Agfa Commander B2 Folding camera User manual

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INSTRUCTIONS     f OR THE USE OD THE
,IIITlt I](|[|il|ANIIIR
TOTDINfi t]A[IIRA
B2  t/toDEt  wtrH    !4.5  tE NS

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 I NSTRUCTIONS FOR, THE USE OF THE COMMANDER CAMERA

,T\
  I  HB Acpe CoUMANDER hasbeensci-    Agfa Ansco and sold by most photo-
entifically designed for simplicity of    graphic dealers at $.25 per copy.
operation so that excellent pictures
can be obtained without a wealth of    The Commander Camera takes
photographic knowledge. Before mak-    twelve pictures 21/, x z1/1 inches on
ing any exposures, read the instruc-    "center-numbered" Bz roll film. Film
tions through carefully. Additional    which is numbered only on the side
information may be obtained,  if de-    cannot be used inasmuch as with this
sired, by writing Agfa Ansco, Bing-    type of film the numerals indicating
hamton, New York, where a special    the exposures will not show in the red
department is maintained to give your   window on the back of the camera.
inquiries prompt, courteous attention.    Center-numbered Agfa films are eas-
For more complete details on camera      ily identified by the marking "3X" di-
operation and picture-making, the     rectly below the expiration date on the
reader is referred to "Better Photogra-    carton, or by the figure "3" directly
phy Made Easy," a particularly help-    in front of the emulsion number on
ful, 6o-page booklet published by    the carton.

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             OPERATIONS OF THT CA}IERA

l. Direct optical view finder.                          trolling amount of light entering lens;
                                                                             i.e., selecting lens "stop.")  Socket for addition of cable release
   for operating shutter. A cable release          10. Camera platform.
   for this camera is available  if  desired.         11. Opening release button.  Press in to
3. Shutter release. Operates after "cock-         open camera,
  ing" by pressing down.                             t2. Winding knob for advancing film.
4. Supply spindle knob.                               15. Eyes for neckcord.
5. Shutter "cocking" lever, which must          1+. Shutter speed setting ring.
  be set before the shutter release can         15. Sliding release for opening back.   function.
                                                             16. Tripod socket (not visible in picture,
6. Focusing index post.                          but is located beneath camera body).
7. Focusing ring.                                                                                 l'r(   i t- Rr..  l.A.
8. Side arrn braces. By pressing both of
   these braces dow'n and pushing the
   platform of the camera upward, thc                tl
   lens and bellows recede and the carr-
   era  is  conrpletely closed when  tlre
   "click" of tire opening release is hear.ci.
9. Diaphragm adjtrstment lever for con-

OPERATIONg OT THE CATERA

        1. Direct optical view finder.                         trolling amount of light entering lenr;
                                                                                       i.e., selecting lens "stop."       2. Socket for addition of cable release
          for operating shutter. A cable release       10. Camera platform.
           for this camera is available if desired.       11. Opening release button. Press in to
       3. Shutter release. Operates after "cock-         open camera.
         ing" by pressing down.                      12. Winding knob for advancing film.
       4. Supplf spindle knob.                         13. Eyes for neckcord.
       5. Shutter "cocking" lever, which must       14. Shutter speed setting ring.
       be set before the shutter release can       15. Sliding release for opening back.          function.
                                                         16. Tripod socket (not visible in picture,
       6. Focusing index post.                       but is located beneattr camera b"dy).
        7. Focusing ring.                               FIGURE IA
       8. Side arm braces. By pressing both of
         these braces down and pushing the
         platform of the camera upward, the
          lens and bellows recede and the cam-
        era is completely closed when the
          "click" of the opening release is heard.
       9. Diaphragm adjustment lever for con-
    i



  I

I,L

FIGURE 2          www.butkus.us
                      TO OPEN THE CAfiIERA
                   To open the camera, hold it firmly
                       as shown in Fig. z with fingers clear
                       of platform space and simply press
                     the button. The camera lens will
                         spring forward and the platform will
                       lock into position.
                      TO CIOSE THE CAIIERA
                    To close the camera, press down on
                      the two side arm braces (Figure 3)
q                  and press the platform up until it  is
                        completely closed and a "click" of the
                        opening release is heard.
                     Repeat the opening and closing
                        operations until they can be easily
                      and deftly accomplished. Never force
                       the camera at any time.
                              FTGURE 3

rocusrNG                          To use as a fixed focus camera, set
                                          focusing scale at 15 feet,.and the lens
  The focusing scale will be found on   diaphragm (to be explained later) at
the front face of the lens barrel and    an opening not greater than fr6. Thus
can be identified by the series of fig-    everything from 8 feet to infinity will
ures running from 37/z to infinity. See   be in focus. Sharper pictures of any
illustrations of lens mounting (Figure     particular subject will result, however,
D. The numbers in this series refer      if the lens is focused according to the
to distances in feet from camera to    exact distance.
subject on which the focus is desired.
For example, if the object to be pho-
tographed is fifteen feet away, revolve
the focusing ring until the number r5
is opposite the index post (6, Figure
r). Distances from the lens to all ob-
jects from 37/z to 5o feet should be                                     www.butkus.us
estimated as accurately as possible
and set on the ring. For subjects at
a distance of roo feet or greater, the
ring should be set at INF, meaning
infinity.

                                     rrcunR 4

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THE SHUI'ER,                           mechanically determined. However,
                                          longer exposures than those for which  The shutter is the mechanism which                                     the shutter is mechanically adjustedactually makes the exposure when                                   can be judged by experience or by ataking a picture. Simply expressed,  it                                    watch and for this purpose Time anddoes nothing more than uncover the                                   Bulb provisions have been made. Thelens for a short period of time so that                                           shutter is set for the various exposureslight from the object to be photo-                                by turning the ring (r4, Figure r) tographed may pass through the lens                                  the desired exposure. The cockingand project an image upon the film.                                           lever (5, Figure r) is then pulled up-However, the shutter allows exposures                                 ward shortly before the actual expo-to be made with a high degree of ac-                                           sure is to be made. After this is done,curacy and a suitable range of speed.                                          the shutter is ready to be released andThe cocking type of shutter with a                                              this is done by pressing down on thebody release, as used on the Com-                                       shutter release on the body of themander, besides providing more uni-                                  camera (3, Figure r), or by using aform speed has the advantage of                                         cable release if such has been added.reducing camera jar during exposure.
                                 The shutter must be cocked beforeTO R,EGUIATE THE SHUTTER SPEED                                      every exposure whether the camera is
  The shutter can be set for a wide    set for instantaneous exposure or for
range of exposures, most of which are   Time or Bulb. The exposure setting

should be selected before cocking the    port; on the Commander shutter these
shutter.                             would include rf z, rf g, and r/ro sec-
                                ond, besides exposures which are
TIME AND BUIB EXPOSURES             made by Time or Bulb.
  When the shutter is set for B or
Bulb (a term surviving from the days    When the shutter is set for T or
when the shutter was operated by a    Time, and after cocking, one down-
rubber bulb) it stays open as long as   ward press on the release opens the
the lever remains depressed, and closes    shutter, following which a second
as soon as the pressure is released al-    press is required to close it. In other
lowing the lever to return. Bulb is    words, the lens remains open for com-
used for comparatively short time ex-    plete time, however long, between the
posures, as for example when light    two operations of the shutter release.
conditions do not permit instantane-   Time is used for interior work or
ous exposures. Since it is impossible    under any conditions for which very
to hold the camera perfectly still in    long exposures are necessary. Bulb
the hands for any length of tirne, the   and Times exposures should not be
camera must be useC on a tripoC or   made of moving objects. Neither
some other firm sr-l.pport when Bulb    should the release button be jerked
exposures are made. Actually, all ex-   when the shutter is opened, for any
posures longer than r/25 second must    motion of the camera will cause an
be made using a tripod or firm sup-    unsharp image.

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 TIIE DIAPI{RAGTI                    any lens opening. By setting the
                                           shutter on Time and moving the dia-  The diaphragm is an adjustable cir-                                 phragm lever back and forth the ac-cular opening between the components                                              tion of the iris leaves may be observed.of the lens, which controls the amount
of light passing through the lens.     The stops or settings marked on the
When the diaphragm is adjusted so    lens face are standard openings in the                                          ('F"that full aperture of the lens is util-         system, the F taken from the
ized, it is said to be "wide open." The    word focal. Any one of the openings-
Commander lens is "wide open" when     f4.5, f5.6, f8, frr, fr6 and f.zz-is of
set at f4.5. When the diaphragm is   known exposure value regardless of
adjusted to a smaller opening, it  is    the size or make of lens.
said to be "stopped down."              PROPER EXPOSURE
  The diaphragm on the camera is     The proper exposure to be given for
operated by means of a lever (g, Fig-    best results varies considerably ac-
ure r) which is connected with the    cording to the conditions of exposure
iris leaves between the lens compon-    and the speed of the film. Light con-
ents. When the lever is moved in one    ditions vary with the seasons, time of
direction, the leaves open; in another   day and even geographic conditions.
direction, the leaves close; and so it is   However, the camera has sufficient
very easy to set the diaphragm for    adjustments on it to allow pictures to

be made under almost any type of      In  general, close-ups require a
condition, especially since there is a    greater exposure than distance scenes;
wide assortment of center-numbered                                          winter day exposures must usually beAgfa films available in the Bz size.                                          longer than summer day exposures.
  Average exposures for  favorable                                       Greater detail will result in yourconditions outdoors are given below,
assuming that Agfa Plenachrome film    negatives when a smaller diaphragm
is used.                              opening is used. With the camera
                                       focused at Infinity and the diaphragm
     EXPOSURE TAEtE                                            set at f4.5, everything from 6z feet to
    Stop      F+.s    Fs.6    F8                 f!      Fr6    Fz                                            infinity will be sharp and in focus.
  Intense                             When the camera is focused at Infi.n- Sunshine                                         :oo*       / too   /so
 Bright                                         ity and the diaphragm set at fr6,
 Sunshrne                                            t / zoo*   t/too    r/go   t/25     everything from 17 feet to infinity will
 Cloudy
 Bright                                          / zoo*      / too     r/ 50     /zs        be in focus. Thus it is seen that the
 Dull                                  depth of field, or the range of distance Cloudy       t/zoo       / roo    /so     /rs      /to     /S                                        over which the picture is sharp and in    *The faster 3hutter speed of r/:5oth sec. provided
   by      the Commander                       may be used                   Camera                                          with                                               approx-      focus has been increased by reducing   imately                          lens opening                                   than                                              for r/zooth.          /a stop larger
                                    the opening of the diaphragm.

I      THE TRIPOD SOGKET                  The fresh roll of film goes into the
                                      chamber at the opposite end of the      The tripod socket (16, Figure r) is                                      camera from the winding knob (rz,     used for attaching the camera to the                                        Figure r).  In the chamber at the     tripod. For any exposure of greater                                       winding knob end, you will find an     duration than t/z5th second, a tripod                                       empty spool. It is onto this spool that     should be used.                                       the film is wound as used, so that
     TOADING THE CAITAERA                  when all exposures are taken it is this
                                              spool which is removed from the cam-
      To load the camera, it is first neces-    era for finishing.
     sary to open the back which is held
    by a catch (t5, Figure r). In order to    To load the film into the camera,
      release the catch, the knob should be     first pull out the supply spindle knob
    moved downward. When this is done,      (4, Figure r) and drop the fresh spool
     the back will open outward with ease,    into the empty chamber, taking care
    and is kept attached to the body of    that it is inserted right end around.
     the camera by a hinge at the opposite    In other words, be certain that the
    end. This operation should be re-    pointed end of the paper will come
     peated several times until it can be    from the top and not the bottom of
     accomplished with no difficulty.        the roll, and that only the red or
      With the back open, you are now    green side of the paper will show, the
     ready to load the camera with film.    black side being toward the lens. The

the lens when taking a picture. This   Commander Camera. These should
produces a "flare" of light on the film   be thoroughly understood before at-
which shows in the finished picture.    tempting to take pictures.
If photographing towards the source    Do not be content, however, with
of light, hold your hand or hat above    the mastery of these simple details.
                                   Photography offers marvelous possi-the lens as a shade, but suffrciently                                                   bilities to the camera user who reallyhigh to prevent its being included in                                       attempts to obtain the maximum re-
the picture.                           sults possible with his equipment.
  Select your background carefully.   Your Commander Camera is a fine
A good subject can be spoiled by such    instrument. Learn to use it most ef-
                                                fectively.backgrounds as telephone poles, clap-
board houses, etc. I(eep your back-      AccBssonres: The following acces-
grounds simple. A background of     sories are available for the Bz Com-
foliage is usually unobtrusive and   mander Camera.
pleasing.                              Eveready Leather Carrying Case $+.gS
                                   Agfa No. r Filter-Size z4
                                                                                       r.7S  The foregoirJ ilrlr.r"tions exptain      (Light yellow)
the mechanical operation of your   Agfa Cable Release             .35

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FOR BEST RESUTTS WITH YOUR COftIMANDER. CATIERA USE
       AGFA FIIM
         AII of the tollowing AGFA FILMS  are available in 82 size:
         STANDARD  .   PTENACHRO'IIE .   SUPER PIENACHR,OfiIE
            FINOPAN . SUPERPAN SUPRE'YIE  . SUPERPAN PRESS . INFRA.R.ED
          Att AGFA ROtt FIUNS ARE GUARANTEED
            ..PICTURES THAT SATISFY OR A NEW ROLL FREE"



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