Argus C3 and its lenses

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

The Argus C3 "Brick" is still one of the most common cameras in the US. It can easily be found in thrift shops and garage sales, and everyday there are dozens on US ebay, mostly selling (if they sell) for $10 or less. Anybody can have one for little or nothing (plenty are given away, or thrown away). I actually have four of these things. Because they are so durable and solidly made, I would bet 9 out of 10 of these neglected cameras would be perfectly functional if cleaned.

Argus C3 with an early 35mm/100mm finder and lenses -

L-r Sandmar 4.5/35 (Argus house brand but made by Enna), Cintar 3.5/50 (Argus US-made Elmar copy), Sandmar (Enna) 4.5/100, Soligor (Fujita) 4.5/135, Soligor (unknown maker) 4.5/135 with an odd optical design

Whats not well known about this very American camera is that it is or was a real camera system. It was not just a cheap family snapshot machine. It is not absurd to compare it to the contemporary Leica III series (the Argus C3 came out in 1938).

It has an effective coupled rangefinder, many body accessories, and interchangeable lenses. Its standard lens was a copy of the Leitz Elmar.

It even improves on the Leica in some important respects -

Its got a wider rangefinder base. Its got easier film loading with a hinged back and a shutter with flash sync at all speeds AND a continuous speed range - you can select speeds between the marks on the dial ! Try that on a Leica ! It also had flash sync 12 years before Leica. And if one breaks (unlikely, these things are tough), there are no repair bills, as there were millions made.

The downside of course is that it was cheaply made, with the body molded out of bakelite, the shutter mechanics look like something out of an auto carburetor, and the aesthetic design was apparently a collaboration between a ham radio amateur and a cut-rate undertaker. The shutter has a limited speed range (10-300 and no T or B !), the shutter cocking and film wind are uncoupled, so one has to remember to cock the shutter, no double exposure protection, and one also has to manually release the film wind.

And the lens mount is similarly unsophisticated - one has to unscrew and remove the rangefinder linkage gear to screw in a new lens. And the lens thread is small, 33mm vs the Leica LTM 39mm. This limited the sort of lenses that could be mounted.

So there were few types of add-on lenses made for the Argus, and these were all quite unambitious. Add-on lenses were made in very small numbers (one by Bausch&Lomb) until Argus contracted with Enna post-war for very nicely made 35mm and 100mm lenses, of which a large number were made, as they are quite easy to find on US ebay. And then the Japanese came in in the mid-1950's with a few more.

But still -

Cintar 3.5/50 (Elmar copy)

Sandmar (Enna) 4.5/35

Sandmar (Enna) 4.5/100 (there seems to be some vignetting going on; I need to try this again without the hood)

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Super quality samples and nice looking kit.

There was an article in Amateur Phototographer last year about the Argus range which made interesting reading.

marty · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 767 Location: Italy

Hi, there.
I've got one of those although it seems to be more recent. After a mechanic and cosmetic cleaning, as Luis said, it's fully working. I should really take some time and give her a spin. Mine is equipped with a Cintar 50mm f3.5 and differently from Luis' has got a B setting. To be noted the odd f-stop and shutter speed scale, though I've been able to find a conversion table.
Thanks for your interesting review and good samples, Luis.

Cheers, M.-

fish4570 · Expire: 2012-03-21

What an excellent article. Photos show wonderful 3D effect.

gaeger · Expire: 2021-03-09

What fun! I have a C3 that was in a box of stuff that I bought, but it's missing the shutter cocking lever, so I can't see if the thing works, but judging from the looseness of the shutter speed dial, there's a problem in there somewhere. The Cintar 50mm is in perfect condition. I might look around for another body for parts.

Thanks for sharing those photos!

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

It's a shame these cameras always appear only in the US as the shipping makes these cheap cameras a bit more expensive.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Very nice results, great presentation!

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

Oh Luis, with your presentations, you make me buy any camera and lenses !!!

Thanks for sharing.

Rino.

nemesis101 · Expire: 2015-01-22

It's not that I am easily influenced you understand, it's just that you caught me at a vulnerable moment when my incipient OCD was telling me it is unlucky to have an odd number of collectible cameras, then I read your post and saw this on sale..

SO IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!! Smile

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=6129395

Doug

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

Very nice camera and lenses. I've been looking for a C3 for a while, just can't find one local.

I guess no one saw the C3 matchmatic on Ebay with the meter. It needs work, but if I had extra cash I'd buy this one. Of course no Idea what's wrong with it either.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-ARGUS-Brick-Rangefinder-film-Camera-Part-/270566927932?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item3eff0bae3c

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Good luck Doug !

Hi Walter,

That Matchmatic is missing the rangefinder linkage gear and capscrew.

Hi Gaeger, I have a spare cocking lever. Send me you address and I'll put it in the mail.

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

fish4570 · Expire: 2012-03-21

The vertical string of paper lanterns is a head turner ...

gaeger · Expire: 2021-03-09

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19

Not that I'm going to get anything close to Luis' shots, but I pulled the trigger, too:

Click here to see on Ebay

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Good thing you've been thinning the herd then!

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19

Yeah, there is always a lot of these offered on the 'bay. Wink

nemesis101 · Expire: 2015-01-22

Bloody Hell.. this is soooooo sad.. we are going to need a forum of our own soon.. dedicated to photogs with more time on their hands than sense! lol

Doug

PS Can we call ourselves the Agusnauts? lol

Tom in Delaware · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 42 Location: Delaware, USA

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19

gaeger · Expire: 2021-03-09

A tip of the hat to luisalegria! He sent me a cocking lever for an Argus C3 that I had come across, and lo and behold, the shutter works! The only problem now is the linkage to the shutter speed dial is kaput, so it only fires at what appears to be 1/300th. So it'll take some tinkering, but overall everything else is sound. Thanks Luis!

marty · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 767 Location: Italy

waitew · Joined: 30 Oct 2010 Posts: 2 Location: So. California

He's wrong about two things:
1. The Argus C3 does have a 'B' setting. It's not on the shutter speed dial but on a collar around the shutter release button,but it has 'B'.

2.The C3 won't synch at all speeds. I know the theory (leaf shutter= synch at ALL speeds) but the C3 shutter is a 'unique' design and wont... even the later ones (5 marked speeds) supposedly designed for electronic flash wont (any speed faster than 1/20 & part of the photo will be black cos of the shutter blades).
Just my two cents.