Argus 40 (Forty) Camera

[PJay]

i just picked up one of these at a local antique shop and loaded this up with 120 film. I was wondering if any of you have any experience shooting with this. Also would like to ask what kind of quirks you notice while shooting and if you have any tips for using it, that would be awesome. thank you in advanced.

 

[Dennis-B]

The Argus 40 was meant for 620 film, not 120. The spool diameters are a bit different. It may, or may not feed properly. There are a number of links on how to convert for 120 use.

 

[PJay]

The Argus 40 was meant for 620 film, not 120. The spool diameters are a bit different. It may, or may not feed properly. There are a number of links on how to convert for 120 use.

I've done the conversions to fit the 120 for the camera already. DO you have one of these cameras? I'd love to know your experiences with it in accordance to thew above questions originally posted. Thank you

 

[Dennis-B]

I've done the conversions to fit the 120 for the camera already. DO you have one of these cameras? I'd love to know your experiences with it in accordance to thew above questions originally posted. Thank you

Never owned one myself, but used my aunt's a number of times when I first started "serious" photography. I liked the large negs, but as I remember, enlargements were so-so, because I judged them against "real" portraits done by professionals. The camera was handy, but in those days B&W pan films had a lot of latitude, and it's the first camera I used to employ the "sunny f/16" rule.

My only concern now, would be the accuracy of the shutter, and the clarity of the taking lens.

 

[spark]

The Bakelite body Argus cameras can take a 120 reel in the source side if it’s a flat ended reel. Kodak and Ilford work, Fuji doesn’t. You still need a 620 spool for the take up side

 

[PJay]

Is this Bakelite body same as the Argus Forty body?

 

[Dennis-B]

Is this Bakelite body same as the Argus Forty body?

According to Camera Wiki, the Argus 40 was developed from the Argus 75. The 75 is stated to be made of " molded plastic", and in parens (Bakelite).

 

[spark]

I should have clarified. The Argus 40 and the later Argus 75 series used the same body, made of “Bakelite”. This was the first synthetic plastic, invented in 1909 or so and it became a very common material for cheaper cameras. Look at 1940’s Brownies or 1980’s Lubitels

An Ilford or Kodak 120 roll fits snugly but acceptably in the supply side of my Dad’s old Argus “Super 75”, which is like your 40 except that it has a cheaper lens and shutter. You still need a 620 take up spool.

 

[PJay]

I've tried placing Ilford 120 film spool in the supply side of my Forty but it was way too tight. I ended up putting the edges and filing down the sides of the spool to get ti to fit.

 

[spark]

The super 75 had a fixed 1/50 shutter and three apertures, it did pretty well with a roll of Pan-F. Have fun

 

[John Wiegerink]

I have the Argoflex 40 model and while being bare-bones, it does rather well.. It has the 75mm f4.5 focusing coated Vaskar lens. Several years ago I was testing two Rolleiflex cameras out that I had just purchased and tuned up. I had never shot a roll of film in the Argoflex and thought it a good time to run it through the same test as the Rollei's. I respooled a roll of 120 onto are spare 620 spool since a 120 spool was just to tight to feed right. To make a short story shorter the Argoflex did extremely well. It's contrast at wide open f4.5 was less than the f3.5 Planar and f2.8 Xenotar I was testing as was the sharpness/resolution, but stopping down to f8-11 was a whole different ballgame. I would have no problem using the camera if I had to, but since I have many better cameras I don't have to. So, it's on my shelf with it's original box, flash with box and instruction manual. One thing these cameras have is very bright viewfinders and there is no problem viewing in any light condition. Of course scale focusing might be a problem for some folks. I have no problem scale focusing and can estimate distance very well. All said, the Argus Argoflex cameras don't have all the bells and whistles of a Rollei, Yashica 124G, but you might be surprised as at the result you can get if you take your time and use your head. Try it!
JohnW