Agfa Ansco Shur-Shot Regular D6

Specification

Specification

Manufacturer	:	Agfa-Ansco
Produced	:	1932-1940
Classification	:	Medium Format
Body Type	:	Box
Construction	:	Cardboard/Metal
Film Type	:	116
Film Width	:	70mm
Image Size	:	4¼ x 2½, 2½ x 2⅛ in
No. of Images	:	8/16
Lens Type	:	Meniscus
Focus Type	:	Fixed
Focal Length	:	100mm
Focus Range	:	10ft - inf
Aperture Type	:	Multihole
Aperture	:	f/16, f/22
Shutter Type	:	Rotary
Shutter Speeds	:	B,I*(1/60 sec)
Size (w x h x d)	:	90 x 135 x 140 mm
Weight	:	608g
* Measured on this camera

Description

The Agfa Ansco Shur Shot series began in 1932 and ended in 1940. Shur Shot cameras originally carried the name Agfa-Ansco in use at that time. Post-1941 models were branded as Ansco alone because of the German connection of Agfa. Although the Agfa Ansco Shur-Shot Regular D6 is a simple camera made from cardboard, wood and metal, it is particularly well made. It is capable of capturing eight 4¼ x 2½ inch exposures or sixteen 2½ x 2⅛ inch exposures on standard no. 116 roll film. This basic box construction hadn't changed much from when box cameras first appeared. The camera is made of a water resistant fiber body covered in black imitation leather, with a metal faceplate. The back is also made of metal. The shutter assembly is supported with a wooded block. There is a diagonal leather handle on the top.

The camera is fitted with a fixed focus lens for taking photos from about 8 feet to infinity. There are two apertures available but only one shutter speed. The glass single meniscus lens is located behind the shutter and aperture to obtain the optimal performance from a simple lens design. The shutter provides a snapshot speed of about 1/60 of a second.

Film advance is by the use of two ruby window on the back door. These ruby windows are used in connection with swinging wings inside the camera and two scribed lines on the ground glass viewfinders.

When the wings are open and clipped back, the image produced on the film is 4¼ x 2½ inch inches. The whole of the viewfinder is used and only lowest ruby window is used to advance the film to the new frame.

When the wings are in place, the image is half that size. Only the area between the scribed lines on the viewfinder is used to frame the picture. The film is advanced so that a number appears in the lower ruby window for the first frame and centre ruby window for the next frame. This is repeated for all of the next 7 numbers giving 16 shots.

It has a metal winding knob. There are two viewfinders for landscape and portrait orientation.

Bulb exposures are achieved by pulling a small tab outwards. This model also includes another tab which allows for the positioning of either a smaller aperture (approximately f/22) or a yellow filter, in front of the main lens. (The filter was intended for black & white photography, e.g. to deepen the tone of blue skies.)

For maintenance, the metal faceplate of the camera can be taken off by lifting tabs away from three small pegs, which gives access to the shutter and viewfinders. As in many box cameras, highly polished steel plates were used for the interior reflective surfaces of the viewfinders instead of mirrors. These seem to stand the test of time better than mirrored glass surfaces.

There is no cable release socket and no tripod mount.

How to Use

A manual for this camera can be found here:-
Shur-Shot manual. However, this manual is for the Special version with distance control. Ignore the section on 'Distance Control'.

This camera takes 116 film which is not available anymore except as expired films. This means that the camera needs modification to take 120 film. Modification is fairly straight forward and will easily give 5 'panoramic' exposures producing 2¼ x 4¼ inch negatives. Check out my page on 'Conversion of a 116 camera to take 120 film'.

With modern film, which is sensitive to red light, it is advisable to cover the red windows with black tape. Uncover the windows to wind on, but only in low light conditions.