In praise of the lowly Argus C3

This article, "The bricklike Argus C3 camera launched countless photographers" appeared in the Washington Post,

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/05/10/argus-c3-camera/

 

After occasionally using my mother's Kodak Autographic folding camera as a child, the first camera that was mine, at about age ten in the 1050's, was an Argus C3. The camera helped teach me about manual camera controls, and later about the use of flash. I learned about darkroom work using many black and white negatives that I produced using the camera. It took about another half dozen years before I could afford a better camera.

Thanks for the article. The C3 has never interested me too much as a shooter, but I can understand their aesthetic appeal. They were indeed a "real" camera that brought affordable quality photography to many, and I've seen some fine images made with the Cintar lens. Edited May 16, 2022 by m42dave

The C3 was my father's only 35mm camera until he got a Canon in the 1970s. I still have some of his WWII slides taken with it. When I inherited it, even with fond memories, I had years before moved to other cameras by Leica, Olympus, Canon and Ricoh. I thought about keeping it as a shelf queen, but decided to pass it along to an aspiring photographer, who I hope cut his chops on it. A great piece of camera history in the USA.

"The Brick" . Thanks for the article. It's good to see a write-up in the general media on a relatively unknown camera.

The comments section, with enthusiasts inputs, runs longer than the article! Very telling.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Bettendorf

A great read, and thanks for posting the link. While I find the Brick an unwieldy camera to use, I've always felt it represents a great period in US history and deserves it's place among the icons. Practical, tough, not too many frills and got the job done... The Kodak Medalist and Signet 35 are in the same catergory.

Although Leica often is given credit, it was for the elite. It was the various Argus cameras, and -- in the long run -- the Argus C2 and C3 especially that made 35mm slide photography (read Kodachrome).

 

The Argus A/A2 Camera Page

 

My "Brick"

If you don't think it was "ergonomic" go try a Signet 35:rolleyes:

Edited May 17, 2022 by JDMvW

Although Leica often is given credit, it was for the elite. It was the various Argus cameras, and -- in the long run -- the Argus C2 and C3 especially that made 35mm slide photography (read Kodachrome).

 

The Argus A/A2 Camera Page

 

My "Brick"

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If you don't think it was "ergonomic" go try a Signet 35:rolleyes:

You’re right about the signet 35 JDM, feels like a bar of slippery soap in my hands, but the “lumenized” Ektar lens made ergonomics bearable

I'll admit the Ektar(s) were good, but the controls - Oh My!

Hmmm the linked page immedaite;y disappears on my desktop... too bad, I'd like to read the article.

Anyway, I picked one of these up in a sort of sweep I did on f b marketplace a couple years ago. havent given the camera much thought, don't know exactly why I even bought it to begin with! Diging it out just now, the controls are VERY sticky, and the viewfinder is pretty foggy. Anyone in teh USA who could CLA it? and would it even be worth whatever it might cost to get it cleaned up and operational?

I actually have one. I have never tried to put film through it. A shelf piece it is.

Hmmm the linked page immedaite;y disappears on my desktop... too bad, I'd like to read the article.

Anyway, I picked one of these up in a sort of sweep I did on f b marketplace a couple years ago. havent given the camera much thought, don't know exactly why I even bought it to begin with! Diging it out just now, the controls are VERY sticky, and the viewfinder is pretty foggy. Anyone in teh USA who could CLA it? and would it even be worth whatever it might cost to get it cleaned up and operational?

It would cost more to have it cleaned up than another one in decent condition would cost on eBay, but if you have ever wanted to experiment with camera repair this would be a good choice since you would still have a substantial door stop even if you can't get it working again.

I still have the C-3 I bought new at the end of 1957. There is an organization -- the Argus Collectors Group -- than runs "Argus Day" every year. This year it's in August -- actually "Argust 22nd." The day date moves up one each year and it started in 2001. I've been participating since I discovered the group in 2006.

 

The aforementioned group has some repair manuals for the C-3 available online. Ya gotta like a camera you can CLA with a screwdriver and needle-nosed pliers!

 

Yes, the brick is a bit user hostile if you're used to shooting today's auto-everything cameras, but it does a pretty decent job if you are careful and pay attention to details.

Hmmm the linked page immedaite;y disappears on my desktop... too bad, I'd like to read the article.

 

The link is to a download of the pdf. If you look in your default folder for downloads, you may find the file...

Edited May 19, 2022 by JDMvW

Argus cameras were unknown in my country, a rarity.

 

The C3 shutter is very easy to work on, and the Cintar lens is above average. The Harry Potter film showing a C3 made an icon of the Brick.

 

A wonderful camera to learn.

This camera, Argus C3, was part of the plot of the movie I watched last night Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. The movie is set in the 1940s and a reporter named Polly Perkins has this camera and at the end only has two frames of film left so she has to decide to click a photo or wait for something better to shoot.

An exciting film? I need to check this out! 

 

 

It's more of a steam-punk film noir. Entertaining, certainly.

I recall the movie poster / DVD cover was changed because she was holding the C-3 incorrectly (with her finger on the advance knob). They horizontally flipped the C-3 so at least she had her finger on the shutter release 😆

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by Rick_van_Nooij

After bumping into this thread again I pulled my brick out of the drawer and messed with it a bit. The focus wheel will about wear off skin it is so stiff. . Let’s see…glass looks clean, rangefinder split visible and I can somewhat see through the tiny viewfinder.  Guess it is time to put some film through it.  Rick I like the steam punk analogy. It fits well.

"Diesel-punk" is actually a better fit for the theme 😊

Now I feel I should dig out one of my C-3s soonish.

Well I made good on my threat and shot a few frames with the Brick. It will again become a shelf piece. The dog in the photo does not resemble the dog photographed at all!

 

Looks like motion blur. Was the shutter cocking lever hitting your finger? 

A good working example of a C3 should produce results like this:

 

Yeah a few times it did. Still it is again a shelf piece! 🤷‍♂️

The C3 is America's Zeiss Ikon Super Nettel 11. I'm reminded of that camera every time I look at a C3 because of it's similar focusing wheel.

 

The C-3 and the Cintar lens are quite capable. I haven't shot with any of mine in recent years though.

I've turned the shutter charging buttons on all of mine a 180 degrees, to prevent it from striking your fingers on release.
But I think something has become sticky in yours, mjferron.

 

As things go with me... I bought a Match-matic C3 that allegedly worked for $60,00. (with shipping to Germany) I wanted the Harry Potter camera for my hipster colleague.  
Well, you could cock the shutter, and it would make a ping noise, but there was nothing happening. Also, the frame counter was missing and the screw holding  the RF was rolling around in the box. Later I determined that one of the two  ((I think) ) RF mirrors was missing. Since to send back would cost half, he refunded half. 
I recently sold this as non-working for parts etc. I played a hunch that these are rare on this side of the pond and someone might likely want it, for the same reason I wanted it. It was the first one of my cameras that didn't go for the €1,00. A whopping €25,00 in 11 bids. 
I eventually visited the US and bought one  before leaving  as a gift for my colleague. It was working ..Ok,  not great.  Would benefit from some TLC. Meanwhile I've changed jos and we rarely see each other anymore. I suspect it is gathering dust in a drawer.

I shot a test roll just to see what it could do... the camera is definitely more capable than the photographer

 










I generally was testing the RF, hence the short focal distance  but the sloppy film handling resulted in scratched  negatives and I felt the lens was flaring easily..but maybe I was flaring too

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by chuck_foreman1