Difference between revisions of "Argus"

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'''Argus''' Inc. was a camera maker based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. The company sold nearly three million of its best-known model, the [[Argus C3]]—fondly (and accurately) known as "the brick."
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 +
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==Buildings==
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 +
{|class="plainlinks"
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|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnbaird/8578374/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm1.static.flickr.com/5/8578374_f33eceb1e5_m.jpg]<br/>
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Argus Building, 535 West William St.,<br>now an office building, and<br/>home of the Argus Museum
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|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugo90/702617486/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1231/702617486_80cb7731c7_m.jpg]<br/>
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Curved corner of former Argus<br>optics shop, across 4th Street from<br>original factory building.
 +
|[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugo90/1229208061/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1303/1229208061_1874ff6a0f_m.jpg]<br/>
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The entrance of that building,<br/>currently in use by the<br>University of Michigan
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|[https://www.flickr.com/photos/vox/52774853199/in/pool-camerawiki/ https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52774853199_081ca06e9b_m.jpg]<br/>
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East side of Argus factory building,<br>facing parking lot. Camera display<br>upstairs through left doorway
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|-
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| align=center| <small>image by {{image author|John Baird}}</small> {{with permission}}
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|colspan=2 align=center | <small>images by {{image author|John Lloyd}}</small> {{with permission}}
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|align=center| <small>image by {{image author|Voxphoto}}</small> {{non-commercial}}
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|}
 
{{Flickr image
 
{{Flickr image
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| image_source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricksoloway/2416006868/in/pool-camerapedia
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| image_source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricksoloway/2416006868/in/pool-camerawiki
 
| image=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2416006868_e150e2f728_m.jpg
 
| image=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2416006868_e150e2f728_m.jpg
 
| image_align=right
 
| image_align=right
 
| image_text=C3 and C3 Matchmatic
 
| image_text=C3 and C3 Matchmatic
 +
|image_by=Rick Soloway
 +
|image_rights=wp
 
}}
 
}}
−
'''Argus''' Inc. was a camera maker based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Before 1939 it was '''International Research Corporation''', a department of ''International Radio Corporation'', Ann Arbor. It was the American company that popularized the modern cartridged [[35mm]] film in the U.S., especially by its characteristically brick-shaped [[rangefinder camera]]s. The first camera of Argus, the [[Argus A]], resulted from a patent that the company received in 1936. Before that time the company had produced radios, among them some [[bakelite]] models.
 
  
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Argus became a great name in the Ann Arbor's economy. Several buildings of its heydays are still known as Argus building. One of these pearls of the city's brick architecture has become a modern office building now, with a public area where a permanent exhibition of Argus cameras is shown, the Argus Museum.
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==History==
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==Argus buildings==
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−
{|class="plainlinks"
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Before 1939, Argus was '''International Research Corporation''', having evolved from International Radio Corporation, an innovative maker of [[bakelite]] radio sets. President [[Charles Verschoor]] saw a business opportunity to branch out into a bakelite 35mm camera as well. The first '''Argus''', the [[Argus A]], resulted from a patent that the company received in 1936, and its surprisingly affordable cost made it a great success. Thus it was this American company that brought [[35mm]] film in Kodak's '''135''' cassette format to a mass market that could not afford costly [[Leica]], [[Zeiss Ikon|Zeiss Contax]] or [[Kodak AG|German Kodak Retina]] cameras.
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||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnbaird/8578374/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm1.static.flickr.com/5/8578374_f33eceb1e5_m.jpg]<br/>
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−
Argus Building,<br/>
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Despite the success of the Argus A, company stockholders were unhappy with Verschoor's management, and ousted him from the company in 1938. But that year also saw the release of the [[Argus C]] and [[Argus C2]], the first of the "bricks"—enormous successes which stayed in production for nearly three more decades.
−
535 West William Street<br/>
+
 
−
now an office building,<br/>
+
By the 1950s, Argus had become a significant force in Ann Arbor's economy. Several buildings from its heyday still stand. Two are now used by the University of Michigan; but the main original factory is now remodeled as office space, and owned by "C3 Partners."  This building includes a public area in an upstairs lobby, where a permanent exhibition of Argus cameras is shown, The Argus Museum<ref>[http://gfoxphoto.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post.html "Argus Camera Museum, Ann Arbor "] at [http://gfoxphoto.blogspot.com/ Vintage Cameras | Gregory Fox Photography]</ref>.
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home of the Argus Museum
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−
||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugo90/702617486/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1231/702617486_80cb7731c7_m.jpg]<br/>
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Argus's factory was located in a residential neighborhood west of downtown Ann Arbor, which had traditionally been an enclave of German immigrants—particularly from Swabia in southern Germany.<ref>[http://aaobserver.aadl.org/aaobserver/15573 "The Story of the Schwaben Halle"], from the ''Ann Arbor Observer'' column "Then And Now," Dec. 2002, archived at [http://aaobserver.aadl.org/node/18520 Ann Arbor District Library]. The Swabian region of Germany was home to [[Dacora|Dacora Kamerawerk]], founded in Reutlingen south of Stuttgart.</ref>
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Characteristic house corner<br/>
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−
of a former Argus building that<br/>
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In 1957 Argus was purchased by Sylvania Electric Products Co., who believed there would be a synergy with that firm's flashbulb sales. A new South Carolina factory was opened to handle strong slide projector sales. However by the late 1950s, Argus was struggling to compete against new Japanese camera imports, which offered better features at a lower price point. In 1959 Sylvania entered a merger creating GTE; and in 1962<ref> See a [https://aadl.org/aa_news_19620302_p17-argus_sale_okd_for_april_29 Mar 2, 1962 article] from the ''Ann Arbor News'' dating the sale's closing to April 29; from the [https://aadl.org/node/204921 Ann Arbor District Libray collection of Argus materials].</ref> its management essentially dumped Argus onto [[Mansfield|Mansfield Industries]]—a Chicago photographic distributor and a smaller company.<ref>Sylvania/GTE retained ownership of the Ann Arbor buildings until 1963, noted in [https://aadl.org/sites/default/files/aa_news/aa_news_19630316_p16-U_acquiring_former_argus.jpg a March 16 ''Ann Arbor News''] story. Only one building of three was still leased to the local Argus remnant.</ref>
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became part of the University
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−
||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugo90/1229208061/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1303/1229208061_1874ff6a0f_m.jpg]<br/>
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In the 1960s, most Argus products became foreign imports (several from [[Mamiya]]), rebranded with the Argus name. While optics contracts kept some Ann Arbor workers busy, by 1963 camera production had stopped there (a trickle of camera models were made in South Carolina through the mid-1960s). Starting in 1967 Argus's corporate ownership turned over several more times, with the brand popping up in various guises. But the era of US-designed and -manufactured cameras had ended.
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The entrance of<br/>
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that building
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{{Flickr image
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||[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugo90/1325538975/in/pool-camerapedia http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1173/1325538975_1ea0ae9169_m.jpg]<br/>
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| image_source=http://www.flickr.com/photos/vincentnip/4371505879/in/pool-camerawiki
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The entrance of<br/>
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| image=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2708/4371505879_9f49e3f194.jpg
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another Argus building
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| image_align=left
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|}
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| image_text=<small>image 1940's, <br/>by {{image author|vincentnip}}</small> {{with permission}}
 +
}}{{br}}
  
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== List of Argus Cameras ==
+
== List of Argus cameras ==
 
=== A-series ===
 
=== A-series ===
−
<div class="floatright plainlinks">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/martintaylor/20759011/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://static.flickr.com/15/20759011_434e5266cd_t.jpg]</div>
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<div class="floatright plainlinks">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/martintaylor/20759011/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://static.flickr.com/15/20759011_434e5266cd_m.jpg]</div>
−
* [[Argus A]]
+
* [[Argus A]] (see [[Argus#Links | Links]])
 
* [[Argus A2B]]
 
* [[Argus A2B]]
 
* [[Argus A2F]]
 
* [[Argus A2F]]
 
* [[Argus AA]]
 
* [[Argus AA]]
 +
* [[Argus A3]]
 
* [[Argus AF]]
 
* [[Argus AF]]
 
* [[Argus B]]
 
* [[Argus B]]
 +
* [[Argus CC]]
 
* [[Argus FA]]
 
* [[Argus FA]]
−
==== A-series Links ====
+
Argus A-5 see [[Argus#Rebadged Import Cameras | below]]
−
* [http://theargusa.com/Book.htm 35mm For The Proletariat: A Modern User's Guide To The Argus A/A2 Camera]
 
  
 
=== C-series ===
 
=== C-series ===
−
<div class="floatright plainlinks">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/martintaylor/20759012/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://static.flickr.com/16/20759012_cda909e729_t.jpg]</div>
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<div class="floatright plainlinks">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/martintaylor/20759012/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://static.flickr.com/16/20759012_cda909e729_m.jpg]</div>
−
* Argus C
+
* [[Argus C]]
 
* [[Argus C2]]
 
* [[Argus C2]]
 
* [[Argus C3]]
 
* [[Argus C3]]
 
* [[Argus C3 colormatic]]
 
* [[Argus C3 colormatic]]
−
* Argus C3 Golden Shield
+
* [[Argus C3 Golden Shield]]
 
* [[Argus C3 MatchMatic]]
 
* [[Argus C3 MatchMatic]]
 
* Argus C3 Standard
 
* Argus C3 Standard
−
* Argus C33
+
* [[Argus C 33]]
 +
* [[Argus C4]]
 +
* [[Argus C44]]
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* [[Argus C44R]]
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* [[Argus C4 Geiss]]-modified for interchangeable lenses
 +
*  Argus C4R
  
−
=== Autronic Series ===
+
''For Argus C3 Electro and Argus C4M Electro, see "later rebadged cameras" below''
 +
 
 +
=== Autronic series ===
 
* [[Argus Autronic 35]]
 
* [[Argus Autronic 35]]
−
* Argus Autronic C3
+
* [[Argus Autronic 35 | Argus Autronic C3]]
−
* Argus Autronic I
+
* [[Argus Autronic I]]
−
* Argus Autronic II
+
* [[Argus Autronic II]]
  
 
=== TLR ===
 
=== TLR ===
−
* Argus 40
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<div class="floatright plainlinks">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kratz/886431013/in/pool-camerawiki/ http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/886431013_edf6263042_m.jpg]
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* Argus 75
 
−
<div class="floatright plainlinks">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kratz/886431013/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/886431013_edf6263042_t.jpg]
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
−
* Argus Super Seventy-Five
+
* [[Argus 40]]
−
* Argus Argoflex
+
* [[Argus 75]]
−
* Argus Argoflex E
+
* [[Argus Super Seventy-Five]]
 +
* [[Argus Argoflex 40]]
 +
* [[Argus Argoflex E]]
 
* [[Argus Argoflex EF]]
 
* [[Argus Argoflex EF]]
−
* Argus Argoflex EM
+
* [[Argus Argoflex EM]]
−
* Argus Argoflex Forty
+
* [[Argus Argoflex II]]
−
* Argus Argoflex II
 
 
* [[Argus Argoflex Seventy-Five]]
 
* [[Argus Argoflex Seventy-Five]]
  
−
=== Other ===
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=== Other factory cameras===
−
* Argus 127 (also sold by [[Beacon]] as WH 127-A)
+
* [[Argus 21]] "Markfinder"
−
* Argus 21
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<div class="floatright plainlinks">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthew2000tx/2810503738/in/pool-camerawiki http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/2810503738_4836d0f266_m.jpg]</div>
 
* [[Argus A-Four]]
 
* [[Argus A-Four]]
−
* [[Argus C4]]
+
* [[Argus C-twenty]]
−
* [[Argus C44]]
+
* [[Argus Model K]]
−
* [[Argus C44R]]
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* [[Argus Model M]]
−
* Argus C4 Modified
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−
* Argus C4R
+
===Later rebadged cameras===
−
* Argus/Cosina STL 1000
+
* [[Argus 127]] ([[Whitehouse Products]])
 +
* [[Argus/Cosina 35]] Compact ([[Cosina]])
 +
* [[Argus (SLR)]] (Mamiya)
 +
* [[Argus CR-1]] ([[Chinon]])
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* [[Argus C3 Electro | Argus C2/C3 Electro]] ([[Haking]])
 +
* [[Argus C4M Electro]] ([[Haking]])
 +
* [[Argus CR-1 | Argus CR-2 ]] ([[Chinon]])
 +
* [[Argus CR-3E]] ([[Chinon]] autoexposure)
 +
* [[Argus STL 1000]] (Cosina; Petri)
 +
* [[Argus/Cosina STL 1000]] ([[Cosina]])
 +
* [[Argus/Cosina EC 2000]] ([[Cosina]])
 +
* [[Argus V-100]] (German OEM)
 +
* [[Argus Auto 35mm]] (integral flash reflector; Mamiya)
 +
* [[Argus Automatic 35]] ("Electric Eye 35mm")
 +
* [[Argus A-5]] (Japan OEM)
 +
* [[Argus Pocket Carefree 110]] (series for [[110 film]])
 +
* [[Argus Skylark 110]]  (series for [[110 film]])
 +
* [[Argus Palmatic]] (series for [[110 film]])
 +
* [[Argus "Focus Free"]]
 +
* [[Argus DF-300]] ([[Seagull DF-300]])
 +
 
 +
====126 cartridge====
 +
* [[Argus 260 Automatic]]
 +
* [[Argus 257 Instant Load]]
 +
* [[Argus 264 Instant Load]]
 +
* [[Argus Instant Load 270]]
 +
* [[Argus Instant Load 284]]
 +
* [[Argus 126]]
 +
* [[Argus Carefree]]
 +
* [[Argus 164k Carefree]]
 +
* [[Argus Lady Carefree]]
 +
* [[Argus Instant Load 164]]
 +
* [[Argus Electric Eye Instant Load 364]]
 +
* [[Argus Solid State Electronic 374]] ("Electric Eye — Instant Load")
 +
* [[Argus Instant Load 146X]]
 +
* [[Argus Flash Sensor 235x]] <!--([[Sedic]]) **Need a reference for this, Gambino only attributes the metal 126 models to them ** -->
 +
* [[Argus Electric Eye 345X]]
 +
* [[Argus Electronic 355X]]
 +
* [[Argus Go-Light Carefree 366]]
 +
<!-- spotted on eBay but need info whether they have model numbers
 +
* [[Argus Sidekick]]
 +
 
 +
-->
 +
 
 +
==Notes==
 +
<references/>
  
−
== Links ==
+
== Sources ==
−
* [http://photo.even.free.fr/col_app.php?type=argus Argus page] at [http://photo.even.free.fr/ Collection G. Even's site]
+
=== Links ===
−
* [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/liste1_imagettes.php#Argus Various Argus Camera at Sylvain Halgand's collection]
+
*[https://www.argusmuseum.org/ Argus Museum site] and [https://argusmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/ searchable index of artifacts & images]
−
* [http://www.argoflex.com/camera_guide.htm Argus camera guide of argoflex.com]
+
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/186048873@N07 The Argus Museum Flickr account]
−
* [http://www.arguscamera.com/history/index.htm Argus Camera History]on the [http://www.arguscamera.com/ Argus Company site]
+
* [http://www.arguscg.org/ The Argus Collectors Group]
 +
* [http://www.aadl.org/ Ann Arbor District Library]
 +
** [http://oldnews.aadl.org/node/204921 Old News: The Story of Argus Cameras]
 +
** [https://aadl.org/search/community/argus%20cameras?mat_code=article Argus newspaper stories] (from the local paper ''Ann Arbor News'')
 +
** [https://aadl.org/argus_eyes Argus Eyes] (employee newsletter)
 +
** [http://www.aadl.org/argus_camera_publications Instruction manuals]
 +
** [https://aadl.org/search/community/Argus%20Camera?mat_code=photo Photos of Argus products and the Argus Museum]
 +
** [http://www.aadl.org/argus_eyes_for_victory Video: Eyes for Victory] (c. 1945)
 +
** [http://www.aadl.org/argus_fine_cameras Video: Fine Cameras and how they are made] (c. 1953)
 +
** [http://www.aadl.org/node/218739 Audio interview: Cheryl Chidester], Argus Museum Curator
 +
** [http://www.aadl.org/node/218815 Audio interview: Milt Campbell, Art Dersham, and Elwyn Dersham], former Argus employees
 +
** [http://www.aadl.org/node/218814 Audio interview: Art Parker] former Argus employee
 +
* [http://argusinfo.net/ Argus Camera Information Reference Site] by Phillip G. Sterritt
 +
** [http://argusinfo.net/DatingGuide/DatingYourArgus.htm When was my Argus camera made?]
 +
** [http://argusinfo.net/Reference/ReferenceGuide.htm Argus still camera and slide projector reference guides (1961)]
 +
* [http://theargusa.com/index.htm Argus A/A2 Camera Page] by Hrad Kuzyk
 +
** [http://theargusa.com/Book.htm 35mm For The Proletariat: A Modern User's Guide To The Argus A/A2 Camera]
 +
* [http://sites.google.com/site/fromthefocalplanetoinfinity/patents Argus patents]
 +
* [http://blog.dcview.com/article.php?a=AD5TMQxuAjI%253D Argus C: the first best-selling 135 film camera (1938)], at [http://blog.dcview.com/ckshene DCView] (in Chinese, [http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.dcview.com%2Farticle.php%3Fa%3DAD5TMQxuAjI%25253D English translation])
 +
* [http://sites.google.com/site/fromthefocalplanetoinfinity/argusc3/Gambino-ArgusMuseum.pdf The Argus Museum: Ann Arbor's Hidden Treasure] (PDF), by Henry Gambino, at [http://sites.google.com/site/fromthefocalplanetoinfinity/argusc3/ From the infinity to the focal plane]
 +
* [http://www.collectiongeven.com/piwigo/index.php?/category/758 Argus page] at [http://www.collectiongeven.com/piwigo/ Collection G. Even's site] (in French)
 +
* [http://www.collection-appareils.fr/general/html/listeA_imagettes.php#Argus Various Argus Camera at Sylvain Halgand's collection] (in French)
 +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110913032452/https://arguscamera.com/history/index.htm Argus Camera History] on the [https://web.archive.org/web/20080302150600/http://www.arguscamera.com/index.htm Argus Company site] (archived)
 +
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/arguscg/ Argus Camera Photographers Group] and [http://www.flickr.com/groups/arguscg/pool/ Pool] on Flickr
 +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201024194826/https://www.washtenawhistory.org/argus-museum Argus Museum page] (archived) at [https://www.washtenawhistory.org/ the Washtenaw County Historical Society]
  
 
=== Manuals ===
 
=== Manuals ===
−
* [http://www.butkus.org/chinon/ Listing of different Argus instruction manuals in PDF format]
+
* [http://www.butkus.org/chinon/argus.htm Listing of different Argus instruction manuals in PDF format] at [https://www.butkus.org/chinon/ Butkus.org]
 +
 
 +
=== Books ===
 +
* DESCHIN, Jacob. ''Picture making with the Argus C3, C4, A4: A working manual.'' Camera Craft Pub. Co., San Francisco, 1954. Library of Congress 54012589.
 +
* GAMBINO, Henry J. ''Argomania: A look at Argus cameras and the company that made them.'' Aeone Communications, Doylestown (Pennsylvania), 2005. <nowiki>ISBN</nowiki> 0-9770507-0-X.
 +
* KUZYK, Hrad. ''35mm for the proletariat: A modern user's guide to the Argus A/A2 camera.'' Hrad Kuzyk, 2007. <nowiki>ISBN</nowiki> 0615144888.
 +
* LAHUE, Kalton C. and BAILEY, Joseph A. ''Collecting vintage cameras, vol. 1: The American 35mm.'' American Photographic Book Publishing Company, New York, 1972. <nowiki>ISBN</nowiki> 081740547X.
 +
* LAHUE, Kalton C. and BAILEY, Joseph. ''Glass, brass, & chrome.'' University of Oklahoma Press, Oklahoma, 1972. <nowiki>ISBN</nowiki> 0-8061-0968-8. 2002: <nowiki>ISBN</nowiki> 0-8061-3434-8.
 +
* MURPHY, Burt. ''Argus 35mm photography.'' Verlan Books, New York, 1959. Library of Congress 59015881.
 +
* TYDINGS, Kenneth. ''The Argus 35mm guide and reference book.'' Greenburg, New York, 1952. Library of Congress 52008125.
  
 
[[Category: Camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Argus|*]]
 
[[Category: Argus|*]]
 
[[Category: USA]]
 
[[Category: USA]]

Latest revision as of 05:03, 1 August 2023

Argus Inc. was a camera maker based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. The company sold nearly three million of its best-known model, the Argus C3—fondly (and accurately) known as "the brick."


Buildings

8578374_f33eceb1e5_m.jpg

Argus Building, 535 West William St.,
now an office building, and
home of the Argus Museum

702617486_80cb7731c7_m.jpg

Curved corner of former Argus
optics shop, across 4th Street from
original factory building.

1229208061_1874ff6a0f_m.jpg

The entrance of that building,
currently in use by the
University of Michigan

52774853199_081ca06e9b_m.jpg

East side of Argus factory building,
facing parking lot. Camera display
upstairs through left doorway

image by John Baird (Image rights) images by John Lloyd (Image rights) image by Voxphoto (Image rights)
2416006868_e150e2f728_m.jpg
C3 and C3 Matchmatic
image by Rick Soloway (Image rights)

History

Before 1939, Argus was International Research Corporation, having evolved from International Radio Corporation, an innovative maker of bakelite radio sets. President Charles Verschoor saw a business opportunity to branch out into a bakelite 35mm camera as well. The first Argus, the Argus A, resulted from a patent that the company received in 1936, and its surprisingly affordable cost made it a great success. Thus it was this American company that brought 35mm film in Kodak's 135 cassette format to a mass market that could not afford costly Leica, Zeiss Contax or German Kodak Retina cameras.

Despite the success of the Argus A, company stockholders were unhappy with Verschoor's management, and ousted him from the company in 1938. But that year also saw the release of the Argus C and Argus C2, the first of the "bricks"—enormous successes which stayed in production for nearly three more decades.

By the 1950s, Argus had become a significant force in Ann Arbor's economy. Several buildings from its heyday still stand. Two are now used by the University of Michigan; but the main original factory is now remodeled as office space, and owned by "C3 Partners." This building includes a public area in an upstairs lobby, where a permanent exhibition of Argus cameras is shown, The Argus Museum[1].

Argus's factory was located in a residential neighborhood west of downtown Ann Arbor, which had traditionally been an enclave of German immigrants—particularly from Swabia in southern Germany.[2]

In 1957 Argus was purchased by Sylvania Electric Products Co., who believed there would be a synergy with that firm's flashbulb sales. A new South Carolina factory was opened to handle strong slide projector sales. However by the late 1950s, Argus was struggling to compete against new Japanese camera imports, which offered better features at a lower price point. In 1959 Sylvania entered a merger creating GTE; and in 1962[3] its management essentially dumped Argus onto Mansfield Industries—a Chicago photographic distributor and a smaller company.[4]

In the 1960s, most Argus products became foreign imports (several from Mamiya), rebranded with the Argus name. While optics contracts kept some Ann Arbor workers busy, by 1963 camera production had stopped there (a trickle of camera models were made in South Carolina through the mid-1960s). Starting in 1967 Argus's corporate ownership turned over several more times, with the brand popping up in various guises. But the era of US-designed and -manufactured cameras had ended.

4371505879_9f49e3f194.jpg
image 1940's,
by vincentnip (Image rights)


List of Argus cameras

A-series

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Argus A-5 see below

C-series

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For Argus C3 Electro and Argus C4M Electro, see "later rebadged cameras" below

Autronic series

TLR

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Other factory cameras

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Later rebadged cameras

126 cartridge

Notes

  1. ↑ "Argus Camera Museum, Ann Arbor " at Vintage Cameras | Gregory Fox Photography
  2. ↑ "The Story of the Schwaben Halle", from the Ann Arbor Observer column "Then And Now," Dec. 2002, archived at Ann Arbor District Library. The Swabian region of Germany was home to Dacora Kamerawerk, founded in Reutlingen south of Stuttgart.
  3. ↑ See a Mar 2, 1962 article from the Ann Arbor News dating the sale's closing to April 29; from the Ann Arbor District Libray collection of Argus materials.
  4. ↑ Sylvania/GTE retained ownership of the Ann Arbor buildings until 1963, noted in a March 16 Ann Arbor News story. Only one building of three was still leased to the local Argus remnant.

Sources

Links

Manuals

Books

  • DESCHIN, Jacob. Picture making with the Argus C3, C4, A4: A working manual. Camera Craft Pub. Co., San Francisco, 1954. Library of Congress 54012589.
  • GAMBINO, Henry J. Argomania: A look at Argus cameras and the company that made them. Aeone Communications, Doylestown (Pennsylvania), 2005. ISBN 0-9770507-0-X.
  • KUZYK, Hrad. 35mm for the proletariat: A modern user's guide to the Argus A/A2 camera. Hrad Kuzyk, 2007. ISBN 0615144888.
  • LAHUE, Kalton C. and BAILEY, Joseph A. Collecting vintage cameras, vol. 1: The American 35mm. American Photographic Book Publishing Company, New York, 1972. ISBN 081740547X.
  • LAHUE, Kalton C. and BAILEY, Joseph. Glass, brass, & chrome. University of Oklahoma Press, Oklahoma, 1972. ISBN 0-8061-0968-8. 2002: ISBN 0-8061-3434-8.
  • MURPHY, Burt. Argus 35mm photography. Verlan Books, New York, 1959. Library of Congress 59015881.
  • TYDINGS, Kenneth. The Argus 35mm guide and reference book. Greenburg, New York, 1952. Library of Congress 52008125.
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