
Return to verticql position before closing
^dhard
I0. Bellows.
li. Winding key for cdvcncing film.
12. Releqse cotch lor opening bock.View original page 6Page 7 · Read text
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TO OPEN THE CAMERA
To open the comerq, hold it in the polm of
the left hond ond press the opening relecrse
button (1, Fiq. i) with the left thumb. With
the riqht hqnd, pull down the plotform (2) until
the side-orm brqces ore locked firmly in ploce.
TO CTOSE THE CAMENA
To close the cqmero, grosp it in the polm of
the left hond ond simultoneously press the two
closing releqse buttons (4) with the thumb ond
middle finger. With the right hond then move
tha plotform upwqrd until it is securely closed
qs indicoted by c clicking of the ldtch.
Repeo.t the operoiion of opening ond closing -the cqmero until you cqn do it eosily ond deftlv.
Never force the comera of ony point. If ony
obstruction is encountered, stop at once qnd
determine whot is in the woy.
FOCUSING
The Reodyset is o fixed-focus comerq requir-
ing no focusing. All objects from l0 feel to
infinity ore shorply in focus.
THE SHUTTER
The shutter is the mechqnisrn which cctuolly
mokes the exposure when toking q picture.
Simply expressed, it does nothing more thon
uncover the lens for q very short period of time {so thot light from the object photogrophed moy
pqss through the lens qnd project cn imoqe
upon the fiim. However, it does this uncovering
job with o very hiqh deqree of cccurqcy.
TO REGUTATE THE SHUTTER SPEED {
Along the top of the lens mounting (Fiq. Z,
poge 7) ore two shutter-settings, Time ond inst.
(instontoneous).
To set the shutter for these settings, move the
pointer (6, Fiq. I) to o position directly over the
desired figure. In the shutter illustrotion, Fig. 2,
the shutter is set for instontoneous, the stonJori
snopshot speed.
In oddition to these figures on the front plote
of the shutter identicolly corresponding fijures
will be found on the top of the shutter.View original page 7Page 8 · Read text
Fiq. 2
Lens Mountino
The shutter is opercted, or "tripped," by the
finger releqse (7, Fiq. l) or by q cqble releqse if
such hos been odded. Cqre must be token
when the releose is pressed down in moking on
exposure not to jqr or move the comerq. II the
comerq is moved, q blurred picture will result.
Holding the opened cqmerq in the polm of the
Ieft hond, its bock held firmly ogoinst the body
for support, proctice the shutter operotion until
you crre certqin exposures con be mqde without
moving the comerq.
When the shutter is set for instqntqneous, cr
single pressure on the releqse lever trips the
shutter, opening ond closing it.View original page 8Page 9 · Read text
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When the shutter is set Ior Time, one down-
wqrd pressure opens the shutter, following
which q second pressure is necessqry to close
it. In other words, the lens remqins open ihe
full time, however long, between the two opero-
tions of the lever. Time. is used for interior work
ond long exposures, such qs mqy be counted
with the second hqnd oI ct wqtch. Timeexposures should never be mode ol moving .'objects. The oddition of o coble releose is
especiolly voluoble for time exposures to pre-
vent donger of moving the cqmerq
THE FINDER
The Reodyset cqmerq is equipped with o
brilliqnt finder for locoting the subject with the
comerq held ot woist level.
When moking exposures in the verticol posi-
tion, reqd the finder qs shown in Fig. 3, ond
when toking pictures in the horizontol position,
swing the Iinder 90 degrees to the left ond reod
it qs shown in Fiq. 4, disregording the portions
indicoted in the cuts by white. spqce.
)"
Fie. 3 Fig. 4
THE FOOTREST AND TRIPOD [1socrET
(5, is for Fiq. verticql footrest l) The toking f ovoilqble. not is tripodTime exposures when c
The footrest is eosily extended by pullinq it out
ct right angles to the plotform, ofter which the
cqmercr may be set upon o toble, ledge, or roil-
ing for support.
In order to use the tripod socket, which will
be found in the center of the front plotform, it is
necessqry to first remove the plug-screw. TtrisView original page 9Page 10 · Read text
moy be done with q smqll coin, ofter which the
tripod is screwed securely into ploce. The
screws should be reploced ofter removol of the
tripod in order to protect the interior of the
comerq cgoinst dust or other foreign motter
which might prove injurious to the shutter
mechonism
' The verticql footrest or o tripod should qlwoys
be used for exposures longer thon l/25 second
rather thon ottempting to hold the cqmerd in
the honds.
. TOADING TTIE CAMERT,
'r to . To lood the cqmerq, it is first necessqry " '' open the bqck which is held by o cotch (i2, ".ii' Fiq. l) ot the top under fhe hondle.
In order to releqse.this cotch, hold the cqmercr
," in the left hqnd, platform side in ond hondle to
" crcross the camera hqndle qnd exert on upwcrd
.pressure upon the under front edge of the long
l; metql cqtch (Fiq. 5). When this cotch hqs been
releqsed, continue with cr bqckwqrd pressure to
swing the hinged comera bock downword.
Repecrt the operotions of opening cnd closing
the bock untll you con operote the cotch eosily
qnd deftly.
..1I
1...7t
II,
a.1..
l'+'
Fie. 5
INSENTING TIIE FIIM
'\Mith the bock open you cre now ready to
load the comercr with film. Note that the freshView original page 10Page 11 · Read text
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roll goes into the Iower chqmber ot the opposite
end of the comerq from the winding key. In the
chomber ot the key end, you will find on empry
metol spool. It is onto this spool thot the {ilm is
wound qs used, so thot when oll exposures ore
token it is this top spool which is removed from
the comerq for finishing.
It should be remqrked ot this point thot the
smoll, compoct size of your Reodyset Comero
requires lilm wound on the new smqll metql
spool, designoted by the Agfo Ansco Corporo-
tion os PB20. Be sure to qsk for the thin metcrl
spool, os this ccrmero will not occommodqte Iilm
wound on the ordinory lorger wooden film spool.
To lood the film into the cqmerq, first swing
up the spool corrier for the lower or empty
chqmber until it is ot right ongles to the cqmerc.
Holding the two ends of this cqrrier sliqhtly
oport (being corefui not to bend them permq-
nently out of position), drop the fresh spool into
ploce, toking cqre thqt it is inserted riqht end
qround. In other words, be certqin thot the
Fig. 6
l0View original page 11Page 12 · Read text
pointed end of the poper will come from the top
qnd not the bottom of the roll, ond thot'only the
red side of the pqper will show, the block side
being toword the lens.
After being certqin thot rhe two pins set in the
cqrrier ends qre engoged in the spool endholes,
swing the corrier ond film down into ploce in
the chomber. Breqk the sticker which seqls the
roll, remove the Aqfo Film guarontee slip, qnd
corry the end of the poper crcross the bock of
the camera. Permit the paper to pass over
the two metol rollers (never otlempt to threod
the film under these rollers) ond threod the
pointed end into the slot in the empty spool os
shown in Fiq. 6.
Be very certqin thot the pqper is centered on
the upper spool in order thot it will wind
evenly. Now give the winding key o few turns,
sulficient to bind the poper qnd crssure its firm
grcrsp by the upper spool. Close the bock of
the cqmerq by swinging it upword into ploce
until o click indicotes thot it is locked securely.
l{ever open ihe bock of the Cqmerq from this
point until the roll hqs been completeiy exposed.
Swing open the Peephole cover (Fig. 7), ond
turn lhe winding key slowly until the figure I
oppeqrs in the peephole. An indicoting hond
cnd row of dots will be
seen shortly before ihis
Jirst figure oppeors in
ploce. The cqmero is
now reody for the first
lricture.
When using Ponchro-
mqtic film. which rs
sensitive to red liqht,
be sure to keep the red
window covered ot oll
times except when
winding the film.
Immediotely ofter tok-
ing the first picture,
Eis, 7
llView original page 12Page 13 · Read text
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wind ogcin until figure 2 cppeors in the peep-
hole, qnd so on uniil the roil has been com-
pletely exposed, ofter which continue to turn
the key until the red poper is completely wound
off onto the spool of the key end of the cqmerc.
UNTOADING
When the film hos been completely wound
onto the key spool, open ond swing down the
bock of the comero. Puil out the winding key
until the upper spool corrier is free to be moved
upwcrrd from the chomber.
Fold under the pointed end of the red pqper,
qnd seql the spool with the sticker which will
be found ot the loose end. This is to prevent
unrolling ond fogging of the film qfter it has
been removed from the spool corrier.
With the fingers, seporcte the ends of the
spool cqrrier sliqhtly and remove the exposed
roll from the cqmerq. It is now reody to be
developed ond printed. Trqnsfer the empty
spool to the upper chomber, remembering to
push the winding key bock into ploce. The
comero is now reody for the insertion of a fresh
roll of film in the monner olreqdy described.
CAUTIONS
Your Reodyset Comercr mcry be looded or un-
looded in doyliqht. However, these operotions
ghould be done in o subdued liqht; never in
direct sunlioht.
Before looding the comercr, moke certcin thot
the shutter is closed.
In storting the red pcper at the time of lood-
ing o fresh roll, olwoys see thcrt it is even,
fittinq the spool nectly. Otherwise, it is likely
to climb up one end of the spool, cousingr the
protective poper to teor ond possibly fogging
the film.
Also, olwoys mqke it o proctice to wind to
the next number immediqtely ofter toking c pic-
ture. In this wcy, when you stort to use it, the
comero is olwqys reody for the next picture
with no possibility thot qnother exposure will be
22View original page 13Page 14 · Read text
mode on top of one olrecdy token, thus spoiling
both exposures.
In moking exposures, olwqys hold the cctmerct
level. Otherwise, your firrished prints will show
on undesiroble slonting of the subject ond back-
ground. Hold the cqmero perfectly still when
moking the exposure.
Keep the lens of your Reodyset Comero
cleon. A dirty lens or rqin or mist on the front
lens will couse fogged or cloudy pictures. To
cleon the lens, use cr soft linen or cotton cloth.
Do not let the sun shine directly on the lens
when toking o picture. This produces q "Flqre"
of tiqht on the film which shows in the finished
picture. If photogrophing towqrds the source of
Iight, hold your hond or hot above the lens qs cr
shode, but sufficiently hiqh to prevent its being
included in the picture.
Select your bcckground corefully. A good
subject cqn be spoiled by such bockgrounds qs
telephone poles, clcpboord houses, etc. Keep
your bockgrounds simple. A bockground of
folioge is usually unobtrusive qnd pleosing.
The foregoing instructions explcin the mechon-
iccl operotion of your Reodyset Comerq. These
should be thorouqhly understood before cttempt'
ing to take pictures.
Do not be content, however, with the mostery
of these simple detcils. Photogrophy offers
mqrvelous possibilities to the ccrmerq user who
reclly crttempts to obtoin the moximum results
possible with his equipment. Your Recrdyset
Comerq is o fine instrument. Leqrn to use it
most effectively.
Eye-Level finders, portrcrit attcrchments, color
filters, cnd coble releqses which ore qvoiloble
for Reodyset cqmeros greatly increose their
versotility
l3View original page 14Page 15 · Read text
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FOR FINEST
PHOTOGRAPH IC
RESULTS USE
AGFA
PLENACHROME
FILM
AGFA FILM IS GUARANTEED
"Pictures thot Satisfy
or a New Roll Free"
Made by
AGFA ANSCO CORPORATION
in Binghamton, N. Y.View original page 15From the M. Butkus Camera Manual Library. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.