Begging photography questions... Argus C3

[Dr_Totenkopf]

Hi guys I joined today just so i can ask you guys some questions about taking pictures with my Argus C3 camera my grandmother gave me, after a lot of polishing i have all the oxidation off the buttons, and lines housing. I have done restoration work on old computers, watches, lighters, and stuff so i know that I did not screw up the camera in the cleaning phase. so here are my questions:

1. What aperture settings should I use for different situations, low/high light, short/long depth of field, etc...
2. What is a good all around film speed, for some one with no Analog photography experience, outside of a Polaroid Land Camera 360.
3. where could I find replacement parts if and when I need them, outside of getting some of the machinists I know make them.
4. Are there any quarks about the turnout of pictures taken with the C3, like lens distortion, film stretching, or whatever.

Any advice will be helpful, I'm already familiar with the rang-finder style from my Polaroid Land Camera.

Thanks, Dr. Totenkopf

 

[Proteus617]

Hi guys I joined today just so i can ask you guys some questions about taking pictures with my Argus C3 camera my grandmother gave me, after a lot of polishing i have all the oxidation off the buttons, and lines housing. I have done restoration work on old computers, watches, lighters, and stuff so i know that I did not screw up the camera in the cleaning phase. so here are my questions:

1. What aperture settings should I use for different situations, low/high light, short/long depth of field, etc...
2. What is a good all around film speed, for some one with no Analog photography experience, outside of a Polaroid Land Camera 360.
3. where could I find replacement parts if and when I need them, outside of getting some of the machinists I know make them.
4. Are there any quarks about the turnout of pictures taken with the C3, like lens distortion, film stretching, or whatever.

Any advice will be helpful, I'm already familiar with the rang-finder style from my Polaroid Land Camera.

Thanks, Dr. Totenkopf

Cool. It's a fun camera. check out D. Butkus' Orphan Camera site for a manual. Arguscg.org has great info including repair manuals. don't forget to calibrate the rangefinder and test the shutter speeds. Check out the tutorials sticky at the top of page for exposure info. also, google "Sunny 16". 400 spee film will limit you to your smallest apertures and fastest speeds in daylight, you might be happy with ISO 100, but any cheap film will do for testing purposes. Also, you don't get replacement parts, you just get another C3 to cannibalize. They are only worth about $5. Keep your finger clear of the cocking lever. It's recoil is enough to kill small mammals. A well tuned C3 can produce pro quality images once you learn to work within it's limitations. Many of Tony Vaccaro's award winning WWII photos were made with his C3.

 

[Derrel]

Some great info from Proteus167 in his post above!!! He did however, omit a few C-3 factoids. As a former owner, I'll pass along some of my C3 secrets to you, a new owner. First of all, the proper terms of affection for the C3 are "Brick", or "The Brick", or "my Brick". The utilitarian, square-cornered shape and brick-like heft and mass made this old camera an excellent hand-to-hand weapon of last resort. It is a toe-buster if dropped on the foot just right. It will split open a man's skull if you hit him in the head with it. It will break an assailant's jaw, teeth, or arm bones when the Brick is used as either a hand-held or thrown weapon of last resort. It will drive small brads and tacks, albeit rather clumsily. A Brick makes a superb paper weight--that also takes pictures! As a doorstop, it is almost unequalled among cameras.

Warring bands of primitive people have been known to use short lengths of vine rope wrapped around Bricks to make deadly "bolo-type" throwing weapons used when raiding adjoining tribal villages in search of plunder or food. Three.or even four or five, Bricks wired together make a superb anchor for light-duty small prams or smallish aluminum lake fishing boats, and considering the high cost of raw metal these days, the cost of three Bricks or four is LESS than even a cheap factory-made boat anchor. Low-tech an inelegant it might be, but the Brick is a superb nut-cracker and crab-cracker!!! It can also be used to process whole tomatoes into salsa! The Brick is a great conversation starter with young women, who think it's a fancy Leica-camera. The Brick is a great camera for young, mostly broke anarchists to throw at store windows during nasty demonstrations in which riot police and tear gas are the order of the day!


All in all, the venerable Argus C3, aka "the Brick" was first off a camera, but was also a multi-tool, defense weapon,offensive weapon,nut- and crab-cracker, salsa-maker, chick magnet, door stop,paper weight, and boat anchor, just to name a few off-list uses!!! I miss my Brick!!! [No truths were harmed in the making of this post]

 

[Proteus617]

Derrel is correct. You really need to be careful with a C3. Once I parked my car in a bad neighborhood with my C3 in plain view on the passenger seat. Someone saw it, smashed my window, and left me another C3. Here is mine pimped out. Yes I did re-skin it in gaffers tape.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m137/Proteus617/5Speed.jpg

 

[Dr_Totenkopf]

well I picked up some Kodak 400 B/W. I loaded up the camera for some scientific analysis of the different settings. I took several pictures of the same object at 3.5, 5.6, and 16. i had the shutter set at just above 300 being the highest it will go. I will post my results as soon as I get the film developed.

So where should I look for the telephoto lens, I'd assume that i could find them at any large bulk antiques store would have them.

 

[DiskoJoe]

^^^^

ebay

 

[enzodm]

1. What aperture settings should I use for different situations, low/high light, short/long depth of field, etc...

photography is always the same, so rules apply in analog like in digital. Start from Sunny 16 rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for practical indications, however if you miss something on the principles, start from any basic tutorial (e.g. Understanding exposure by Bryan Peterson).

 

[dylanstraub]

Some great info from Proteus167 in his post above!!! He did however, omit a few C-3 factoids. As a former owner, I'll pass along some of my C3 secrets to you, a new owner. First of all, the proper terms of affection for the C3 are "Brick", or "The Brick", or "my Brick". The utilitarian, square-cornered shape and brick-like heft and mass made this old camera an excellent hand-to-hand weapon of last resort. It is a toe-buster if dropped on the foot just right. It will split open a man's skull if you hit him in the head with it. It will break an assailant's jaw, teeth, or arm bones when the Brick is used as either a hand-held or thrown weapon of last resort. It will drive small brads and tacks, albeit rather clumsily. A Brick makes a superb paper weight--that also takes pictures! As a doorstop, it is almost unequalled among cameras.

Warring bands of primitive people have been known to use short lengths of vine rope wrapped around Bricks to make deadly "bolo-type" throwing weapons used when raiding adjoining tribal villages in search of plunder or food. Three.or even four or five, Bricks wired together make a superb anchor for light-duty small prams or smallish aluminum lake fishing boats, and considering the high cost of raw metal these days, the cost of three Bricks or four is LESS than even a cheap factory-made boat anchor. Low-tech an inelegant it might be, but the Brick is a superb nut-cracker and crab-cracker!!! It can also be used to process whole tomatoes into salsa! The Brick is a great conversation starter with young women, who think it's a fancy Leica-camera. The Brick is a great camera for young, mostly broke anarchists to throw at store windows during nasty demonstrations in which riot police and tear gas are the order of the day!


All in all, the venerable Argus C3, aka "the Brick" was first off a camera, but was also a multi-tool, defense weapon,offensive weapon,nut- and crab-cracker, salsa-maker, chick magnet, door stop,paper weight, and boat anchor, just to name a few off-list uses!!! I miss my Brick!!! [No truths were harmed in the making of this post]

LMAO humor love it.