ENSIGN SELFIX 820 CAMERA

2. Spring knob.

1 1. Depth of focus scale plate.

3. Film-winding knob.

12. Shutter front plate with speed

markings.

6. Button for opening camera.

13. Outer milled ring.

7. Aperture Cursor.
14. Shutter setting lever.
8. Aperture scale plate.

9. Rotating lens cell.

10. Rotating ring for distance scaie.

15. Shutter release knob.

18. Albada View finder.

ENSIGN SELFIX 820 CAMERA

1. Catch holding camera back
i n position.

2. Spring knob.
3. Film-winding knob.

4. Slide covering ruby window

for 12 exposures.

Picture sizes :
Eight 2f x 34 in. pictures o r
twelve 24 x 2f in. pictures.

Roll Film sizes :

Standard size 20 o r 62.
Recommended films :

5. Slide covering ruby window

for 8 exposures.

ENSIGN ULTRACHROME
fast and highly orthochromatic.

6, Button for opening camera.

15. Shutter release knob. ,

18. Albada View finder.

ENSIGN

FINE

GRAIN

PAN

a panchromatic film o f fine grain

and medium speed.

LOADING THE CAMERA WITH FILM

Opening the Camera Back
Slide the catch 1 in the direction
Fig. 1

indicated by the arrow and swing

outwards the hinged camera back
(Fig. I ).
Picture Size-

8 o r 12 Pictures

The camera is provided w i t h an

arrangement whereby roll films o f
standard size 20 o r 62 will yield
eight 2: x 3 f in. pictures o r twelve
2: x 2: in. pictures.
When twelve pictures are required
the hinged masking flaps housed
within the spool chambers must be
brought into position by depressing
each spool spring in turn and rotating
each flap round its film roller until

it lies in position on the side of the

film aperture (Fig. 2).

If

it

is decided
Fig. 2

t o take

eight

pictures the hinged flaps must remain

under the film tension springs in the
chambers.
Inserting the Film
When the masking device is set in
the desired position, place the full
spool of film (size No. 20 o r 62) i n
the lower chamber, while drawing
the spring knob 2 outwards. Release
knob when the spool is i n its correct
position. The tapered end of the
paper must point towards the takeup spool chamber containing the
empty spool on which the exposed
film is wound (Fig. 3).
If an empty take-up spool is not
already in position at the winding
end o f the camera, it should be fitted

by pressing the end of the spool

w i t h the round hole against the
spring stud, at the same time withdrawing the winder knob 3, which
Fig. 3

is returned t o its original position

when the spool is in place (care being
taken that the winding key engages
the slit end of the spool).
Fig. 4

Remove t h e gummed label which

holds t h e paper leader i n place; pull
t h e l a t t e r across t h e rollers and insert
t h e end i n t h e wide slot o f the
e m p t y spool.
G i v e one o r t w o turns t o t h e f i l m
winding k n o b 3 i n a clockwise direct i o n t o draw t h e paper leader taut.
I n doing this see t h a t the paper
leader is nicely centred between the
spool flanges. A n y tendency t o w i n d
crooked must be corrected before
proceeding f u r t h e r (Fig. 4).
Close t h e back o f the camera,
making sure t h a t it is securely
fastened by t h e catch.
O p e n t h e slide 4 o r 5 bearing the
number o f pictures t o be taken,
dependent o f course o n the setting
o f t h e hinged masks, before loading
t h e film. T u r n t h e winding k n o b

3 u n t i l first, a warning hand, and t h e n

a figure 1, appear i n t h e ruby observation w i n d o w (Fig. 5).
Close t h e ruby w i n d o w by means
o f the slide. This is most i m p o r t a n t
when using panchromatic film.
Fig. 5

MAKING THE EXPOSURE

Opening the Camera Front
Pressure on the button 6 w i l l cause
Fig. 6

the front o f the camera t o spring

open automatically, bringing the lens
and shutter i n t o working position.
The camera should be tilted in a
slightly downwards position t o ensure
that the spring mechanism is not
retarded by gravity (Fig. 6).
Lens Apertures
The aperture of the lens is controlled by the setting o f the aperture
cursor 7 on t o one o r other of the
"f" numbers marked on the scale
A higher number on the
plate 8.
scale denotes a smaller aperture,
needs a longer exposure time, and
increases the depth o f focus, e.g.
fJ4.5 is smaller than fJ3.8, etc.
(Fig. 7).

Focusing
The scale o f focusing distances is
given on the rotating front lens cell 9
(Fig. 7). The figure corresponding
t o the distance at which the subject
is estimated t o be from the camera
should be set against the pin, situated
on the left-hand side of the shutter
front plate. This pin also acts as a
stop t o prevent the lens being rotated
past the infinity position.
Depth of Focus Scale
The depth o f focus for the various
stops can be read from the scales
10 and 1 1 (Fig. 8). The distances
at which the lens can be focused
are marked on the rotating ring 10.
O n the plate 1 1 will be found a
second scale w i t h certain divisions
terminated by the aperture figures o f

the lens, e.g. when the rotating front

lens cell 9 is set at 10 ft.. using a
lens aperture of f / l I, the nearest
and farthest points which will be i n
Fig. 7

focus are ascertzined by setting the

corresponding distance on the rotating ring 10 against the centre index
mark on plate 11. In this particular

case it w i l l be seen from the scale

that when focusing at 10 ft. and
using f / l I, the depth o f focus extends
from approximately 8 ft. t o 15 ft.

Fig. 8

The Epsilon Shutter

The shutter speed numbers on the
front o f the shutter 12 represent
fractions of a second, while the
letters B and T stand f o r " B r i e f "
and " T i m e " respectively (Fig. 7).
For instantaneous exposures turn
the outer milled ring 13 so that the
red index mark is brought opposite
the required speed. Set the shutter
by pulling over the lever 14 until it
stops.
The shutter is released by
means of the knob 15 which must
be pressed right down until the
shutter operation is completed.
For short-time exposures bring the

red index mark opposite the letter

B and pull over the setting lever 14.
The shutter opens by pressing the
knob 15 and closes as soon as the
pressure ceases.
W h e n long - time exposures are
required turn the ring 13 until the
red index mark is brought opposite
the letter T. The flexible wire
release supplied w i t h the camera is
then screwed i n socket 16. A f t e r
the shutter lever 14 has been set
by sliding it along i n its groove, the
shutter is operated by the wire
release as follows :(a) To open the
the head o f
then remove
( b ) Immediately
posure has

shutter, press i n
the wire release,
the pressure.
the required exbeen given the

shutter is closed by a further

pressure on the head of the
wire release.
Special Note
After evcry exposure wind the film
on t o the next number. The shutter
release knob cannot operate until this
is done.
Both the shutter and the camera
body are provided with a special
inter-lock device whereby the shutter
release knob 15 cannot be actuated
until the film has been wound on t o
the next picture. and the shutter set
by operating the shutter lever 14.
This particular device of the Selfix
820 camera renders double exposures
impossible.

The View Finder

The camera is provided with a
special collapsible Albada finder 18
which shows a bright and easily disFig. 9

cernible field, in the centre o f which

the actual boundaries of the picture
area are seen as white lines (Fig. 9).
The Albada finder shows an erect
and right way round picture. When
taking 2; x 3; in. pictures on the
film, the picture should be composed
in the larger camera field, while f o r
2f x 24 in. pictures, use the smaller
boundary o f w h ~ t e lines. See that
the horizontal and vertical lines of
the subject run parallel t o the white
boundary I~nes.
Holding the Camera
when picture taking
It is impossible t o give hard and
fast rules for holding the camera
when making an exposure. The important point is that it must be held
firmly and without vibration o f any

kind, as movement will spoil the

sharpness of the picture.
The illustrations show the recommended ways of holding the camera
for upright and horizontal pictures.

For short-time exposures and exposures of long duration a firm stand

o r rigid tripod should be used. The
camera is provided with t w o bushes
for screwing it t o a tripod.

Fig. 10

Fig. 1 1
*ml

CLOSING THE CAMERA

The camera is closed by pressing
on the hinges of the struts w i t h the
Fig. 12

t w o thumbs. The thumbs may then

be removed t o raise and close the
baseboard (Fig. 12).

UNLOADING THE FILM

When the last exposure has been
made, wind off the whole length of
the film. By looking through the
ruby observation window it w i l l be
seen when the paper is completely
wound on t o the take-up spool.
Slide the catch
camera back.

and

open

the

Fasten the end o f the exposed

spool by sticking down the cover
paper with the gummed "exposed "
label provided.

Pull back the film winder knob 3

and take out rhe spool (Fig. 13).
Transfer the empty spool t o the
opposite spool chamber. Press the
end o f the spool w i t h the round hole
against the spring stud and allow the
other end w i t h the slit t o fit the
projection o f the winder knob 3.

is not giving results as

think it should, consult
he will be pleased to
you prefer,
to us
Fig. 13

Turn the winder knob 3 until it

engages the spool and turns the spool
w i t h it. The camera is then ready
f o r reloading, when the various
manipulations as described should be
carried out.

Ensign Selfix 820 Cameras are

thoroughly tested before leaving our
works, and are guaranteed t o give
~ o o dresults.
If, for a n y reason, your camera

17

good as you
your dealer;
assist, or, i f
direct,

EXPOSURE TABLE
The following table gives a rou h idea of the e x p r e s and stops for various subjects
using the popular medium spee8 films such as
e Ensign Ultrachmme from 10 a m :
until 2 p.m. in bright sunshme during) April, May, June, July, August 'and September.
For more detailed information an exposure guide or meter is recommended.

Su~l~cr
1. O p m seascaprs and cloud
2.
3.

I-.
5.
6

. . . . . . . . .
~tudies
Opcn landscaprs with light
fol-rqround. Rrach scenrs.
Avrraq? Imdscapes with
oblectc in fo~ryround.
Figurm i r ~ open.
Rivw scene5.
Hravv f o ~ r q r o u n d , buildinqc or t r r r s ocrupvlng
zrrater portion of picture ...
Portraits o' groups taken Out
of doors
. . . . . . . . .
Vers dark, near objects ...

f/3.8

f/4.5

1 /250

1 /lo0

1/ 100

1/50

f/5.6

f/6.3

f/8

f/16

f/22

11250

1/100

11250

1/100

1/50

f/ll

1/250

1/250

1/100

1/50

1/25

1/250

1/100

1/100

1/50

1/25

l/lOt

1/100

1/50

1/50

1/25

1 1 0

115'

In other conditions the exposures are multiplied as follows :I n October November December January February and March
2
Light clouds over whdle sky but'able to iast visible shadow ....
2
Heavy clouds over whole sky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
With Super-speed Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NOTE-Bear in mind that modern roll films whole of greater speed also resist the effect
longer exposure should: therefore, be given.
of over-exposure. When in doubt
* Recommended for use with
Camera on tripod.

DEPTH OF FOCUS FOR ENSIGN SELFIX 820 CAMERAS

CIRCLE O F CONFUSION

004"

25 ft.
40 f t

Inf

I%;r

per
Er

;;:;;

37' 6"
18' 10"

88'
26' 0"
2"

Inf.
86' 0"

77' 0"

Inf.

8"
47' 3"
10'' 17' 3"
0" 241' 0"
4"
23' 2"
Inf.
Inf.
62'
5 6 0"

41'
17'
112
24'

58' 6 118' Om
15' 11" 14' 0"
500' 0"
Inf.
20' 10" 17' 8"

Inf.

4 3 0.

Inf.

3 1 4"

Inf.