AGFA Billy Clack User manual

Instructions manual!
!
for the
!
4.5 x 6 cm
No.51 / Roll film B2-8
Translated from German by Matthew Godino
*Denotes anote made by Matthew Godino

This camera manual is for reference and historical purposes, all
rights reserved.
This page is copyright © by M. Godino, NC.
This page may not be sold or distributed without the expressed
permission of the producer.
Created on 19.12.20

Before you load the camera for the first
time, we recommend that you read through
these operating instructions carefully and
practice the individual steps several times.
Loading the Billy-Clack with Agfa roll film B2-8.
Fold up latch 1(Fig.1) on the rear of the
camera and open the camera by pulling it
in the direction of the arrow (Fig.2).
3

Grasp lower spool holder by the bent tab
and pull out from inside the camera
(Fig.3).
Tilt the spool holder 2in the direction of
the arrow (fig. 4), insert the full film
spool, turn the spool holder back so that
the holder pin engages in the round hole
of the spool, then swivel the spool holder
back into the camera.
4

Hang the bent end of the paper into the
longer slot on the empty spool (Fig.5).
Remove the adhesive tape.
By turning the film key 3afew times to
the right, two to three layers of the red
paper are wound onto the empty spool.
Attention! Align the protective paper by
sliding it back and forth until it is just
wound up between the two discs of the
empty reel, close the camera by closing
the rear panel. Make sure the latch 1
closes properly!
5

There are two red windows in the back of
the camera for observing the film framing
indicators (Fig. 7). When you continue to
turn the film (be careful! Do not touch
the lenses of the lens and the viewfinders!)
after loading, afew preliminary signals
(hand and dots) first appear in the lower
observation window, which is farther away
from the film key, and then the number
1: The first part of the film is ready for
exposure. After the first exposure,
immediately continue to rotate the film until
the number 1appears in the upper image
window, whereupon the second exposure can
be taken.
6

The Exposure.
Before taking apicture, make sure that the
lens is clean; if necessary, it is cleaned
with asoft linen cloth.
Slightly tilted downwards, the camera
automatically opens into the ready position
when you press button 4(Fig. 8). No
further distance setting is necessary. The
camera produces sharp images from a
distance of 2.5 meters to ∞(the symbol
character means infinitely far away). With
the help of aseparately purchasable
attachment lens, which is attached to the
front of the lens, sharp close-ups can be
achieved from adistance of 1to 2.5
meters. (Most favorable distance for
maximum sharpness is 1.6 to 1.9 m.)
7

During the exposure, the image is viewed
with the aid of the viewfinder 12 (Fig.9)
[portrait] or 13 (Fig.9) [horizontal shot].
The Billy-Clack enables instantaneous
exposures and time exposures.
For Instantaneous exposures,move pointer 5
(fig. 9) to (·). Release the shutter by fully
depressing the lever 6. Make sure that the
front part of the camera is not pushed
back!
8

The shutter can also be triggered with the
aid of acable release that can be screwed
into the opening 7.
For time exposures,move hand 5to (-).
The shutter remains open as long as the
lever 6is depressed.
For time exposures, the camera must be
placed on afirm base, for which the
support 8(Fig. 10) can be swung out in
the direction of the arrow.
9

Attention! Before closing the camera, the
support 8must be swiveled in again. A
tripod socket (see Fig. 2) is provided for
mounting on atripod.
For flash exposures,set pointer 5(Fig. 9)
to (-). Move lever 6(Fig. 9) downward
and then hold it in place by engaging the
switch 9(Fig. 10) located on the bottom
of the shutter housing in the direction of
the arrow. After the exposure, close the
shutter by turning back the switch 9or,
more simply, by closing the camera. which
automatically pushes back the switch 9.
The device has 3apertures,each of which
is adjusted by moving the small toothed
switch 10 (Fig. 8) until it snaps into a
notch along with its respective aperture.
The Billy-Clack is provided with abuilt-in
yellow filter,when used cleverly with
isochrome film, the exposure time is
doubled and the next larger aperture is
selected (e.g. 8.8 instead of 11). The
yellow filter is placed on the lens by
pulling down the hook 11 (Fig.10) located
on the underside of the shutter housing. If
you close the camera, the yellow filter is
automatically pushed back.
10

Exposure Overview.
The following exposure times apply to
sunshine for the time 1hour after sunrise
to 1hour before sunset. The exposure
times should be doubled in the shade,
quadrupled when the sky is overcast, and
quadrupled when the sky is cloudy and
lead-grained.
Aprerequisite is the use of Agfa-Isochrom
Film 26° Scheiner. (~ISO 25)*
Outdoors:
Glacier, snowy landscape, open beach:
Instantaneous with Aperture 16.
Landscapes: Instantaneous with Aperture 11.
Close-ups or easy creation:
Instantaneous with Aperture 8.8.
Indoors:
In alight room (light walls, light floor) at
the window 1-2 seconds with full opening.
In adark room (dark walls and furniture,
dark floor) at the window with full opening
for 3-4 seconds. If the object being
photographed is more than 1maway from
the window, the exposure times must be
doubled: if the distance is 2-3 m, the
exposure times should be 4-8 times longer.
11
* Converted value since the Scheiner film speed system is obsolete

Closing the Camera:
Before closing the camera, remove the cable
release and turn back support 8(Fig. 10).
Take the device in both hands. Push the
front plate back with both thumbs until it
snaps into place, applying even pressure.
When the camera is closed, the shutter
release lever is locked so that unintentional
film exposure during the Billy-Clack is
impossible.
12

Removal of the exposed film.
After the last (i.e. 16th) exposure, the film
is completely exposed. The passing of the
paper backing can be observed through the
red film windows in the back of the
camera.
Then open the back as described on page
3(Figs. 1and 2). Pull out the film key
as far as possible while turning it to the
right (see Fig.12).
13

Check the film holder. Push the spool
holder 14 away and remove the exposed
film spool (Fig. 13). Make sure that the
protective paper does not become loose.
Wrap the free end of the paper tightly
around the roll, fold it over at the point
indicated by the imprint, and secure it with
the adhesive strip.
14

Now remove the empty spool from the
lower spool holder and insert it into the
upper spool holder with its slotted end
facing the film key (Fig. 14).
Turn the spool holder back and push the
spool holder back into the camera. Push
the film key in while turning it clockwise
until it grips the empty spool. Now repeat
the insertion of the full film spool as
already described on page 4.
15