AGFA Karat 36 User manual

MADE IN GERMANY
.
AGFA KllRilT 36
SOLINAR 1:2 ~ 8

Film Indic ator
Accessory Shoe
Rapid
Winding Le ver
Film Counter
Find er Eyepiece
Rewind Button
Lock for
Camera Back

Rewind Knob
Depth of Field
Indicator
(s. p. 18 )
Release Button
Focusing Scale
FI ash Socket
Focusing L ever
Aperture Le ve r
Brace Lock

DEAR READER,
We would like you to make friends with your new Karat 36, and we therefore invite
you to go carefully through this instruction booklet with us.
It w ill be well w orth you r while, for once you are familiar with. the various ope rations
of your camera, you will soon take successful pictures. The designers of the Kar at 36
have
tried from the outset to make the camera as fool-proof as poss ible . But remember,
all the same, that you are handling a precision instrument wh i ch needs a ce rtai n
amount of care in manipulation .
Devote a little time to your new companion right from the beginning . Start off without
a film in the camera. Try focusing on various distances, and operate the rapid winder.
After only a few attemps, you will be surprised at the feeling of confidence in
handling the camera -so essential for taking actual pictures later on. Your Karat 36
uses the standard cassettes of 35 mm . film for 36 or 20 or 18 exposures 24 x 36 mm.
(
approx . 1X1 lj2 inches).
4

OPENING THE CAMERA
BACK
To open the camera back, pull out
the small projecting latch ( Fig . 1) in
the direction of the arrow . This is
easier if you press the back and
body together in the same way as
when closing the camera later on.
Now open the back, preferably with
the camera lying lens down on
something ·soft.
FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2
The two spool chambers
are now visible ( Fig .2 ). The
empty left hand chamber
takes a standard 35 mm.
miniature film cassette, not
to be confused with the
spool-less Karatl2 cassette
for only 12 exposures . You
cannot use this in the
Karat 36.
The right
hand spool chamber contains the built-in take-up spool. Before loading the
film, turn this spool by its upper milled flange until the loading slit with the small
tooth is on top as shown in Fig . 2.
6

Fold up the hinged flap (Fig. 2) over the sprocket wheel, and you are ready to load
the film. When inserting the fresh cassette - preferably in subdued light -fully pull
out the rewind knob. When the cassette is in position, push the knob back, turning
it slightly
at the same time so that it engages the core of the cassette spool (Fig. 3 ).
Now guide the narrow tongue at the beginning of the film into the slit of the take-up
spool. Push in the film up to the second perforation hole, hooking the small tooth of
the spool into the perforation to anchor the film.
FIGURE 3

8
FI G URE 4
Turn the take-up spool until the film is taut
(
Fig. 4 ).
Only about a 3/ 8 i nch length of the full
wi dt h of the film should protrude from
the cassette.

" Now you can close the camera
back. But first fold down the
hinsr.ed flap in the middle of the film
track over the film. The film must be
properly centred between the sides
of the film channel , with the per -
foration holes engaging the teeth
of the sprocket wheel.
Close the back by firmly ( but not
forcibly) pressing it against the body
until the lock engages (Fig. 5) .
FIGURE 5
9

Finally, set the film counter to "A" by press ing a finger on the milled button and
turning it clockwise (Fig. 6).
FIGURE 6

FIGURE 7
OPE N I N G THE CAM ERA. You can only work the rapid winder when the lens
is extended in position for picture taking. Press the latch to allow the lens panel to
spring out ( in cold weather you may have to assist it by a gentle pull). See Fig. 7.
11

FIGURE 8
Now you can get the loaded film ready for the first exposure. Push back the rapid
winder with your thumb or index finger as far as it will go ( Fig . 8). This advances the
film and at the same time automatically tensions the shutter . Fully depress the release
button with the tip of your index finger (Fig. 9 ).
12

Make another blind exposure in the same waYi i. e. wind and release. The film counter
now points to the division before No.1.
FIGURE 9

THE DOUBLE EXPOSURE LOCK
The Karat 36 contains a clever locking mechanis,!! which prevents double exposures
and blank frames. After every exposure the release button is locked, and only works
again after the film has been advanced by one frame by means of the winding lever.
THE SHUTTER
The movement of the winding lever at the same time automatically tensions the Compur
shutter . The shutter speed should therefore be set beforehand.
This is essential for the '10 00 second setting. Once the shutter is tensioned, the resistance of the
built·in additional spring is very hard to overcome when setting the shutter speed to ' /0 00 second .
To set the shutter speed, turn the outside milled ring with the figures 1 2 5 10 25 50
100 250 500
on it (Fig. 10). These numbers signify fractions of a second; for instance,
2
stands for a 112 second, 50 for 1/ 50 second, and so on . Set the required speed against
the black triangular index mark on the neighbouring milled ring (1 /50 second in our
illustration). The "B" setting serves for time exposures with a tripod.
All the scales of the Karat 36 can, incidentally, be read off from above.
The Synchro-Compur shutter of the Karat is speed synchronized, and carries a flash
socket for connecting a flash cable, as well as a synchronizing lever with two positions,
"X" and "M" (see illustration on page 16). This allows the use of all types of flash at
the fastest shutter speeds. How it works is described in detail in the special section
on Speed Synchronization on page 26.
14

FI G. 10

Aperture Lever
Focusing Lever
Aperture Setting Mark
FIGURE 11
16
Flash Socket
Focusing
Scale

..
APERTURE - SHUTTER SPEED -DEPTH OF FIELD
-To set the aperture, move the ape J ture lever (Fig. 11 ). This moves a small pointe r over the
aperture scale carrying the following aperture numbers: 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16
APE RT U RES. Before choosing the right aperture we have to go into a little more
detail about the way it works. The rays coming from the subject first meet the lens aper-
ture which at a large opening lets through a lot, and at a small opening a little, of the
light falling on it. The amount of light transmitted is , ho wever, always only a fraction
of that reaching the lens.
The figures on the aperture scale as listed above are so arranged that, beginning with
the full opening f/2. 8, each succeeding number halves the effective light passed.
EX PO SUR E TIM E. The amount of light required to reproduce a given subject on
the film is fixed. The exposure time and aperture are therefore dependant on each other .
In choosing the aperture and shutter speed we have to preserve this relationship :
High aperture numbers call for slow shutter speeds ( long exposure times) and low aper -
ture numbers need fast speeds (short times ).
For instance, your exposure table may indicate an exposure of 1/ 25 second at aperture 8.
If, however you want to use 1/ 50 second to avoid camera shake, the aperture must let
more light through to the lens to compensate for the shortened exposure time . There-
fore set it to the lower number 5.6.
17

DE P THO F FIE L D. In addition to the exposure, the aperture also determines the
zone of sharpness in front of, and behind, the focused distance. Small apertures
( stopping down) appreciably increase this zone of sharpness, giving what is called .
great depth of field. The depth of field also increases - the farther away the subject is
from the camera. The aperture and the distance focused on are therefore the two
factors governing the depth of field. The resulting zones of sharpness for the various
settings are given in the table on page 3S.
Contrary to the illustrations on the inner pages of this instruction booklet the new model
of Karat 36 has, instead of a depth of field ring, a depth of field indicator as shown
in the figure below.
Two sets of aperture numbers are arranged symmetrically to the left and right of the
focusing mark. The corresponding divisions, pointing to the focusing scale, show the
limits of the zone of sharpness at any setting. In our illustration the focusing scale is
set to 10 feet .
By following the lines corresponding to the
two figures 8, we thus see that the depth of
field at aperture 8 extends from 6 to about
20 feet, or at aperture 11 from S to about
30 feet .
For
the sake of clarity the indicator has
been calculated for a circle of confusion of
1/ 500 inch (O. OS mm .). The figures given are
therefore on the generous side, and for more
accurate work the values of the Depth of Field
Table ( page 3S ) should be used.
18

To increase the readiness for action of the Karcft under good lighting conditions and to
simplify the use of the aperture settings, the camera carries a TWO - PO I NT S ETT IN G.
If you set the pointer of the aperture lever to the red dot between 8 and 11, and the
focusing scale to the 10 feet or 30 feet mark - also in red - you obtain the following
depth of field zones:
Focus on 30 feet : Everything sharp from 15 feet to 00 .
Focus on 10 feet: Everything sharp from 7 to 15 feet.
GETTING READY TO SHOOT
THE COUPLED VIEW
AND RANGEFINDER
The view and rangefinder
is very easy to use. Hold
the eye close to the eye-
piece, and get hold of the
focusing lever with the
second and third fingers
of the left hand (Fig. 12).
FIG U RE 12
19

FI G. 13 /1 4
If you pull this lever up or down, you will notice that the image seen through the eye-
piece is split horizontally in the middle. As soon as the two halves join up, the camera is
focused at the correct distance as shown by Figs. 13 and 14. The distance is also shown in
the small cut- out on the lens panel. You can, of course, equally well focus in the reverse
order : estimate the distance, set the lens, and check through the rangefinder whether the
setting is correct . With horiz ontal shots focus on vertical lines, with vertical shots on
horizontal lines of the subject.
20