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THE MINCA, MODEL M, AND MODEL K

From "Kelly's"
                                    Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 18:43:54 -0700
                                    Subject: Re: ACG-- Flocks of Argeese
                                    
                                    Here is my understanding of the Argus M and the Argus 19 (Minca 28) then
                                    the Camro 28 (Cameo) and the Delco 828
                                    
                                    The M was produced from 1939 - 1940.  Lahue says in The American 35mm
                                    says it was introduced as a Christmas gift package in 1939.  He also
                                    says Argus executives indicated they made about 750,000 of them.
                                    
                                    The Argus 19 (Minca 28) per Lahue was produced 1947 - 1948.  The dies
                                    were then sold.  Lahue says it was renamed the Cameo and sold by a
                                    Pennsylvania company.
                                    
                                    I have never seen a Cameo but have a Camro 28.  There is also a Delco
                                    828 reported in McKeown's.  I am still looking for a Delco 828.
                                    
                                    What do others know about these cameras?
                                    
                                    Bob Kelly
                                    
                                    

From (sterritt)
                                    Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 07:59:35 -0600
                                    Subject: ACG - 828 Argii
                                    
                                    My two cents re the 828 Argeese:
                                    
                                    The Model M's lens retracts a la the model A, and even more interesting, it
                                    can be set up to give 16 'half-frame' pictures on a roll -- there are two
                                    'barn doors' at the film plane that fold in, and an extra green window on the
                                    back for the film numbers.  I have two model Ms -- one has a transparent
                                    green mask in the viewfinder to show the 'half-frame' area, the other has a
                                    permanent opaque metal mask showing only the 'half-frame' area.
                                    
                                    I have one each of the Minca, Camro and Delco, and they are essentially
                                    identical except for badging.  
                                    
                                    I suspect they are harder to find in spite of their large production because
                                    of crossover from 828 collectors.
                                    
                                    Phil Sterritt