Help with Ross Ensign Autorange 16-20

[Shaggysk8]

Hello, I just got given one of these cameras, I sort of get it, I know its a Rangefinder and 120 roll, but apart from that nothing, does anyone know how they work the shutter fires well I need to run a film through it, but it has the arm on the lens with like a round circle with glass in it, you can move it but not sure what it does, also if I move it is moves the shutter speeds and the goes out of sync.

Hope that makes sense

Its in very very very good condition, I would say unused not bad for a camera from 1952

Kind Regards
Paul

 

[Bob F.]

When looking for manuals, www.butkus.org is the first place to look

This may help, but it's not a manual...: http://www.butkus.org/chinon/ross_ensign/ross_ensign_cameras.htm


OK - think I found instructions: http://www.marriottcameras.co.uk/instruct2/ensign_auto820/with_pictures.htm

Good luck.

 

[benjiboy]

The Ross Xpres lens they were fitted with were very good, but the Epsilon shutters had a very bad reputation, I'm old enough to remember, unfortunately.

 

[Russ Young]

I used to own a 16-20 with an Xpres. It was a razor sharp lens but the negative was just too small for my tastes. Moved up to a 12-20 with a Ross Xpres and am really happy with it. Alas, I cannot remember the lever arrangement around the shutter, sorry. I would guess that it is the sync setting for X or M?

Russ

 

[Shaggysk8]

I was playing with it again, the shutter seems fine, but I did read they are not that great, I think the thing confusing me is if I move the arm to line up with a little lens for focusing I get it in focus then i have to move the arm back so the shutting wheel and numbers line up but this seems to move the focus wheel so I guess it goes out of focus again. I was just hoping someone new if that was normal or something is wrong

Paul