Agfa PB20 Antar User manual

www.butkus.us

   J^iznrtio^t
      FOR THE
     USE OF THE
     ANTAR
    CAMERA


                      a


  /HE Aqfa Ansco Antqr Cqmercr hcs been so
 /-scientificolly designed thot exceptionolly
fine results ore eosily obtoined without specici
knowledge. All informotion necessory is con-
toined in this booklet to enoble you to secure
100/o sctisfqctory snopshots from your Antcr
Cqmerq.
  Therefore, before moking qny exposures with
the cqmerq, tqke the time to corefully reqd this
booklet from cover to cover. Study the illustro'
tions; leorn the function of eqch qdjustment.
With the comercr before you, follow eoch step
ol the vcrrious operctions until the explonotion
is perfectly cleor.

www.butkus.us
CHECK OVER THE CAMERA WITH
FIG. I BEFORE YOU
                            Press in to open  l. Opening "eleqse button.
    cqmero.
 2. Plotform. Pull down ofter releosing cqtch
      (I) until side-qrm brqces (3) lock.
 3. Side-orm brqces. See thqt braces lock qnd
    hold plotform rigid.
 4. Closing releqse button. Similor button is on
    opposite side of cqmerct. Wiih the cqmerq
    held between the thumb ond middle finger
    ol ihe left hcrnd, press the releqse buttons
    on both sides simultoneouslv. With the riqht
    hond, move plotform upwqrd until securely
    closed qs indicqted by cticking of lotch.
 5. Verticol {ootrest.
 6. Diophrogm odjustment lever for controlling
    qmount of liqht entering lens.
 7. Shutter odiustment lever for vorying shutter
     speeds.
 8. Finger releqse for opercting shutter. Press
   downwqrd to moke exposure.
 9. Socket for qddition of coble releose for
    operoting shutter. A coble releqse for this
   cqmerq is ovoiloble from the Agfo Ansco
    Corporotion if desired.
10. Brilliont finder. Turn for horizontql pictures.
    Return to verticol position before closing
    comerq. Swing mqsk mqrked "16" upword
     to obtoin rqnge of view for full-sized pictures.
ll.  Bellows.
12. Winding key for qdvoncing film.
13. Tripod sockets (only one shown-other on
    front of plotform). Remove screws to insert
    threoded screw on tripod heod.
14. Relecse cotch for opening bock.

TO OPEN THE CAMENA
  To open the comero, hold it in the polm of
 the left hond ond press the opening releqse
 button (I, Fig. t) with the left thumb. With
 the right hond, pull down the plotform (2) until
 the side-orm brqces ore locked firmly in ploce.
 TO CTOSE THE CAMERA
  Be certqin, first, that the holf-size mqsk on
 the brilliont finder (10) is down ond thct the
 finder is in o verticql posiiion.
  To close the cqmero, grosp it in the polm ol
 the left hond ond simultoneously press the two
 closing releqse buttons (4) with the thumb ond
 middle finger. Wiih the right hond then move
 the plotform upword until it is securely closed
 crs indicoted by o clicking of the lotch.
   Repeot the operotion of opening ond closing
 the cqmerq until you cqn do it eosily ond deftly.
 Never force the ccrmero of ony point. If ony
 obstruction is encountered, stop of once ond
determine whot is in the wov.
                        www.butkus.us
 FOCUSING
  The Antor is o fixed-focus iqmero requiring
no focusing. Ail objects lrom 15 {eet to infinitv
ore shorply in focus.

THE SHUTTER
  The shutter is the .mechqnism which octuolly
rnqkes the exposure when toking q picture.
Simply expressed, it does nothing more thqn
uncover the lens for o very short period ol
time so thot liqht from the object phoiogrophed
moy pqss through the lens ond project on imcge
upon the film. However, it does this uncovertng
job with a very high degree oi occurocy.

www.butkus.us





                                   www.butkus.us




                      Fi!. z
              Lens Mounting
TO REGUTATE THE SHUTTER" SPEED
  Along the top of the lens mounting (Fig. 2,
obove), qre two  shutter-settings, Time qnd
inst. (instontsneous).
  To set the shutter for these settings, move the
pointer (7, Fig. l) to q position directlv over the
desired figure. In the shutter iilustrotion, Fig. 2,
the shutter is set for instontoneous, the stondard
snopshot speed.
  In cddition to these figures on the front plote
of the shuiter identicoily corresponding figures
will be found on the top of the shutter.
  The shutter is operqted, or "tripped," by the
finger releose (8, Fig. 1) or by a cqble reieose  ii
such has been odded. Ccrre must be token when
the releose is pressed down in mcking on

exposure not to jor or mo\re the comerq.  If the
  comerq is moved, c blurred picture will result.
  Holding the opened cqmerq in the pclm of the
   left hond, its bcck held firmly ogoinst the body
   for support, prcrctice the shutter operotion until
  you ctre certain exposures con be mode without
  moving the comerc.
   When the shutter is set for instqntoneous,  cr
  single pressure on the releqse lever trips the
   shutter, opening cnd closing  it.
   When the shutter is set for Time, one down-
  wqrd pressure opens the shutter, following
  which o second pressure is necessory to close  it.
  In other words, the lens remqins open the full
  time, however long, between the two operotions
  of the lever. Time is used for interior work qnd
  long exposures, such os may be counted with
  the second hond of q wqtch. Time exposures
  should never be mode of moving objects. The
  oddition of cr coble releqse is especiolly voluobie
  for time exposures to prevent donger of movrng
  the cqmero.
 THE DIAPHNAGM
'  The diophrogm is crn odjustoble circulqr
. opening behind the lens element which controls
  the omount of liqht possing through the lens.
 When the diophrogm is odjusted so thot the
  full cperture of the lens is utilized, it is soid to       .{
 be "wide open." When the diophrogm is
  odjusted to its smollest openingr, it is soid to be
  "stopped down."
   This diaphrogm is operoted by meons of the
  iever, (6, Fig. l), qlso shown on Fig. 2 set under
 the numercI 22. This ]ever is connected with
 o pointer on the opposite side of the shutter
 which moves olong q similqr row ol figures on
 the flange ot the top ol the shutter. Thus, the

www.butkus.us
diophrogm setting moy olso be reqd from obove
while holding the comerq ot wqist level'
  in order to view the opercrtion of this dio-
phrogm, set the shutter speed on Time qnd
press down once on the finger releqse' Then,
with the shutter open, move the diophrogm
lever ot the bottom of the shutter back ond forth
slowly, qnd you will be oble to observe the
chcnge in the size of the opening os the lever
moves.
  The stops or settings indicated olong the
bottom of the shutter foce plote ond olong the
top flonge ore stqndord openings in the Focol
                                     exposureor "f System," qnd ore of known
vqlue regordless cf the size or moke of comero'
                                           1222, f:32'They ore referred to os I:14, f:16,
COTOR FILTER
  The diophrcgm lever olso operotes o yellow
 color filter which is useful in emphosizing cloud
 effects ond in londsccpes ond flower studies to
 obtoin more correct color rendition. When the
 lever is moved over to the selting mqrked
 "Filter," the yellow filter is brought intb ploce'
 In this'position the lens is wide open (f:14) to
 qllow the moximum omount of liqht through the
 iens qnd filter.
 PROPER EXPOSUNE
   With briqht sunshine ond the shutter setting
 of "Inst.," the opening for crveroge pictures on
 Plenochrome Film is f:I6. For more exposure,
 which will be necesscry on groy or cloudy
                                                                f:14. dqys, the diophrogm mqy be opened to
 For holf cls much exposure, which will be
 required when toking pictures with intense
 sunshine, the diaphrogm opening mqy be re-
 cluced to I:22. It is evident, then, thot the lower
                                                            ol the number, the lorger the opening, ond

course, the lorger openings let through more
 light, giving greoter exposure.
   In  generol, close-ups require ct grecter
 exposure thon distont scenes; winter conditions
 necessitate more exposure thon briqht summer
 dcys. Pictures tcken with extremely intense
 light, such os sunlit beqches ond brilliont sn.Jw
 scenes will require less exposure thon normol.
 THE FINDER
  The Antar cqmerq is equipped with o bril-
 licnt finder for locotinq the subject with the
cqmercr held of woist level.
  The brilliont finder requires llttie expiono-
tion. When moking hoif-size exposures  it  is
used with the smoll mqsk mqrked 16 down.
When full-size exposures cre being mcde, the
mcsk must be rcised upwcrd qnd to the fronl
in order to utilize the entire linder.
 When moking full-size exposures in  the
yerticol position, reod the findgr qs shown in
Fiq. 3, qnd when toking pictures in the hori-
zontql position, swing the finder g0 degrees to
the left qnd reod it qs shown in Fig. $, rJis-
regording the portions indicoted in the cuts
by white spoce.


                                                                                                     I
                                                                                                                                                   i
                                                                                       J




      FiE.s                   Fi€.+

Itll                            www.butkus.us
H      Alwcys remember to iower the mosk ond
       return the Iinder to the verticql position before
       closing the cqmerq. Otherwise, they will be-
    come jommed cnd possibiy thrown out of
       oiignment.
         Incidentclly,  it must be understood  thqt
      in the exposure ol  hqlf-size piclures, when
     the ccmerc is in the verliccl position, hori-
     zonlql hall-size pictures cre tqken, and
      vice versc. This point will be better under-
      stood when the mosk for reducing the film size
        is described ot c loter point.
     THE FOOTREST AND TBIPOD
     SOCKETS
      The verticqj footrest (5, Fiq. l) is lor toking
     Time exposures when o tripod is not ovqil-
     oble. The iootrest is eosily extended by
      pullinq it out ot right ongles to the plotform,
      ofter which the cqmerq moy be set upon o
       tqble, ledge, or roiling for support.
        In order to use the tripod sockets 03, Fiq. l)
         it is necesscry to remove the piug-screws  Iirst.
      This moy be done with o 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
     comero ogoinst dust or other foreign mqiter
    which might prove injurious to the shutter
      mechqnism.
      The verticql tripod socket is ]ocoted in the
     center of the cqmerq plotform; the horizontol
     socket is on the cqmerq side plote below the
      film winding key.
       The verticol footrest or o tripod should olwoys
    be used for exposures longer thqn 1/25 second
      rqther thqn crttempting to hold the comerq in
      the honds.
                                                  II

TOADING THE CAMERA
  To lood the camerq,  it is Iirst necessqry to
open the bqck which is held bv o catch (14,
Fiq. i) crt the top under the hondle.
  In order to releqse this catch, hold the
ccmerct in the left hcnd, plctform side in qnd
hondle to the top. Then lcy the {ingers of the
right hond ctcross the cqmerq hondle crnd exert
on upwcrrd pressure upon the under {ront edge
of the long metcl cotch (Fiq. 5). When this
cotch hqs been releqsed, continue with o bock'
wqrd pressure to swing the hinged ccmerq
bcck downwqrd'





 $$ffi               www.butkus.us
                      Fi9. s
   Repeot the operotions oI opening ond closing
 the bock until you cqn operote the cotch
 ecrsily cnd deftly.
 THE MASK FOR HAIF-SIZE PICTURES
   ,Before looding the cqmerq it is essentiol Ior
 you to determine the size of pictures desired for
 the porticulor roli being locrded. You hqve the
                         t2

www.butkus.us
 choice with the sqme roll ol film, between
 Ioading the cqmera for 8 full-size pictures or Ior
 16 hclf-size pictures.
  Upon opening the comerq bock for the Iirst
 time you will notice o block rectcngulor frqme
 (Fiq. 6) between the film rollers (Fie.6). This
frqme or mqsk determines the size of the
 exposure mqde on the film. When it is in ploce,
the picture size is reduced by hclf, cnd 16
exposures to the roll ore obtoined. When the
frqme is lifted out qnd entirely removed from
the cqmerq, B full-size exposures ore obtoined
from one roil.
  Due to the foct thot the film is stretched on top
of this mqsk, decision os to the picture size
should be mode before the ccrmero is locded,
for it is necessqry to continue this size picture
until olter the roll hcs been fully exposed.





                     Fig. 6
  Upon the removql of the mqsk lor full-size
pictures, core should be tqken to ploce the
metql irqme where it will not become lost or
                       r3

bent. Howerler, o new mosk con clwoys be
bought from your deoler.

INSENTING THE FILM
  With the bock open you qre now reqdy to
Ioqd the cqmerq with Iilm.  Note ihot the fresh
roil goes into the lower chqmber ot the opposite
end of the ccrmero from the winding key.  In the
chqmber ot the key end, you will find on empty
metol spool.  It is onto this spool thot the film is
wound os used, so thot when oll exposures qre
token  it is this top spool which is removed from
the cqmero for finishing.
   It should be remqrked ot this point ihqt the
smoll, compoct size of your Antqr Comerq
requires fiim wound on the new smqll metol
spool, designoted by the Agfo Ansco Corporo'
tion os PB20. Be sure to osk ior the thin metol
spool, os this cqmercr will not qccommodote  film
wound on the ordinory lorger wooden film spool'
  To lood the film into the cqmerq, Iirst swing
up the spool corrier for the lower or empty
chqmber until it is ot right ongles to the cqmero'
Holdinq the two ends of this corrier slightlv
oport (being corefui not to bend them permo'
 nently out of posiiion), drop the fresh spool inlo
 ploce, toking core thqt it is inserted right end
qround. In other words, be certoin thqt the
 pointed end of the poper will come lrom the top
qnd nol the bottom o{ the roli, cnd thot only the
 red side of the poper wiil show, the block side
 being toword the lens.
   After being certoin thot the two pins set in the
 :qrrier ends qre engaged in the spool end'
 holes, swing the cqrrier qnd film down into
ploce in the chomber. Breok the sticker which
                       r4

www.butkus.us
  seqls the ro11, remove the Agfo Fiim guorcrntee
  slip, cnd corry the end oi the poper crcross the
  bock of the cqmerq, qnd ocross the block metcrl
 mcsk if it is being used. Permit the poper to poss
 over the two metql roilers (never ottempt to
  threod the film under these rollers) ond threqd
 the pointed end into the siot in the empiy spool
 os shown in Fiq. 7.





                      Fi9' r
  Be very certoin thot the pqper is centered on
the upper spool in order thot it will wind
eveniy. Now give the winding key q few turns,
sufficient to bind the poper qnd qssure its firm
grqsp by the upper spool. Close the bock of the
cqmero by swinging it upward into ploce until
cr ciick indicotes thct it is locked securely.
Never open the bock of the cqmero from this
point until the ro11 hqs been completely exposed.
                        r5

Swing open the No.  i Peephole cover (Fig. B),
ond continue turning the winding key slowly
until  the  figure    I  qppeors in  this lower
                           lrcenvvvv     hole.   An   indi-
                       ccting hond ond row
                    of dots will be seen
                         shortly belore this first
                    figure qppeqrs  in
                    place. The cqmerq is
                 now reody for the first
                             picture.
               When using Pcrn-
                      chromqtic film, which
                             is sensitive io red light,
        www.butkus.us   be sure to keep the red
   ii:rit ,li',1*=.,i,.. r::,-  ., .:           '         windows covered qt qll
                         timas   aY.entvr!vvr                      I  when!
          Fie. 8               rrzinrlinavv  rlrsrtrY     +ha  {ilm
   If eiqht full-size exposures ore belng tcken
ond the mosking frqme hqs been entirely re-
moved from the comercr, only the No. I or lower
peephoie is used throughout. In which cqse,
immediotely ofter toking the first picture, wind
cgoin until figure 2 oppeors in the lower peep-
hole, qnd so on uniil the roll h'os been com-
pletely exposed, clter which continue to turn
the key until the red pqper is completely
wound off onio the spool ot the key end of
the camerc.
  Where sixteen hcllsize exposures qre de-
sired cnd the mqsking frcme hos been left in the
cqmerq, both the No. I ond No. 2 peepholes qre
used. The first exposure is mqde with the figure
I at the lower window. After q picture hqs been
mcde with the film in this position, ihe winding
key is then turned very slowly (only oboui one
full turn of ihe key is necessqry) until the
                        r6

www.butkus.us
        figure I oppeors ot the upper or No. 2 peephole.
      For the third exposure the figure 2 is ot the
       lower window, for the fourth it is moved to the
       upper, qnd so on until qll sixteen exposures
       hcrve been mode. In other words, one exposure
       is mqde with ecch of the eiqht numbers qt
       both windows.
     UNTOADING
      When the film hqs been completely wound
       onto the key spool, open ond swing down the
      bqck of the ccmerq. Pull out the winding key
       until the upper spool cqrrier is free to be
     moved upwcrrd from the chamber.
        Fold under the pointed end of the red paper,
      ond seql the spool with the sticker which will be
      found ct the loose end. This is to prevent un-
        rolling cnd fogging of the film after it hos been
      removed from the spool corrier.
       With the fingers, seporcte the ends of the
      spool carrier slightly ond remove the exposed
        roll from the cqmerq. It is now reody to be
      developed ond printed. Trqnsfer the empry
      spool to the upper chomber, remembering  to
     push the winding key bock into ploce. The
     comerq is now recdy for the insertion of o fresh
        roll of film in ihe mqnner clreody describerl.
     CAUTIONS
       Your Antqr Cqmerq moy be looded or un-
      Iooded in doylight. However, these operotions i'      should be done in o subdued light; never rn
       direct sunlight.
          . Before locding the cqmerq, mcrke certqin thot      the shutter is closed.
?        In storting the red pqper ot the time of looding
     o fresh roll, olwoys see thqt it is even, fitting the
      spool nectly. Otherwise, it is likely to climb up
     one end of the spool, ccusing the protective
      poper to teqr ond possibly foggirrg the film.
        Also, clwcys moke it c prcctice to wind to
      the next number immediotely ofter toking o pic_
                            r7

ture. In this wcry, when you stcrt to use it, the
   ccmelo is crlwoys reqdy for the nexi' picture
   wiih no possibility thct another exposure will be
  mqde on top of one qlreqdy token, thus spoiling
   both exposures.
      In making exposures, qlwqys hold the cqmerq
   level. Otherwise, your finished prints will show
   an undesirqble slanting of the subject cnd bcck'
   ground. Hold the cqmero perfectly still when
   mcking the exposure.
    Keep the iens oi your Antar Cqmerq cleon'
  A dirty lens or rqin or mist on the front iens will
   cquse fogged or cloudy pictures. To cleon the
    lens, use o soft linen or cotton cloth.
    Do not let the sun shine directly on the lens
   when tqking cr picture. This produces  cr "Flqre"
    of liqht on the film which shows in the finished
   piciure.  If photogrcphing towqrds the source ol
    liqht, hold. your hond or hot <rbove the lens qs o
   shade, but sufficiently hiqh to prevent its being
   included in the picture.
      Select your bqckground ccrefully. A good
    subject cqn be spoiled by such bockgrounds os
   telephone poles, clcpboord houses, etc. Keep
   your backgrounds simple. A bockground of
    folioge is usucliy unobtrusive cnd pleosing.

   The Ioregoing instructions expioin the
   mechqnicql operation of your Antqr Comero.
   These should be thoroughly understood be{ore
    ottempting to tqke pictures.
    Do not be content, however, with the mcstery
   of these simple detoils. Photogrophy offers
   morvelous possibilities to the cqmerq user who
    reolly ottempts to obtoin the mqximum results
'   possible with his equipment. Your Antqr
                           r8

www.butkus.us
Cqmera is o fine instrument' Leqrn to use it
most effectively.
  Eye-Level finders, portroit qttochments, coior
Iilters, ond coble releqses which qre qvqilqble
for Antqr cqmerqs greotly increose  their
versqtility.

  FOR  FINEST
  PHOTCGRAPHIC
  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.

                            "i:           r. M. REG.                          "e-".1