Argus Rapid Film Advance C-four (1958)

The rapid film advance model of the C-four was made only in 1958. This is a relatively uncommon camera because only about 6,000 were made. The original C-four has knobs to advance or rewind the film and was made from 1951 through 1957. The other differences are that an Argus CM-2 light meter could be attached to the shutter speed dial and that the shutter speeds were changed slightly. The plain C-four has 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100 and 1/200, but the rapid film advance C-four has 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125 and 1/300. The C-four has a coated f/2.8-22 50 mm Argus Cintar lens (three elements) that focuses from 3 ft. to infinity using a coupled, co-incident range finder. There is a hot shoe for an Argus flasholder or an electronic flash. Flash synchronization can be set to "M" for type M flash bulbs or "X" for type F flash bulbs or electronic flash. As far as I know, Argus did not offer an electronic flash. The camera uses regular 35 mm film. The back of the camera comes off for loading film. The exposure counter does need to be manually reset when film is loaded. This camera has a noisy shutter - not as loud as the one on a C3, but a close second. You get a ratchety snick instead of a clang. The shutter does have a bulb setting and you can attach a cable release to the shutter release. For daylight snapshots you could load the camera with an average black and white film and use the settings marked in red: shutter speed 1/125th of a second, aperture f/8, and focus 15 ft, to be ready for ordinary family photos in sunny weather. For color pictures, which in those days usually meant Kodachrome slides, you would change the shutter speed and aperture settings to the ones marked in yellow, 1/60th of a second and f/6.3, half-way between f/5.6 and f/8. The camera was made by Argus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The old factory building, remodeled as an office building, still stands and houses a small museum devoted to Argus cameras. The Kodak Signet 35 (1951-1958) probably is the closest domestic rival.

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Film Chamber