Argus 164k Carefree
This camera was made in Germany. image by JM Allen (Image rights) |
The Argus 164 Carefree very basic fixed focus model for 126 film cassettes. It was made by Balda in Germany for Argus. The exact naming is muddled, as the the camera says "Argus Instant Load 164," the manual has "Carefree Instant Cartridge Loading 164," and the box says "Argus 164k Carefree." One of the Argus Lady Carefree models, the 164L, is this same camera, only with a decorative face design.
What appears to be a selenium meter is a dummy; shutter speed and aperture are fixed for average outdoors illumination. It measures 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 2 3/8" and has a plastic single-element lens. It takes two batteries to fire the flashcube and the shutter speed remains the same with or without flashcube use. It has a slot on the side for a wrist strap, which came with the camera kit.
Links
- Image of an Argus 164 with box and instructions from the Argus Museum and hosted by the Ann Arbor District Library collection of Argus Materials
- Argus Instant Load 164 user manual at Ann Arbor District Library collection of Argus Materials
- Argus Instant Load 164 at collection-appareils.fr
AKA Instant Load 164 image by Peli Toys (Image rights) |