Anyone know what this is?

[Rocket_Scientist]

My wife came across this camera somewhere. Can anyone tell me anything about it? It says "75mm" on it--is that the lens, or the film size? Inside, it says "Use 620 Film"--does that still exist? It has a date of Feb 1, 1960 "stamped" inside the film compartment--does that sound about right for its age? It seems to be an "instamatic" in the sense that it has only one aperture, one shutter speed, and one focus setting. If it still takes pictures, is it worth restoring, or salvaging?

[Don Schaeffer]

It's a cheap Argus box camera. You can get 620 film if you have a photograph supply store in yoru area, but it is not worth restoring that camera except as a curiosity.

[Frog]

Cool how it changes colors though!

[gahspidy]

Aaahhh, an Argus. thanks Don. Argus is actually the manufacturer that made 35mm film the standard and the aspect ratio that we have today in our DSLRs. They produced a camera in the 40sor 50's nick named "The Brick" It is a rangefinder that took a 35mm format. The camera became so popular that film manufacturers were making this 35mm film in large quantity and other camera makers began using this format as well because of the readily available and relatively inexpensive film now available.

[Frog]

There's one in good condition for 45 bucks on ebay

[Rocket_Scientist]

Cool how it changes colors though!

Yeah... I think it's with and without flash... and some Photoshop (quick) fixing... I was more interested in the clarity of the writing, than the accuracy of the color.

[mjs1973]

I shot some 620 film in Glacier and the Tetons this summer. 620 film is the exact same film stock as 120. The only difference is the size of the spool. 620 film has a much thinner spool so the 120 spool wont fit in a 620 camera. I picked up some 620 spools on ebay, and then respooled 120 film onto them.

[Xia_Ke]

That's pure photographic gold is what that is You can download a manual for it here: http://butkus.org/chinon/argus/argus_75/argus_75.htm Pick up a couple 620 spools for that bad boy and have some fun. Here's a tutorial on how to respool 120 reels onto 620: http://www.inficad.com/~gstewart/respool.htm Now get out and start shooting with it :thumbsup:

[freygr]

I know for sure you get better photos out of it than a Holga, even as it's a fixed focus lens.