Film cameras
Ansco Speedex Nos. 3 and 3A User manual
User manual for Ansco Speedex Nos. 3 and 3A. 7 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
7 pagesEnglish2.1 MB PDF
Loading your manual…Open PDF directly
Document details
- Brand
- Ansco
- Model / document
- Ansco Speedex Nos. 3 and 3A
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 7
- File size
- 2.1 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
Search available document text
Find a term, then jump to its page in the original PDF. Image-only pages may not be searchable; check the PDF for exact wording and diagrams.
Page 2 · Read text
N O S . A N D 3 A A N S C O S P E E D E X
holder a film-packor it. How to Op"rate be used withmay
This is because it is
constructed to take the
holders of the regu-
lar type, such as are
used on plate cam-
eras. lllustration I Nos. 3 and 3A
To Close the Camera fI EFORE closing the camera, note the following Ansco Speedex
D points. If risJ-arrd-fall actions have been used,
see ahr, f ront is returned to center position. Also
see that finder has been returned to vertical position,
as in Illustration A, and that footrests have been
folded up behind lens standard.
Vith these points attended to, releasef ront by
pressure on clrmpt 3 and 3 lttd P.tth back to limit of
motion, tucking in wire release. Then hold camera
in two hands, l"ettt towards you' and with thumb of
each hand releasethe' two side-arm braces (20, Illus-
tration A ) by pressing in gently towards bellows'
Front plaifot- will now close uP and catch at top'
General Suggestions
HE foregoing instructions explain ,lr. mechanical oPera-
tion of ,h. .r-.rr. This should be thoroughly unCerstood
before attempting to take pictures'
Do not be content u'ith unCerstanding these simple details'
Photography offers wonderful possibilities to the camera user'
but ,lior. who make the best pictures are the ones who under-
stand it. The booklet herewith, "Expert Camera Operation
and is very helpful, which information gives Easy," Made a Agfa Ansco Corporation spent Having recommended. is urgently of it readint careful
;;;e ,""".y for your camera, learn how to use it most effec- Binghamton, N. Y.
iiu.iy, ,o ,hr. it will give you an increasingly big return from
every point of view.
9-28-l Printed in U' S A'View original page 2Page 3 · Read text
How to OP"rate the
Nos. 3 and 3A Ansco SP.edex
The Film to Use
tnHESE cameras will take film
I of arry relutable make, bur we
strongly recommend film supplied
by Agfa Ansco Corporation. The
points that will parcicularly app,eal
to you are its speed,its wider range
of exposure, and the brilliance of
the pictures which it makes.
The film numbers ro ask for are
as follows:
For No. 3 Ansco Sp."dex
7A and 7B Ansco or E6 Agfa.
For No. 3A Ansco Speedex
18A and l8B Ansco or G6 and lllustration A. .l/os. J and 3A Ansco Speedex
G10 Agfa.
T-HE first thing to do with a new carrrletais not
I to make pictrrl., with it but to seehow it works.
Therefore t"id this folder through, with the camera-
before you so that you can check the directions as
you read.
The directions here given begin with opening
the camer3, then explain ih. various adiustments of
lens, shu tter, focusi"s device, etc.' and finally deal
with loading, winditg and unloading the film.
www.orphancameras.comView original page 3Page 5 · Read text
NOS. AND 3A ANSCO SPEEDEX AGFA ANSCO C O R PORATION
shutter. T ry these numbered speedsdown to 1 sec-
ond and seehow the length of ti*" between opening
and closing is aurom atiially regulared.
If the speed is indicated by the letter B, the
shutter stays open as as the trigger-; or plunger lorg
remains d-epressed,and closesas soon the pressure
is released. B or Bulb (a term surviving fiom the
time when the shutter was releasedwit[ a rubber
bulb) is used for making comp aratively short time
exposures-exposures just a little longer than the The Finder slowest autom atic speed. T he ca?neratnolst o,f coarse
be on a tripod or other supp,ort. Tbis is true of ay
exp'osareslonger than I /21- iecond.
If the speed used is indicated by the letter T,
orre pressure on the trigger or plunger opens the
shutter and a second closesit. T is ,ried for longer
time. eTposures,and for ground-glass focusirg, Iot
which it is ngcessary to keep the l-ermopen.
Illustration C
To Regulate the Size of Openirrg
At the bottom of the shurter, just below the FIE carr'era is equipped with rhe famous Ansco
lens, is a shoryirg a row of figlrer. Readfi r Automatic Finder (10, Illusrration A). Vhen -plate Iflom opened, the finder is in posirion for Sght to left, these are 6.3, 8, l l, 16, zz, 32, 1 the carnera is4, . These indicate the various- openings oi ! vertical pictures, such as of a standirg figure. Vhen .fiBto.t
"stops" of the lens, and the / indicares that rh# are the carnera is held on its side for horizonral views,
on the F or Focal system used with highg rade ,rrrr- such as of a group or a landscape, the finder is turned
tigmat lenses. or pivoted to the horizontal position. Illustration C
The shutrer --ay be- ser for any of these open- explains this action, also the autom atic feature. Most
by t\. operation of the iris diaphragm, *iri.h finders show the image in the form of a maltese cross,i"s.r "-orks,is inside the shutter. To see how ittr set part of which the operaror musr remember ro dis-
,lt. speed for Time and open the lens. Then move
poin_ter9 from side to side as you look inro the:h.
lens. You will see how the hole o, opening can be
made latger or smaller at will. To ger any desired
openinS, place the pointer opposite th. n.r*b., for
it. In Illustration A the sh.rlier is set for Stop F I I .
www.orphancameras.comView original page 5Page 6 · Read text
NOS. AND 3A ANSCO SPE,EDEX AGFA ANSCO C O RPORATION
The Footrests
rF HE footrests are for taking time or bulb ex-
I posureswhen a tripod is not available-when , for
.*rrrrll., a table is ,tted to support the cam'eta. For
all .*p*ures longer than | / 2-, second (i. €'1 | / 5,
l/2, i second, or longer) , support the carr:retaon
,o-. rigid base inst.rJ of ho,lding it in the hands- only orange side of pa-
The ver-rical footrest is shown at 1 1, Illustration A' per will show.) Then
This folds up behind the front srandard at 12. See give windirg k.y a
thar it is so ?olded up before attempting lo close the few turn, just enough
carrtera. The horizoital footrest is folded behind the to bind paper, xS in
front stand ard on the opposite side, 13. The tripod Illustration E. Finally,
socket for horizontal pi;rures is at 14, the tripod replaceback, catchirg
socket for vertical pictures at 1 t. it first at, bortom,
then at top where Illustration E
Loadittg the Camera snap is.
/-I-\ O load the carrrera,it is first necessaryto remove Now wind film as in Illustration F, until figure
I the back. This is held by the spring catch at the I appearsin red
top, under the straPhandle (L6, Illustration A). The window or peep- 'w easiest ay to hole in back of
throw this catch camera. The
is to place the carr'eta is now
t h u mb o n t h e ready f or the
l e a t h e r , w i t h f i r s t picture
n a i l t o w a r d s wind to the next
catch ancl just number, so that
above po'int 16, Illustration F carr'era will al-
then work nail ways be ready.
under catch and Important: Before uindi*g fil*, seetbot sbut- p u s h . T h i s i s ter is closed.
Illwstrati,on D m u c h q u i c k e r
than picking at Unloading
catch with under side of nail. FTER exposirg the last section of film, turn the
Having removed back, spring out spool-pins k.y until the roll is wound completely onro k.y
(L7, Illustration A ) on end of camera f arthest from spool. (This is nor safe with other than Ansco cam-
8 IView original page 6Page 7 · Read text
NOS. AND 3A ANSCO SPE,EDEX AGFA ANSCO C O R PORATION
For obtainirg more foreground and less ,ky, the eras, rS film rr'ay _
lever is lower,ed. After ,rritrg this action, and b.fore loosen and fog,
closing the camerl, always return lever to center but with Ansco tcc" position, as shown (marked on standard) camerasthe k.y- ' . other-
wise the b'ellows will not collapse evenly. spool chamber is
provided u'ith a Vhen a similar action is desired with the cam-
sprlng spoon era held in horizontgl position, releaselever 19 (just
which keeps the below shutt,er). The front will now slide ,r"de-
film taut). Now sired. Always return it to center position before
remove b,ack closing camera.
take s t i c k,e r If these acrions are used without the combin- from emPtY ation Back, allowance for their effect must be made spool and seal when looking into the finder, which of course does end of ro11,then not show the change in what will be recorded on the pull out spool- film.
pin and k.y.
lllustrati,on G Sprin g spoon
will now lift ex-
remove it. Put
reel to winditg-
and replaceback
Rise-and-Fall Front
IllustrAtion HrFHE j and 3A Ansco Speedexare provided Nos.
I with rising, descendin', and laterally mgving
front acrions, Jesigtred partlcularly for use with the The Combination Back
Combination Back-(seebelow), which permits focus- -f FIIS is an attachment for converting the carrrera
irrg on the ground-glass_screen. The rise and f all I into a plate or film-pack outfit. (Vith suitable
,.Iion is .otritolled by a lever ( 1 8, Illustration -A ) . sheathsin the holder, ..tt films may rlro be used).
Vhen this lever is raised it cuts off some of the fore- Illus trations H and I show the Combination Back i"
ground and increase'sthe amount of skl-Portion in place, the latter with the hood rais,edfor viewing the
irt. picture^.op ro a correspondirg €xtent. In this -way image on the ground-glass screen. the of a buildi"g rr'ai be included wirhout
pointi"g the carrrerauP, which would make the ver- The Ansco Combination Back is unique among
ticat liies in the picture converge towards the top. attachments of this kind in that either a pirt.-holdei
l 0 t1
www.orphancameras.comView original page 7From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.