Argus Instant Load 284 User manual

drop-in cartridge
film loading
CdS electric eye
programmed shutter
uses new flashcubes
argus
Instant Load 2 <4

Functional
Parts
of
the
Argus
Instant
Load
284
MANUAL LENS
SETTINGS (f/stops)
PC FLASH
CORD SOCKET
CdS ELECTRIC EYE
VIEWFINDER
WINDOW
LENS FOCUSING RING
INDEX MARK
for lens focusing and Auto/Manual lens setting
AUTO/MANUAL LENS SETTING CONTROL
CUBE-FLASH
LENS-SETTING SCALE
(distance in feet)
SHUTTER RELEASE
with Cable
Release Socket
WIND LEVER
ACCESSORY FLASH
MOUNTING SHOE FLASHCUBE SOCKET
1
Minor
changes
in
the
appearance
of
this
camera
may
not
be
included
in
these
illustrations.
ee

These
are
terms
used
throughout
this
book.
It’s
best
to
familiarize
yourself
with
them
before
you
read
the
following
pages.
May
we
suggest
you
read
this
book
over
carefully?
It
contains
simplified
steps
to
perfect
pictures
as
well
as
detailed
information.
Before
you
take
pictures
of
a
special
event
or
go
ona
trip,
try
taking
pictures
both
outdoors
and
with
flash
for
practice.
FILM
INDICATOR
VIEWFINDER
FLASHCUBE
NECK
WINDOW
EYEPIECE
vies
TRIPOD
STRAP
EYELET
SOCKET Sie
CUBE-FLASH
BATTERY
COMPARTMENT
ELECTRIC-EYE CUBE-FLASH INDEX
BATTERY COMPARTMENT SETTING CONTROL

film to use
Film cartridges for your Argus I|n-
stant Load 284 are available almost
everywhere. Ask for size 126 film,
either color or black-and-white.
Some popular films are listed below:
KODACHROME-X
EKTACHROME-X for 20
color
HIGH SPEED EKTACHROME slides
SEARS COLOR SLIDE FILM
KODACOLOR-X for 12 or 20 color prints
SEARS BLACK & WHITE
PRINT FILM for 12 black &
white prints
VERICHROME PAN

Your camera is equipped with a cadmium-sulfide (CdS)
electric eye and battery-powered exposure control system.
The system uses a 1.35-volt mercury battery installed in
the round compartment on the camera bottom.
Instead of weakening slowly, this kind of battery gener-
ally fails almost immediately when exhausted. To check
your battery, wind the film, set the lens setting control
on AUTO (red dot), and point the camera at any brightly
lighted scene. Look in the viewfinder to note the move-
ment of the exposure indicator needle at the bottom as
you lightly press on the shutter release (not far enough
to take a picture). If the battery is good, the exposure
indicator needle will move rapidly from the left and stop
in the clear area of the scale. If the battery is exhausted,
the needle will move out of sight, to the right. To con-
serve the battery, the system uses power only when the
camera is wound. Replace when needed with a Mallory
PX-13, Eveready EPX-13, Burgess HPX-13, or equivalent.
Unscrew the coin-slotted compartment cap and replace
battery with + side facing out (toward cap).

automatic exposures
The lens setting control must be set on AUTO (red dot) for auto-
matically exposed pictures. The electric eye assures perfect
exposure whenever daylight is sufficient for proper indication in
the DataScope viewfinder (see page 7).
Turning the lens setting control away from AUTO disconnects
the electric-eye control, and exposure is then determined by
manual settings (see page 13). CHECK THIS CONTROL SETTING
FOR PROPER POSITION BEFORE TAKING PICTURES.
Certain conditions may provide an undesirable electric-eye ex-
posure (for example, a very dark subject in an extremely light
background). With the camera set on AUTO, aim it at the subject
at very close range, excluding the background from view. Look-
ing through the viewfinder, depress the shutter release PAR-
TIALLY until the exposure indicator needle is moved to position
and stopped. Holding the release ‘‘set” this way, step back to
picture-taking position, frame the scene in the viewfinder, and
continue to depress the release to take the picture.
remember
Have the Auto/Manual
Lens Setting Control
on AUTO for automat-
ically exposed pic-
tures. Keep in mind
that the exposure con-
trol is not ON until the
film is wound.

EXPOSURE INDICATOR NEEDLE
the DataScope viewfinder
The DataScope viewfinder shows at a glance the portion
of the total scene that will be included in your picture
(the area within the bright-line frame); the automatic
lens and shutter-speed (needle position on bottom
scale); and the focus setting (pointer position on verti-
cal scale at right).
The 284’s PROGRAMMED SHUTTER automatically sets
the best combination of shutter speed and lens opening WARNING AREAS
for every suitable light condition. The red areas at the
ends of the bottom scale are warning zones for light cates the focus setting you
conditions too bright or too dim for proper electric-eye have made on the ring.
exposure control. Do not attempt automatic exposures
unless the needle stops within the clear part of the scale Use your DataScope to insure
when you partially depress the shutter release. perfect pictures — check for :
| best framing, proper electric- |
The symbols along the right side of the bright-line frame eye exposure setting, and :
correspond to the same symbols on the lens focusing proper focus—every time you |
ring. The focus pointer position in the viewfinder indi- shoot.
7
ps

FOCUS INDEX MARK FOCUSING RING
FOR OUTDOOR PICTURES
. in bright sunlight, you can
set the actual subject distance
on the lens or use the symbols.
FOR FLASH PICTURES
...you must set the actual cam-
era-to-subject distance (in feet)
on the lens focusing ring (see
pages 11 and 12).
focusing the lens
The precision 40mm f/2.8 lens provides the ultimate in
sharpness and definition. For perfect pictures, set the
focus with one of the following methods:
Youcan... 1 Turn the lens focusing ring so the actual
or estimated camera-to-subject distance
(in feet) is at the index mark.
or... & Turn the lens focusing ring so the sym-
bol indicating the type of picture to be
taken is opposite the index mark—
2 for CLOSE-UPS (4 feet)
Mi for GROUPS or INTERMEDIATE
SCENES (12 feet)
8 for DISTANT SCENES (infinity)
or... <3 Use the GROUP symbol setting as a “uni-
versal focus” if subject is 8 to 30 feet
from camera. USE THIS SETTING ONLY
ON BRIGHT SUNNY DAYS.

loading the camera
Slide
the
back
cover
latch
down
and
open
the
cover.
Drop
in
the
film
cartridge
(largest
end
toward
latch).
Be
sure
it
seats
properly
and
lies
flat.
Close
the
COVER,
pressing
it
firmly
until
it
snaps.
Loading
the
camera
automatically
sets
the
exposure
control
system
for
the
type
of
film.
Move
the
wind
lever
repeatedly
to
the
right
until
it
locks
(about
6
full
strokes)
to
position
film
for
the
first
picture.
After
each
picture
is
taken,
the
exposure
control
system
is
turned
OFF.
For the
next
picture,
move
the
wind
lever
through
a
FULL
stroke
to
advance
the
film,
cock
the
shut-
ter,
and
turn
the
exposure
control
system
ON.
NEVER
FORCE
THE
WIND
LEVER.
The
film
indicator
window
shows
the
exposure
number
you
are
on
and
type
of
film
in
the
camera.
unloading
Before
the
back
cover
is
opened,
after
the
last
picture,
move
the
wind
lever
until
it
locks.
Open
the
cover,
remove
the
cartridge,
and
have
it
processed
immediately.