Argust 17th is coming!

[farlymac]

Once again, Argus Day falls on the date in August that corresponds
with the year date (August 17, 2017).

Time to limber up those C3 bricks, or whatever model rangefinder you have. But you can also use any camera that has the Argus logo on it, even those plastic fantastic branded things that came long after the corporation ceased to exist.

PF

 

[maigo]

Thanks for the reminder.
This give me, perhaps, enough time to de-gum mine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mich rassena]

Every year I plan on participating. Maybe this year's the one. It would be an appropriate opportunity to use my Geiss C4.

 

[farlymac]

:bang:

Yeah, that's just how it felt today while preparing for Argust Day.

I had planned on using my C4-Geiss with all three Lithagon lenses (yes, I finally got a 135mm!), and spent a good portion of time yesterday cleaning them up. Then this morning when I took the camera out of the bag to practice mounting the Lithies, the shutter failed on it after one release.

So on to Plan B. Grabbed my trusty C3 with the Sandmar and Solinar lenses, and found out that the shutter had broken. One fast speed, and a really slow 1/10 was all it would do.

Okay, on to the back-up, a C3 that had the OEM lens cap I'd been meaning to try (the cap will not fit all my Cintars, as some versions have taller aperture setting ring pins). Shutter was good, and had the seven speeds which I thought might come in handy. But when I checked the rangefinder, it was several feet off at my test target nine feet from where I sit at the computer.

It's a good thing folks just give me Bricks all the time, as I have about eight of them (I've lost count). My never used Standard is packed away too deep for ready access, so I grabbed the Match-Matic from the display area. I was pretty sure everything was good to go on it as I test fire it every so often, and I cleaned and checked the rangefinder too.

Success! Now to mount the Nikon ZoomFinder, I slipped a cut-down accessory shoe cap into the meter shoe, and I was ready to roll.

Don't know how many frames I wasted using the wrong operating sequence. I started out winding the film after every shot, and promptly started forgetting to do so. Then I'd forget when I did wind on, so I had to switch to winding right before taking the shot. It's not like I was in any kind of a rush, as with the temperatures being in the high eighties to low nineties, I wasn't exactly running to the next shot location. Having an old, damaged brain out in the heat just doesn't get it anymore.

But I still had fun doing it, even though the one train of the day went by the crossing while I was a half mile down the road on a bridge over the James River. Later on a Track Inspector came by on his Hi-Rail, so I got a couple of decent shots since I had talked myself out of immediately changing out the 135mm Soligor when I figured I was done at the location.

Hope you all had better luck than I did.

PF

 

[mich rassena]

Well, next year, the August 18th, is on a Saturday, so I'll have more opportunity and fewer excuses. I ran some errands after work and shorted myself on time a bit, then it became cloudy (which upon further consideration was good news, since I wouldn't be limited by the Argus 1/300s top shutter speed). I went downtown and took most of a roll of the color negative film I had loaded. I didn't know what ISO it was, but I guestimated. I doubt I'll have any good shots to show off, and I'll need to hunt down a lab to process it. At least I can say I participated.

Since I already had a partially used roll in the Geiss C4 with 50mm, I printed out "ARGUST 2017", and photographed it so that I could know where yesterday's photographs started. I also brought an Argus C33 with the 35mm lens and took a small number of photos.

I can't say the experience was everything I'd anticipated. I wanted to use more cameras, and more lenses, but there wasn't enough time. Handholding the cameras was awkward. There are no straps, and the C33 is the opposite of ergonomic. So I can't say it was as much fun as I'd hoped. I was a bit too worried about dropping the cameras. Even though they aren't valuable or rare, I still don't want anything bad to happen to them.

I guess I just need to choose another day to be my Argus day. I have the 135mm Soligor also, and I'm certain I've never used it. I should just get out there and do so.

 

[farlymac]

Hang in there, Mich, having an Argus is becoming akin to owning FSU gear. 😀

PF

 

[farlymac]

As usual, I just couldn't get into the proper flow of things while operating the C3, so there were some blank frames, and lots of overshoots with three to four images on them. It didn't help that it was over 90°F/35°C with no cloud cover, so my poor brain was getting fried along with my bald spot.

Most of the photos were taken with the Sandmar 35mm 1:4.5, with a few captured using the Soligor 135mm 1:4.5. The Sandmar is passable, but the Soligor is a gem.

Now if I can ever keep from making unintentional multi-exposures…

135mm

Solitude Barn at 135mm by P F McFarland, on Flickr



35mm

In The Barn by P F McFarland, on Flickr



35mm

Cedar Creek at Red Mills by P F McFarland, on Flickr


But wait, there’s ten more! See them at https://flic.kr/s/aHsm3n5Xby

PF

 

[webOSUser]

PF,
The photographs are beautiful.
I need to get my C3 working for Argus Day 2018.
Steve W

 

[farlymac]

PF,
The photographs are beautiful.
I need to get my C3 working for Argus Day 2018.
Steve W

Thanks, Steve. I came across a C the other day, and couldn't pass it up. Should be interesting if it works. It's missing some rangefinder pieces though, so I'd have to guess focus.


PF

 

[Timmyjoe]

Full Disclosure, these weren't shot on August 17, 2017, but they were shot with a Brick.

Argus C3 with 35mm lens. Trying to use it for sports photography. ;-)

Best,
-Tim

 

[webOSUser]

Full Disclosure, these weren't shot on August 17, 2017, but they were shot with a Brick.

Argus C3 with 35mm lens. Trying to use it for sports photography. ;-)

Best,
-Tim

Tim,

Nice shots. Thanks for sharing them.

Steve W