Argus C3 what a nice camera

[Paul Howell]

I've been testing my cameras, got around to my Argus C3, for a inexpensive camera I can see why they sold so many of them. No frills, accurate rangefinder, my shutter is accurate, it all works and not much to go wrong. Even the every ready case is nicely made. Reminds me of my Federal Enlarger, American made for the masses, not fancy, but well made, solid.

 

[one90guy]

Have taken many keepers with the Argus C-3 and really learned a lot about photography using them and real easy to work on.

David

 

[DWThomas]

Indeed; I bought mine around the end of 1957, used it for a number of years, and came back to it in 2006 upon learning an organization called the Argus Collectors Group was promoting "Argus Day." That occurs annually, a year and one day after the previous year's event. The event began in 2001 -- on Argust 1st -- yeh, a little play on August there. So this year it will be on Argust 20th!

From time to time I've posted Argus Day shots in my gallery here; there are many more in my PBase galleries. In a few recent years I've shot some Panatomic-X from a bulk roll I was gifted -- expiration: December 1988 -- just to complete the sense of time. Unquestionably it has given a decent account of itself. Along the way I have done a modest CLA and a rangefinder calibration, plus a bit of an overhaul on the aperture mechanism in the 50mm Cintar lens. Ya gotta like a camera you can operate on with a screwdriver and needle-nosed pliers!

 

[narsuitus]

I had been using an Argus C3 for years before I discovered that the lenses were interchangeable.

Argus C3 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[ic-racer]

I just refurbished my two Argus Bricks. I wonder if anyone has pictures of any with fancy coverings. As you all know, the covering needs to come off to service the shutter. So, rather than putting the old, brittle cover back in place, I wanted to try some fancy covering. I have two teenage daughters and I'd like to make them fashionable for them, to see if they have some interest.

I was thinking like white, pink or bright yellow or ostrich (fake of course).

 

[ic-racer]

Another thing I noticed. Even though I also have an Argus C44 owned since new, the C44 is clumsy, hard to use and the lens is not that great compared to almost any other rangefinder out there. So I never use it. Well, the Brick is even harder to use, but somehow transcends that in a way I can't describe. Maybe the brick is more fun to use. Or that the brick is-what-it-is and does pretend to be a Leica and fail miserably.

 

[Paul Howell]

For a triplet lens, it is very nice, even wide, not too bad. Someday I might get around to testing it, have not shot any color, might be a problem, my example is a later model with a single coated lens.

 

[DWThomas]

I wonder if anyone has pictures of any with fancy coverings.

I don't have pictures, but I have seen some where people used wood veneer -- birds eye maple anybody?!

 

[RSImages]

The talk of wood finished for the c3 caused me to do a quick search. I found this one on Flickr. They're were a few of them.

(Not my photo)
https://flic.kr/p/zgrQ8m

 

[Paul Howell]

If someone was a wood worker, you could made a body out of a solid chunk of wood, one of the tropicals.

 

[TheRook]

Compared to other 35mm cameras,even those that date back to the 1930's, the ergonomics of the C3 are not great. But it does the job.

 

[benveniste]

The Argus C3 was the non-fixed focus camera I ever used. While there are many other cameras I would prefer to use, I still have a bit of a soft spot for the hard brick.