Argus Range Finder

MrsKitty · 09-09-2006, 12:29

Anybody know anything about these?

I found one at a flea market today. Picked it up for $5. Arpeture and shutter works.

It has the 50mm coated Cintar lens on it. On the back, there is an ASA selector (does nothing but help you remember what you loaded).

I was more curious than anything. Anybody know how old this thing is?

I know they were made from '39-66 (I think it was) and the earliest had uncoated lenses from before WWII but the ASA dial is what is throwning me dating it.

***Fred*** · 09-09-2006, 14:55

Not sure w/o a pic, but sounds like it might be an Argus C-3, commonly known as "the brick". Can you post a pic?

MrsKitty · 09-09-2006, 15:01

It is the brick. I have to leave in a few for a thing at work. I will try to get one tonight or tomorrow.

But it is the "brick" and the only thing I find wrong so far is the door latch don't LOCK like they are famous for. I am going to have my father tinker with that then run a roll of something thru it just to see what happens

***Fred*** · 09-09-2006, 18:27

I cut my teeth, so to speak, on a C-3, and it is a neat, very acceptable camera. My first one disappeared a long time ago, but like you, I bought another one not too long ago just to play with. Do a search for it and you'll find a bunch of hits, from how to operate it to collector forums with lots of good info.

Have fun with it, as I'm sure you will.

MrsKitty · 09-09-2006, 18:54

It seems like I am reverting further back into the past instead of moving forward

General Sherman · 09-11-2006, 12:09

Check the shutter out to see if the speeds seem accurate.
You should be able to roughly judge 1/10 second and 1/100th second.

Check visually to see if the iris closes and opens as adjusted.

If you do not have a light meter use this guide for bright sunlight:

ASA 100 (film speed) film means 1/100 second at F:16.

Hazy day = 1/100 at F:8
In shade = 1/100 at F:5.6

For ASA 200 film, use 1/200 second shutter speed, same F stops.

and so on.

If it has a light meter mounted on top it is a later model made after 1958. It is two tone and brown instead of black.

See: http://www.theothermartintaylor.com/...as/000009.html

MrsKitty · 09-11-2006, 13:07

I can tell there is some difference in the shutter speeds but my guesstimating is not that accurate. However, there is a big difference between 1/10 and 1/100th.

Mine is the black one and has the dial on the back to help you "remember" ASA speeds. I still haven't gotten to take a pic of it. We were in the dark most of last night after an awful storm killed power to the whole town

No light meter, not do I own one (yet).

I picked up a couple of rolls of ISO 200 yesterday. Didn't have any 100.

The arpeture is opening and closing (and is pretty cool to watch coming from my digital experience where it was automatically set at the time of exposure!).

I can see the shutter work.

The door doesn't want to stay shut so I will either have to wait until my father fixes it (I am afraid I will break the catch if I try myself) or duct-tape it shut to shoot the first roll.

Hokie · 09-11-2006, 18:28

Take a bunch of pictures of the same thing under consistent lighting. Put an index cards in the shot that has the exposure info on it (shutter speed and aperture). Then shoot at other equal exposures so you the so if you go to a shoot 1/1000 @f2.8 you would also shoot 1/500 @f4,1/250 @f5.6 and so on. Since your exposure is the same all the pictures should look the same exposure wise depth of field will of course be different. If they do not look the same then something is wrong.

MrsKitty · 09-11-2006, 19:44

Wow, that is so simple!

I will try that ASAP.

Thanks!