Ran a roll thru my Argus C3

[kb244]

A couple weeks ago I lent my Argus C3 to a classmate who still doesn't have a camera for film class, but I hadn't had time to actually test it so in a way I felt bad for lending an untested camera and for her coming back with a mostly blank roll with weird radial light leak in two or three parts of the roll (which makes me think either it was exposed in the tank, or the back was opened briefly before the film was rewound). And many many many of the framed seemed overlapped, dragged, or just no correct spacing at all. Essentially was thinking camera-error. (She's now borrowing the professor's Pentax K1000 as of a couple days ago, and hopefully she gets some usable images out of that).

I loaded up an expired P3200 roll which I have a lot of, since it's sufficient enough for testing since I know I have to use 400EI to yield a dense enough image to counter the darker base density it produced from age.

Other than my focus needing to be recalibrated (it's closer than the focus point I put it on), and overlapping just the first and second frame when I first loaded it, it seems to be well... trouble free. So I'm thinking user error in this case, but it's not exactly an "easy" camera compared to say just a wind-and-shoot SLR. Easy enough for me, but I been shooting for like 18 years.

I won't get around to wet printing until we're back in the lab on Tuesday, but this is just a phone picture of the negs on the light table and inverted with curves in photoshop to give sort of a rough look at all the frames shot. (Last frame on the 4th roll is multiple exposures as I forgot briefly for a moment I need to wind in between shutter cockings).

And some selected scans with some photoshopping for contrast and color tone. (I usually like to see what I can get digitally, then compare it later to what I managed in wet printing, especially when trying to match the contrast).

Focus point : Top of the church (though this would been the f/16 out of the aperture bracketing, so pretty much covers it all)

Focus Point : The "40" on the wall

Focus Point : Doorway (Actual : Ended up closer to the light pole closest to me)

Focus Point : Vending Machines (Actual : ended up on the bench on the right near me)

I left the C3 in my locker, so when I get back to school, probably Monday, I'll tripod it, and stick it out the 4th floor south window so I can calibrate infinity to the church steeple a couple miles away like I did with my Canon 7.

My only gripe with the C3 in my brief playing with it, is that I don't have some kind of a neck strap or some kind of way to just let it swing when I'm handling other things like the little Gossen Digisix or another camera.

I noticed the captured film area seems to be larger than what the viewfinder provides. And that the frame width from one gap to the next is pretty spot on in my negative carrier for the scanner, it just seems like it captures a slightly larger image than my other 35mm cameras do.

 

[tunalegs]

I noticed the captured film area seems to be larger than what the viewfinder provides. And that the frame width from one gap to the next is pretty spot on in my negative carrier for the scanner, it just seems like it captures a slightly larger image than my other 35mm cameras do.

This is sort of typical for all cameras of the era, the viewfinder makes up for the lack of parallax correction by showing less than you actually get - keeps the tops of people's heads from getting cut off.

I also have noticed the C3's slightly wide negatives, I supposed it didn't matter when they were new, as most 35mm ended up as mounted slides at the time (although it makes cutting negs a bit of a pain).

 

[kb244]

This is sort of typical for all cameras of the era, the viewfinder makes up for the lack of parallax correction by showing less than you actually get - keeps the tops of people's heads from getting cut off.

I also have noticed the C3's slightly wide negatives, I supposed it didn't matter when they were new, as most 35mm ended up as mounted slides at the time (although it makes cutting negs a bit of a pain).

Yea, at first I was kind of annoyed that the gap between frames was so small. But then I noticed the frame area was wider than the viewfinder and that kind of made up for it, knowing if I did snip the edge ever so slightly it was probably not within the framing I wanted anyways .

But now that I know it works fine, once you're aware of the quirks that new users may not be aware of then I can just get the rangefinder calibrated and pop in a "nicer" roll (in hindsight trying to use an SLR's focus screen wasn't quite as practical as the advice many already gave me before about just calibrating to infinity)

The lens seems rather decent considering, it's just not the most comfortable camera. But at least shutter speed wise I can I can sort of guesstimate any speeds in between the markings. And if I can ever wire up a hot shoe adapter to the two flash prongs on the side I can use my electronic flash (I already adjusted the flash contacts so that they'd fire right when the leaf shutter was at its most open). I can already do the same with my Canon 7, but If I am not mistaken its flash sync speed is at best 1/55 when on "X".

Basically I'm looking at the Argus C3 as my 'backup' to my Canon 7, least for the purpose of the class, and maybe for fun when I want to throw in some slower film. (though I am curious how well the Cintar would resolve on the really slow orthochromatic stuff I have)

 

[ray*j*gun]

If your classmate is into SLR's, there are some great prices for top notch gear these days. EG late model Nikkormats with pre-ais lenses.

 

[kb244]

If your classmate is into SLR's, there are some great prices for top notch gear these days. EG late model Nikkormats with pre-ais lenses.

Dunno what she's into, she just simply didn't have a film camera for class. And seemed pretty defensive at any attempt to trouble shoot problems be it with the camera or in processing.

I went with rangefinders since before the class started I learned from the previous year they did not *require* an SLR because people were having a hard enough time getting ahold of a camera to begin with, so it was basically enough to get ahold of any 35mm film camera that could be manually set the aperture, shutter, iso, and I preferred rangefinders (re acquiring what I could for the price, still wanted to get an Olympus 35RC for the compact but either too expensive or something seems wrong with it)

Course If I needed an SLR myself, I would try to get a Pentax LX or similar because at least 3 of the lens I use adapted on my olympus mirrorless are Pentax k manual focus lenses (50/1.4, 85/1.4, 90/2.8 1:1 macro, but no wide Pentax). But I instead sought out a Canon P like I used to have, but ended up going with a Canon 7 as the prices seemed under 200 (the P prices seemed to have gone up... Or inflation either way) and picked up a Canon serenar 35/2.8 and type-6 Canon 50/1.8 for it. Love the 35/2.8 adapted to my mirrorless super sharp in the center which is matched overall at f/8. But course I had to self repair the 7 (prism was just sliding around inside, but least now the frame lines are closer to the actual image, can't find anyone who will service a 7, lots will touch a P)

The argus was a purchase off apug, for 35 the optics cleaned and reskinned so I ordered a 1951 model which had the older 7 speed black dial and had a cleaner looking skin (no perforated frays sticking out). Speeds not guaranteed but 'appeared' to work by the seller, except I was accidentally sent the newer 1954 model with the color dial and the not so clean reskin, with the wrong serial number. Ended up just refunding me rather than dealing with an exchange. So I went ahead and took the black 7 count shutter dial from my old broken black argus C3, took apart the blue one, cleaned the viewfinder/rangefinder, set the flash sync to x-timing, etc. I hadn't run a roll thru it til now because it was going to use my 7 and the Mercury II as my primary and secondary and because she didn't have a camera yet thought it might be a 'cool' camera to experiment with if she had the C3 if she still couldn't find a camera by the third week. Showed her all the known quirks and all that such as the direction of the shutter speed selector and how loading and winding is backwards compared to most current cameras and even sent her the user manual for it the night I loaned it to her. But I guess it just wasn't for her.

 

[tunalegs]

Well in all honesty, there are few cameras less user-friendly than a C3.

 

[raid]

 

[raid]

 

[raid]

 

[kb244]

Those all the usual 50/3.5 Coated Cintar? (and if so which film did you go with?)

 

[Timmyjoe]

Argus C3 w/50mm f3.5 Coated Cintar & Kodak Double XX (5222).

Fun little camera, ergonomically not the best, but still fun.

Best,
-Tim

 

[raid]

Those all the usual 50/3.5 Coated Cintar? (and if so which film did you go with?)

I have the model in which you can change lenses. Here, I most likely have used the 50/2.8 with EFKE100.

 

[kb244]

I have the model in which you can change lenses. Here, I most likely have used the 50/2.8 with EFKE100.

I can change the lens as well (thought that was the case with all the C3's since it's mentioned in the manual for two other lens), but I've rarely ever see a spare lens of an affordable price that I Would want for it.

 

[raid]

I meant the Geiss modified C4.

https://www.cameraquest.com/arggeiss.htm

 

[farlymac]

35mm Sandmar on T-MAX 100


Williamson Road View 5 by P F McFarland, on Flickr

50mm Cintar on Kodak T-Max 100


50mm Normal by P F McFarland, on Flickr


100mm Sandmar on Kodak T-Max 100 with yellow filter


Stacked Perspective by P F McFarland, on Flickr

135mm Soligor on Kodak ProFoto XL 100


Johns Creek Valley by P F McFarland, on Flickr


The 135mm Soligor

Top View by P F McFarland, on Flickr


Just an idea of what you can do with an Argus C3. Just keep your finger out of the way of the shutter winder.


Locomotion Dreams by P F McFarland, on Flickr

PF

 

[kb244]

Just an idea of what you can do with an Argus C3. Just keep your finger out of the way of the shutter winder.


Locomotion Dreams by P F McFarland, on Flickr

PF

Yea, learned that real early on before I lent it and mentioned to watch the finger or you end up holding the shutter open. I suppose you could call it quick-bulb without turning the ring.

Thinking bout running some Foma Retropan 320 (I have two rolls currently) thru it... the characteristic of the film might work well with the lens.

 

[raid]

The Cintar is an excellent lens, and the C3 or C4 make excellent alternative cameras to what we could be using. The cost is very low for sure.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Found one of the Sandmar 35mm lenses on a beat up C3, cleaned it up, and fit it to mine. It pretty much lives on the camera now.

Used it for some indoor sports a few weeks ago:

Best,
-Tim

 

[kb244]

Second test roll (Ilford FP4+, not expired yet) after I adjusted the rangefinder outside, on the street, for infinity focus. (probably not the most common thing to see someone sticking a screw driver into the top of a camera on the sidewalk while looking at some sign/pole over a mile away).

Just a quick photographed on top of the light table and inverted.

 

[farlymac]

Well, you're definitely going to have to fix that light leak. The frame spacing looks okay.

PF