Want to Buy WTB: Argus C4

Trader history for Ottrdaemmerung (0)

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Jul 27, 2010
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So I just got in last week from eBay a lovely Argus C4, in full (I thought) working order. I took it out for a spin over the weekend and it started freezing up. I ended up tearing the film sprocket holes and the shutter wouldn't actuate: the winding knob would only make the shutter button bob up and down, with little to no stopping where frames should be.

This afternoon I did some research and found that the culprit was most likely gummy shutter blades, and I did some cleaning with lighter fluid. I must have done something bad, though, since at first I had success with bringing the shutter back to life, but now the whole works seems to have seized up and I can't get anything to function at all!

I do love Argus cameras and I'm thoroughly disgusted by the whole affair now, and I'm apprehensive about paying more than one is worth on eBay for fear it'll do the same thing. And of course they're not super-rare or super-expensive cameras. So does anyone out there have a known-to-be-functional C4 in decent condition they'd be willing to sell me?

(I'd ask about having mine repaired, but I assume the cost would be more than the camera is worth.)
Thanks, folks!
 
OP
OP
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I saw that, but a) I'm not very mechanically inclined; and b) the whole works has frozen up since my effort to clean it, so I'm afraid that the gearing that drives the shutter mechanism has physically come to harm.
 

Rick A

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I have one here at the house, needs cleaned, nothing bad just focus and framing viewers are filthy(came from a smoker)I'll clean it up and you can try it out if you want. If you like it buy it if not send it back. PM me for details if you are interrested.
 

dehk

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Also have one here for parts and can tell you how exactly to tear it down. Had it for a while, did last night found theres a broken spring, so i put it all back together and threw it in the box.
 
OP
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Update: Just bought the camera Rick A. offered, which wasn't a C4 at all but the ever-popular and reliable C3. It'll only be the fourth one of those I have! (Insert GAS-related remark here.)

dehk: I'm looking for a working, functional C4 -- not one for parts.
 

Dan Quan

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I have three boxes of about a hundred old cameras that need to go away. With prior commitments I'll need a week or two but I can see what's there, I need to anyway.
 
OP
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Thanks, Dan. I appreciate your taking the time to look.
 

Dan Quan

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Sorry this took soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo long. I am finally going through these boxes of old cameras but so far I have only found a C3 with a messed up rangefinder.
 
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No problem, Dan! But thanks for getting back to me on it. You know, the rangefinders on those C3s are pretty easy to repair, and non-invasively at that. (If a dummy like me can do it, anybody can!) The round viewer lenses pop right out for cleaning. You can use a couple of tiny screwdrivers to get the screw on top loose to adjust the rangefinder focus with a couple of small screws inside.
 
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