Film Tutorial #12 Argus C3 timeline
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- čas přidán 15. 02. 2020
- In this video I go over part of the timeline for the Argus C3 camera line. There where different iterations of this camera before and after these I have shown here but I found these three cameras to be interesting. Let me know what you think.
Do you own a Argus C3?
want to learn for yourself what year it was mad in? Check out this link to learn more about it. argusinfo.net/DatingGuide/Dati...
I got my hands on an Argus AF at a thrift store, back in February. It's in great condition both mechanically and visually, plus it only cost $6~!!! I've been jumping down the Argus rabbit hole as I prepare to take pictures with it this summer. I can definitely understand the love for the C3, it looks so aesthetically pleasing, and it's history seems just as rich if not more as the model A. Just wanted to say great video!!!
Very cool hope you enjoy it well.
I have 2 Argus “C”, 4 “C2”, and 16 “C3” cameras that I have CLA’d and restored, body and full lens disassembly. The post-WWII lenses tend to be better. The pre-WWII lenses often use cork gaskets to seat and space the elements. The 1945-1946 lens variant seems particularly good, and comes in both uncoated and coated (later in 1946) versions. This variant also has an 11-blade iris diaphragm, whereas both earlier and later variants have 10-blade irises. The Argus C3 never had a “hot” shoe; starting in 1954 or so it was fitted with a cold shoe, to hold a viewfinder or a germanium light meter. Thanks for this video!
Thank you for the valuable information. Do you shoot with any of them? I really enjoy putting film through my C3.
@@tlangphoto You are most welcome. Yes, I have shot at least one roll through all but five of them so far. It’s been a while, but I plan to test the rest of them eventually. Almost 100% B&W, but I did shoot a roll of Kodak Ektar 100 with my 1965 Standard C3. For B&W, a lot of it has been Arista 100, and some classic Tri-X, but I really can recommend Kodak T-Max 400 speed, pull-processed 1 or 2 stops. That seems to make very nice fine-grained images.
Great Presentaion ! The Argus C3 is the World's Greatest 35mm. Keep up the good work ! If you have never owned and used an Argus C3 then you cannot call yourself a photographer.
The C3 is quite literally the brick foundation that 35mm photography was built on. :)
I was gifted a C-3 this week. It appears, from your video, to be a pre-WWII camera. Looking forward to taking a few pictures with this new camera in my collection.
Very cool I’m glad you came across my videos!
The Argus C3 was my first 35mm rangefinder. It is the oldest camera that I that I still use.
I had been using the C3 for years before I discovered that the lenses were interchangeable.
I have a pre war c3 I’m currently restoring, about 50% done with it, and a post war one that I use fairly often. It’s not the easiest camera to use but it is a lot of fun
They really are so much fun to use. What is your go to film?
@@tlangphoto I like to use 400 speed film in these just because I mostly use it on hikes for landscape shots and we live in a cloudy and tree covered area, but Fuji 400 works great in it, portra is a little more forgiving. My absolute favorite film in general is portra 800 because it’s really not that grainy and the colors are incredible and it lets me use the full aperture range on my FD lenses.
Great information. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Hey there! I have one that looks like pre-war era, has a 6 digit serial number but has their logo on the front! Thought that was interesting 👍🏼
If it has the logo on the front and no hot shoe that is indeed very strange
Love these cameras.
They are fantastic! Do you own any yourself?
Travis Lang Not yet, almost every other day I try to search for one. We are in Asia, here is easier to get Japanese cameras. Any recommendations?
Fuji cameras are in pretty large supply and I have been told they are reasonably priced.
Hey on eBay you can actually get laser cut replacement leather for the Argus c3 in case you want to peel off the old leather then get some new and make your grandmother's camera look new again you can get some new leather for it and it'll look really good I promise they make them for the rangefinder's and matchmatic's they sell black on black to tan and black just thought you should know in case you want to fix them
Do you have a link for the replacement leathers? I have some upcoming projects with Some Argus cameras, it might be nice to customize one.
@@tlangphoto hey guess what I got a Argus C3 rangefinder the one without the hot shoe and without the Argus logo on it I basically got the 1940s version I'm thinking about getting the replacement leather for it and they make the version without the Argus logo on it and it has the dial on the back
very cool
Alas, the first camera is not pre-WW2. It has a coated lens and f3.5, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 aperture series which makes it more like 1947. See argusinfo.net/DatingGuide for details.
You are correct, Thank you for the information. How many Argus camera do you own?
@@tlangphoto ~16 or so: A, AF, A2B, B, C3, C3 standard, C3 Matchmatic, CC, Argoflex E & EF, C-twenty, C4, C44r, Autronic, SLR, & some argus/cosina.
Clearly explain for argus c3
Nice video. Now I know I have the pre-war one. It was in perfect condition, till I started using cleaning it. I used WD40 a little. That was fine, then I unscrewed the shutter speed dial, and something dislodged inside. The dial is now freewheeling. Do you know how I can fix that without being too invasive?
It is a fairly easy fix, I would check some other videos on CZcams showing how to tear down and reassemble the C3
The shoe on the top of the C3 was a cold shoe.
@3:00 you refer to it as a “hot shoe.”
very correct, Good catch. my brain was stuck in the current day when I recorded this video.
any year range of these cameras that were known to be the best build, most reliable? good video, thanks!
Any model produced after 1946 will have a coated lens group so that should render best with todays current films available. But really I don't think there is a bad version of the C3. they are very durable and mechanically simple.
@@tlangphoto Thank you for the response, I just won one off a Goodwill Auction, $17 total cost including shipping, it appears to match closest to the second camera you showed. thanks!
The 50mm f/3.5 Cintar lens went through several variations. I have disassembled and serviced more than 22 of these lenses, from cameras spanning 1938-1965. I have shot rolls of film through most of these lenses. There is a lot of variability in lens quality, even after servicing and resetting the focus. I will say that so far, in my collection, the post-WWII lenses are generally better than the pre-WWII ones. The 1945-46 variant is special, because that variant includes both coated and uncoated versions, and has an 11-blade iris diaphragm, compared to 10 blades for all other variants, before and after. I have a 1950 C3 and a 1955 C3 whose lenses are very good; but the 1945-46 variants seem to be the best, on average, and overall.
I have a post WWII model but doesn’t have a hot shoe does that mean anything?
Sounds interesting, what is the serial number on your camera?
@@tlangphoto 1016447
@@tlangphoto it also has the mushroom cap
@@dylanleasure2833 That serial number indicates it was manufactured in 1947, going from memory. The cold shoe came in around 1954.
1940 is NOT Pre War! WWII was all ready going BEFORE Dec 7,1941
Yes, that is correct but the USA's involvement did not start until December 7th, 1941. Argus paused their camera production sometime after that date to shift over to war time production of optics for naval ships and weapons systems to help with the war effort. after the wars end they transitioned back into camera production but used many existing pre-war stock camera parts on their new post war cameras. It was in interesting time in American history as well as the history of this Michigan based camera company. I would highly suggest looking into the story of the Argus camera company.
WWII was 1939-1945
Yes, that is correct but the USA's involvement did not start until December 7th, 1941. Argus paused their camera production sometime after that date to shift over to war time production of optics for naval ships and weapons systems to help with the war effort. after the wars end they transitioned back into camera production but used many existing pre-war stock camera parts on their new post war cameras. It was in interesting time in American history as well as the history of this Michigan based camera company. I would highly suggest looking into the story of the Argus camera company.