Argust 10th - Argus Day

[rjbuzzclick]

Try making sure that the lens is focused all the way out to it's nearest focus, that should extend the space in the lens so you can screw the cap off. It works that way on all of my C3's.

 

[flatulent1]

I've been doing that (without realizing the reason) per the instructions. The cap just doesn't want to pass the lens obstruction.

 

[DWThomas]

Just the other day I noticed the instructions described that bit about moving the lens to the 3 foot mark and I was wondering why. But given that I put the spring thingy on mine circa 1959, I guess I don't remember too much about the original process!

 

[Focus No. 9]

Thanks for the Argus Flickr link. The submissions were great, but I'm a bit surprised only 29 photos. I'm not a flickr member so I can't push this over 30.

 

[DWThomas]

Thanks for the Argus Flickr link. The submissions were great, but I'm a bit surprised only 29 photos. I'm not a flickr member so I can't push this over 30.

Two comments. One, you don't have to be a Flickr member, somewhere in that "Argust 10th?" thread on the Flickr Argus discussion group there is a post about:

Please email your photos to wesley@megley.com and I'll get them posted as soon as I can.

It is supposed to be limited to two photos (or was in the past), although I see one person has three(?) and in previous years there was a size restriction. I guess the size is less problematic now, but anything over about 800 pixels is probably a waste of effort anyhow. You can send a description in the email of what the shots are about and what camera you used to take them and that will appear with the shots when they finally show up.

And the second comment: The process is obviously not automated, the guy doing it is apparently an Argus Collectors Group person who got pushed into taking over the "managing" of the stuff last year when the original dude sort of disappeared. He seems nice and does a good job but apparently is busy as hell and often takes a long time to get stuff up (or maybe Flickr is more complex than I imagined). That is, as we e-speak, there may be more waiting in the wings.

There was also some question about possibly exceeding the maximum for a free Flickr account (which might push the oldest shots off into cyber oblivion). Several of us have volunteered to chip in for a paid account which would resolve that, but that hasn't happened yet.

Some vague historical data:
Back in 2006 when I first encountered the Argust Day festivities, there was an announcement posted here and elsewhere. The stuff was originally hosted on someone's business server, and later (early 2008, I think) he began moving it to Flickr. So far the 2001 stuff was lost long ago in a server crash, the transfer to Flickr died after 2005 was migrated, and the guy doing it evaporated. It's been suggested that those of us who have copies of our submissions from back when send them in and an attempt will be made to reconstruct those years. I sent mine for 2006 and 2007 last week, in hopes that would be a seed for the missing years, but if it's all there by Christmas, I'll be surprised.

I think the concept is a neat idea, but compared with something like Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, it hasn't quite reached critical mass.