The Argus C3 - So Why Not?

Today’s post comes from the very impressionable Kevin

I am an avid reader of film photography blogs, and I use Feedly on iOS and Mac OS to keep up with the latest posts. I love being inspired by the photographs I see and the stories about how they were made. I also enjoy reading about cameras, especially cameras that have historical significance. So, it will come as no surprise that a recent post that mentioned the venerable Argus C3 caught my interest in a big way. After all, the Argus brand name was a household word to my brother, Kelley, and me, as our Uncle Jonesy's first Camera was an Argus Autronic 35. We would later learn that Argus was much more well-known for it's first camera, the Argus A, and its wildly-successful succcessor, the Argus C3. Internet searches will say much about this legendary American made rangefinder camera:  that its nickname is “the Brick,” that it is known as the Model T of American cameras, and that they were made and sold in the millions. And because they are so well, built, there probably are millions still in existence today.

If you were an American amateur photographer in the 1940's and 1950’s with an average income, chances are you used a version of the Argus C. It was much more affordable than German cameras such as the Leica, the Rolleiflex, and the German-made Kodak cameras, and with the rise in popularity of 35mm film, the Argus C became “the” American camera. The easy breakdown of the models goes like this:

1938 - Argus C:  Uncoupled rangefinder
1939 - Argus C2:  Coupled rangefinder
1938 - Argus C3:  Flash contacts on side (by far the most popular model).
1958 - Argus C3 Matchmatic:  Meter accessory and simplified exposure system

Argus C3 cameras are plentiful and easy to find today. Although the cost of a working C3 is rising (pretty much like all film cameras these days), they are still relatively inexpensive. Even so, I had never used one before. So, after reading about the C3, I thought, “Why not?” I couldn’t help thinking about how much fun it would be see what kind of images this historic camera could make. After all, I’m in this hobby for the fun of it.

I didn’t have to go far to find a C3, because I knew that Kelley owned one. I asked him if I could give it a try, and he gracious said yes. He brought it to my house, and I quickly learned that it was a Matchm atic model. On the Matchmatic, neither the shutter dial or the aperture displayed the traditional stop numbers (f16 and 1/100). Instead, they each have numbers from 4 to 8 for the shutter and 3/12 to 8 for the aperture. The Matchmatic made use of a selenium meter that attached to the camera with the accessory shoe on top. The meter would give a numberical exposure value, and then the user would set the shutter and the aperture to numbers that added up to the exposure value.  Of course, finding a working Matchmatic meter is difficult today. Fortunately, Matchmatics are still quite usable if you know what the numbers on the aperture and shutter dial represent, and, once again, some internet research reveals that the shutter speeds are:

4 = 1/10
5 = 1/30
6 = 1/60
7 = 1/100
8 = 1/300

. . . and the aperture settings are:

3/12 = f3.5
4 = f4
5 = f5.6
6 = f8
7 = f11
8 = f16

As I am yearning to be independent of a meter, using a camera like the C3 presents an opportunity to practice the art of judging light and exposure. It’s basic, back to roots photography, and that’s where I a, having the most fun. So, I loaded Kelley's C3 with some expired Kodak Max 800, which I am shooting at ISO 200 to account for its age. I’ve been shooting around Chattanooga and Atlanta. I’ll develop the film in the next day or so and post the results. Then I will decide whether or not I need to add a C3 to my collection.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Shooting!