dave_g1 Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 <p>Just something I was curious about. Was the Argus C the first rangefinder with a <em>behind the lens leaf shutter?</em></p> <p>Would this make Continas, Paxettes, Olympus Aces, et al. "Argus clones"? ;D But seriously I would like to know if this particular breed of camera started with the Argus.</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_rochkind Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 You mean among 35mm cameras? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_g1 Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 <p>Yes. Although, if there was a <em>rangefinder </em>in another format that used a behind the lens shutter before the C, that would be interesting to know too.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew_rusbarsky Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 <p>The Argus C lacked a linked rangefinder. The first Argus with one was the C2 in '38. Kodak made the #1 special in 1916. Graflex got into the rangefinder market around 1912. The Kodak Bantam special is almost 35mm (828 format) and was introduced in 36. Plenty of European folders had linked rangefinders by the 30s. Welta made a 35mm folder with a linked rangefinder in 36. I'm sure that there are plenty of others.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_g1 Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 <p>Yes. But did they have a <em>behind the lens leaf shutter? </em>Is what I want to know. The Bantam Special uses a conventional between the lens shutter for instance (as did the 1A special, and so did the speed graphic, in conjunction with a focal plane shutter).</p> <p>I want to know if the Argus C introduced the concept of a behind the lens leaf shutter rangefinder, or if it was used earlier by anybody else. Some very nice cameras ended up using the layout - the Aires V and Diax IIb for instance, so it would be interesting to know where it came from.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 <p>Good question.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfophotos Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 <p>No, the Argus C had a rangefinder, but it was<strong> uncoupled to the lens </strong>- no gear matched up with the RF wheel and the lens helical. -edit.- Oops, I see Matt already said that.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_g1 Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 <p>Mark, you also missed the real question here. Which is still was it the first <strong>behind the lens leaf shutter rangefinder camera.</strong></p> <p>I've not ever read of one earlier, but I know that in the 30s lots of companies came and went rapidly, so I do not want to dismiss the possibility that there might have been an earlier one.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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