Argus C4: can't focus!

[302w]

I bought a C4 for kicks and giggles and I am looking for 'home 0hotography' quality pictures. Nothing high end.

I'm having a hard time getting pictures in focus and I'm following the manual.

3-15 feet and my photos are coming out very out of focus. I am lining up the edges in my rangefinder but everything is blurry on my developed photos. I had someone at the camera store/lab take a few shots and their photos were even more blurry. This is all across various lighting and aperture settings.

I was using Fuji 200 speed film shot at 100. Any suggestions? User error? Mechanical issue?

 

[farlymac]

I bought a C4 for kicks and giggles and I am looking for 'home 0hotography' quality pictures. Nothing high end.

I'm having a hard time getting pictures in focus and I'm following the manual.

3-15 feet and my photos are coming out very out of focus. I am lining up the edges in my rangefinder but everything is blurry on my developed photos. I had someone at the camera store/lab take a few shots and their photos were even more blurry. This is all across various lighting and aperture settings.

I was using Fuji 200 speed film shot at 100. Any suggestions? User error? Mechanical issue?

Likely needs a rangefinder alignment. Get something like a broken CD case, and cut a piece from it the same width as 35mm film. Put some frosted tape on one side, then place it in the film channel of the camera (over the inner rails, but between the outer rails) with the frosted side facing the lens. Then mount the camera on a tripod, and check the image with the lens wide open, and the shutter locked on B to see if it is at focus on Infinity, and then at other measured distances. If what you see is in focus at say nine feet, and that agrees with what the lens mark says, then the problem is in the rangefinder. If the lens mark does not agree (maybe it says fifteen ft instead), then it's a problem with the lens. (I'm making the assumption this is a straight stock C4, and not a Geiss Modified with the interchangeable lens mount)

Another problem could be some sticky lubricant is making the rangefinder drag through the close range, so that's why those are more affected. Either way, it's got to be way overdue for a CLA.

PF

 

[Timmyjoe]

I serviced a couple of C4's a number of years ago, and their rangefinders being out of whack is pretty common. Another reason for a CLA is that there is a very thin link in the shutter mechanism that is the weak link (pun intended) in that camera. If the shutter is sticking or at all gummed up (also common for cameras of this age), the extra force it takes to operate the shutter can break that thin link. Then your camera is basically a boat anchor. So if you can find someone to service the camera now, before that link breaks, that would be a good thing.

Best,
-Tim

 

[302w]

Thank you! The usual responses are "buy an SLR" or "go digital". I want to use this Argus.

What is a CLA? Clean lube adjust? I cleaned the shutters with lighter fluid.

I forgot to mention... at 50' my shots are perfect.

 

[B-9]

If your in the states,

I Found a C44 all packed up ready for postage in the back of one of my old vehicles. Must have been a RFF giveaway no one claimed.

PM me if you would like it for the cost of postage.

 

[302w]

I've been doing a fair amount of reading on Rick Olesons site.

I imagine I need to do an infinity adjustment. However, at "infinity" by shots are perfect. If my developed photos are perfect at infinity, is there anything to adjust?

 

[Steve M.]

More than likely someone has had the camera apart and the geared wheel that focus the lens is out of sync with the rangefinder. It happens quite a bit on these cameras. There are instructions on the internet on how to get everything back together properly if you are mechanically inclined.

 

[302w]

More than likely someone has had the camera apart and the geared wheel that focus the lens is out of sync with the rangefinder. It happens quite a bit on these cameras. There are instructions on the internet on how to get everything back together properly if you are mechanically inclined.

The rangefinder readings are correct if that matters. I verified it with a tape measure.

 

[mich rassena]

The rangefinder readings are correct if that matters. I verified it with a tape measure.

Unless this is a Geiss C4 with the removable lens mount, then I see no reason to assume the lens is mounted incorrectly.

If you haven't done so already, take the back off the camera and run a couple of strips of scotch tape across the film gate. Focus on a lamp using the rangefinder. Open the lens aperture all the way, trigger the shutter on bulb mode and you should be able to see if the object is in focus.

It's still possible for the rangefinder to converge correctly but not be calibrated to the lens. If you've stopped down quite a bit when taking those photos at infinity, that may have provided enough depth of field to make distant objects appear in focus, even though the rangefinder is off. These cameras should have a hard stop at infinity and the closest distance. If you don't have to turn it that far, then it's definitely the rangefinder.

Using the tape method you should be able to determine how far it's off and whether near or far.

 

[302w]

If this is anything, at 6' my images are focused at the 3' setting. This makes sense as images taken at 3' were super blurry. Several other known distances are displaying on the tape in focus while the rangefinder setting and viewfinder display say otherwise.

The tape trick is not an easy one!

Can someone point me in the right direction? Just disregard my success on distance shots and go for an infinity adustment?

Edit: I bought a crusty C3 as well. The first screw I removed was the shutter cock setscrew, and I lost it! If anyone knows what size this is, please let me know. Otherwise I have to guess at Ace Hardware.

Double edit: it's 2-56