Difference between revisions of "Argus C4"
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Revision as of 15:37, 27 October 2012
The Argus C4 is a 35mm fixed lens, coupled rangefinder manufactured by Argus, Inc.
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| Argus C4 outfit, with fixed lens image by Mark O'Brien (Image rights) |
Description
The Argus C4 is a 35mm fixed lens, couple rangefinder manufactured by Argus, Inc. In the 1950s, Argus sold over 300,000 Argus C4 35mm rangefinder cameras. It had one of the best implementations of a viewfinder with superimposed rangefinder, an easy film load concept and a hot shoe for attaching and connecting a flash without cable. It had a modern design, but no interchangeable lenses.
The C4 design is an improvement over the Argus 21 Markfinder, which did not have a coupled rangefinder. The popularity of the camera led to consumer demand for an interchangeable lens version. At first, this demand was met by a Geiss-modified version of the C4, known as the Argus C4 Geiss, that could accept Lithagon lenses. Later Argus released the Argus C44, which became their standard interchangeable lens rangefinder.
There are several versions of the C4, with the earliest (Version 1) sharing main body elements of its precursor, the Argus 21, or Markfinder. The initial maximum shutter speed was 1/200, but the later versions featured 1/300 sec maximum shutter speed, and X-synch on the hot shoe. An all-black version also exists but is rare and highly prized by collectors. There are less than 10 known examples of the Black C4. Some collectors have theorized that the black versions are prototypes created to attract US Government interest, but no evidence has been found explaining the company's motivation for this version. The black version does not have a stamped serial number.
According to photo magazine ads, the Argus C4 retail price was $99.50 USD in 1952.[1] A 1954 ad, lists the C4 retail price at $84.50.[2]
Specifications
- Badging: Argus C-Four
- Manufacturer: Argus
- Film Format: 135 (35mm)
- Shutter: behind lens leaf type shutter
- Shutter Speeds: 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/300, Bulb (early version only went to 1/200)
- Flash sync: Hot shoe, X-sync or M-sync selector switch (1/50 or 1/100 sync)
- Lens: Argus Cintar f/2.8 coated anastigmat, Series IV (20.6mm) filters
- Aperture: 10-blades, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
- Viewfinder: Eye-level
- Focusing: coincident image type coupled rangefinder
- Meter: none
- Battery: none
- Weight: n/a
Advertisements
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| 1952 C4 ad scanned by Nesster (Image rights) |
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| 1952 US Camera Annual scanned by Mark O'Brien (Image rights) |
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| 1955 C4 ad scanned by Nesster (Image rights) |
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| 1958 Sears Catalog scanned by Nesster (Image rights) |
Photos
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| Argus C4 image by Raúl Sá Dantas (Image rights) |
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| Argus C4 image by Jim Keeling (Image rights) |
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| Argus C4 image by Christopher Robin Roberts (Image rights) |
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| Rare black C4 image by Mark O'Brien (Image rights) |
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| Grey recovered C4 image by Rick Oleson (Image rights) |
Links
- Argus C4 manual from the Argus Collectors Group
- Argus C4 manual from Butkus Orphan Cameras website
- How it Works: The Argus C4 Shutter
- C4 Repair notes
- Geiss modified C4 at cameraquest.com [1]
- Argus C4 at www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
