Info about the c-four winder model?

[luketrash]

I purchased this camera today at the antique store since the C-four was the first camera I ever bought back before I knew anything about photography. A fetish item really! (no, not THAT kind of fetish)

Anyway, since I have a soft spot in my heart for these cameras (or is that in my brain) I bought this double stroke winder version that I'd never seen before. It's 100% working and I intend to use it. Two strokes to wind each frame. You push in on the winder towards the body to release the film to be rewound.

The rewind crank is revealed by pressing the red button forward and the crank pops up and folds over for EASY rewinding of the film. I was just curious how rare these are. Obviously it's a later model camera. I already own three others, including one that's been professionally CLAed. Hopefully I'll be good with this one and the shutter lever won't snap like my first two. If I was feeling especially rich, I'd send it in for a CLA.

Thanks for any information on dating it or the history of how this decision was made by Argus to modify the body.

 

[J.Ed]

The C4 line was manufactured from 1951 through 1957. The C4R was made in 1958 only. I don't have the production numbers for the R variant, but the entire C4 production run was approximately 300,000. The rarest C4Rs are the ones with the Geiss interchangeable lens system.

 

[luketrash]

Thanks for the information. I did find a bit more when looking for c4r online.

Obviously these aren't going to win a lot of peoples' hearts over, but I like these cameras mostly for their aesthetic appeal (and cheap price.)

 

[racoll]

That's pretty cool! I have a C-44R but I haven't seen the C4R.