Argus, is it America's Leica? or America's FED?

[spystyle]

Hello from Maine 🙂

I just recently noticed Argus and discovered they are from America. This is after I already studied Russian cameras and German cameras. I wonder, are we Americans very proud of old Argus cameras?

I'm thinking of using an Argus "A" and a hand held meter, I just might do it 🙂 The "C" looks good too.

Is Argus America's Leica, America's FED, or something else?

Thanks 🙂
Craig

 

[Spider67]

To call it Americas Leica would be a bit over the top.
It's rather like the Volkswagen of cameras a true People's Camera.
As it is something genuinely American and not a copy like the first Zorkis or Feds it also earns a place of its own.
Enjoy using it!

 

[raid]

The 50mm lenses are excellent.
The camera is what America had to offer.

 

[newspaperguy]

The old Argus C-3 "Brick" was one tough-ass camera. I took one to Korea with me in 1951. Later, bought a pair of Leicas at an AFEX for the interchangable lenses. The earlier model Argus (A 1?) was a plasticky thing - but one of my first 35's.

 

[spystyle]

Thanks all for the replies 🙂

 

[furcafe]

The Argus (Argi?) were definitely not intended to compete w/the best from Leitz or Zeiss Ikon.

America's Leica or Contax equivalents were the Kodak Ektra (http://www.bnphoto.org/bnphoto/KodakEktraIndex.htm) & the Bell & Howell Foton (www.vintagephoto.tv/foton.shtml), both of which were great systems, but overpriced & failed in the market.

 

[rjbuzzclick]

I think the Volkswagon analogy is spot on. The Argus cameras really helped bring affordable photography to the masses.

Funny, I just posted this on my flickr page last weekend:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rjbuzzclick/4198461429/

Happy Holidays!

 

[Steve M.]

More the American version of The People's Camera. Surprisingly good cameras and the lenses are good too. If you shoot color you'll love them as they have a certain look. Mine tend to be more bluish than my other lenses. They're certainly not Leica sharp but they're good lenses. You can darn near do a complete overhaul on one w/ a flat blade screwdriver, and their prices are really low.

I have a friend that recently had an exhibit of classic cameras at our museum recently, and w/ most of the cameras he had sample photos from them. His Argus C4 w/ 50 Cintar lens photo was in Tri-X, darkroom enlarged to something like12x18, and made in 1961. It looked great!

These are right out of the scanner from an Argus C4 w/ cheap Fuji color film.

 

[Dwig]

I think the Volkswagon analogy is spot on. ...

Agreed, particularily in reference to the C, C2, and C3 models being like the original VW Beetel. They are so ugly they're cute and will take massive use and abuse and "keep on ticking".

 

[John Robertson]

Neither, they are USA's Argus!!

 

[spystyle]

OK, I ordered an AF and a C-Four 🙂 Each was about 20 USD shipped right to my door.

I'm going to see if our resident repair man FallisPhoto will take a look at them and make sure they are ready to go before I start burning film.

They look pretty cool 🙂

I'll post pics when I have some 🙂

Cheers,
Craig

 

[Steve Karr]

Not only made in America, but made not far from where I grew up in Ann Arbor MI. Leica, no... But a great start into or Back into film. A lens & film, you supply everything else!

 

[spystyle]

Like an exposure meter 🙂

 

[pakeha]

come on, volkswagen? the Argus looks more like an Edsel to me😀

 

[rbiemer]

come on, volkswagen? the Argus looks more like an Edsel to me😀

Just slightly more successful, though. And, I think, better suited to its task.
Rob

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I don't like the ergonomics of the C-3, but the camera is pretty much indestructible and that Cintar lens ain't bad at all. So yes, it's pretty much like a VW beetle.

Rick - a star of Argus Triple and Quadruple Exposures! 😀

 

[Luddite Frank]

More like the Model A Ford or basic Chevy six grocery-getter.

Totally American, form dictated by function.

The Cintar 50 mm lens is similar in formula to an Elmar... believe most C-3s had coated optics ?

They were to 35mm what the Instamatic became to the average photographer - put it the hands of the common person.

I have several C-3s, including my father-in-law's with a dead shutter, I'm tempted to pull one out and play with it, but can't see one replacing my screw-mount Leicas.

The C-3 is limited in lens options... there were "clip-in" long-focus elements, as other focal lengths, but they're even more callenging to change than LTM.

The C-44 was designed more along the lines of a Leica clone, with interchangeable lenses.

They're a decent camera.

Have fun!

 

[bmattock]

The C-4 was often commonly modified with the "Geiss America" option, which gave it replaceable lenses. If you see a C-4 with a silver handle sticking out of the base of the lens, that's one of them. CQ has a write-up on them.

 

[-doomed-]

Like an exposure meter 🙂

The a2b has a meter of sorts with it's extinction meter next to the vf. It works great with slow films like 25-50 and even 100 is nice in them. My a2b is a fun little camera, I just never use it.

 

[remphoto]

The C3 is a solid piece of equipment and could be used to hammer nails if one was so inclined. Ergonomics were awful, though better with a never-ready case. But it was my first real camera as a teenager and gave me the photography bug which still bites me today. I don't use the old brick any more but it has a place of honor on my camera shelf. It took remarkably sharp slides, too, especially in sunlight and with a flashbulb.